Leslie Ann Esdaile Banks ( Peterson; December 11, 1959 – August 2, 2011) was an American writer under the pen names of Leslie Esdaile, Leslie E. Banks, Leslie Banks, Leslie Esdaile Banks and L. A. Banks. She wrote in various genres, including African-American literature, romance, women's fiction, crime suspense, dark fantasy/horror and non-fiction.
She won several literary awards, including the 2008 Essence Literary Awards Storyteller of the Year. leslieesdailebanks.com August 2006 Our Authors: L.A. Banks AccessRomance.com
Biography Leslie Ann Peterson was born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She married Michael Esdaile,; they had one child, a daughter, Helena Esdaile. The couple divorced and she remarried, to Al Banks, in 2000.
She attended University of Pennsylvania Wharton School, where she earned her undergraduate degree and then attended Temple University's School of Communications and Theater, earning her masters in fine arts. Before she began writing full-time, she worked at The Women's Opportunities Resource Center, where she helped develop micro-entrepreneurial career curriculums for women of low income in Philadelphia.
Banks contributed to magazines and newspaper columns, and wrote commercial fiction for five major publishers: St. Martin's Press (NYC), Simon & Schuster (NYC), Kensington Publishing (NYC), BET/Arabesque (NYC), and Genesis Press (MS).Access Romance accessromance.com She became the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, received the 2008 ESSENCE Magazine Storyteller of the Year award, as well as the 2009 Romantic Times Booklover's Convention Career Achievement Award for Paranormal Fiction. Books 1 and 2 of The Vampire Huntress Legend Series (Minion and The Awakening, respectively), have been optioned for Hollywood films by GothamBeach Entertainment and Griot Entertainment. Originally a nine-book series, The Vampire Huntress Legend Series has been expanded to twelve (the last being called "The Thirteenth").Gotham Beach Entertainment gothambeach.com
In addition, Banks wrote the book series for the network cable series "Soul Food," as well as the novelization of the movie "Scarface."
Illness and death In June 2011, it was announced on Banks' website that she had been diagnosed with late-stage adrenal cancer. It was revealed that due to the extreme costs of her medical care, her family opened up a charitable fund in her name in one of the local Pennsylvania banks. The literary community also rallied around the ailing author, with several supporters starting a series of auctions where the proceeds went towards Banks' medical care.Leslie Banks fansite News of Banks' cancer battle Authors including P. N. Elrod, Heather Graham and Charlaine Harris donated books and services to raise funds for Banks, as did others in the literary community.Fundraising for Banks' medical care
Banks' official website was updated to reflect her death from cancer on August 2, 2011, at the age of 51. She is survived by her daughter, Helena Esdaile.
Bibliography
As Leslie Esdaile
Romance novels Sundance (1996) Slow Burn (1997) Love Notes (2001) Love Lessons (2001) River of Souls (2001) Love Potions (2002) Still Waters Run Deep (2002) Tomorrow's Promise (2002) Through the Storm (2002) Sister Got Game (2004) Keepin' It Real (2005) Take Me There (2006) Better Than (June 2008)
Romance novellas "Home For The Holidays" in Midnight Clear (et al.) (2000) (*) "Time Enough for Love" in After the Vows (et al.) (2001) (*) "Valentine's Love" in Candlelight and You (et al.) (2003) (*) "Shameless" in Sisterhood of Shopaholics (et al.) (2003) (*) "A 'No Drama' Valentine's" in Valentin's Day Is Killing Me (et al.) (2006) (*)
Alexis Grant Men of the Delta Force Series Sizzle & Burn Locked at Loaded
Non-fiction How to Write A Romance for The New Market (1999) (*)
As Leslie E. Banks
Drama, TV adaptation novels Soul Food: For Better, For Worse (October 1, 2002) Soul Food: Through Thick and Thin (March 1, 2003) Soul Food: No Mountain High Enough (September 30, 2003)
As Leslie Banks
Non-fiction "Light at the End of the Tunnel" in Chicken Soup for the African American Soul (2004) (*)
As Leslie Esdaile Banks
Crime and suspense Betrayal of the Trust (2004) Blind Trust (2005) Shattered Trust (2006) No Trust (final book) (2007)
As L. A. Banks
Crime and suspense Scarface, The Beginning, Volume 1 (2006) Scarface, Point of No Return, Volume 2 (TBD)
Paranormal
The Vampire Huntress Legend Series Minion (trade paperback) (2003) (mass market) (2004) The Awakening (trade paperback) (2004) (mass market) (2004) The Hunted (trade paperback) (2004) (mass market) (2005) The Bitten (trade paperback) (2005) (mass market) (2005) The Forbidden (trade paperback) (2005) (mass market) (2006) The Damned (trade paperback) (2006) (mass market) (2007) The Forsaken (trade paperback) (2006) (mass market) (2007) The Wicked (trade paperback) (2007) (mass market) (2008) The Cursed (trade paperback) (2007) (mass market) (2008) The Darkness (trade paperback) (2008) (mass market) (2008) The Shadows (trade paperback) (2008) (Book 11) (2009) The Thirteenth (trade paperback) (2009)
NOTE: The Darkness (10), The Shadows (11), and The Thirteenth (12) are called The Armageddon Finale to The Vampire Huntress Legend Series.
Vampire Huntress Graphic Novel Books Source: The Hidden Darkness #1 (2010) The Hidden Darkness #2 (2010) The Hidden Darkness #3 (2010) The Hidden Darkness #4 (2010)
Neteru Academy Shadow Walker: A Neteru Academy Novel (2010)
Betrayal of the Trust Books Source: Betrayal of the Trust (2004) Blind Trust (2005) Shattered Trust (2006) No Trust (2007)
Crimson Moon novels Bad Blood (2008) Bite The Bullet (2008) Undead on Arrival (2009) Cursed to Death (2009) Never Cry Werewolf (2010) Left for Undead (2010)
Dark Avengers Series Finders Keepers (2008) Loser's Weepers (2008)
The Dark Series
Surrender the Dark (2011) Conquer the Dark (2011)
Paranormal novellas Anthology or collectionContentsPublication dateEditorCommentsStroke of MidnightMake It Last Forever2004Sherrilyn Kenyon Amanda Ashley
L.A. Banks
Lori HandelandNew York Times bestseller extended list 2004Dark DreamsIf The Walls Could Talk2004Brandon MasseyDeath's Excellent VacationSeeing Is Believing2010Charlaine Harris Toni L. P. KelnerVoices from the Other Side: Dark Dreams 2Natural Instinct2006Brandon MasseyLove at First BiteRide the Night Wind2006et al.My Big Fat Supernatural WeddingSpellbound2006P.N. ElrodVegas Bites2006L.A. Banks, et al.Creepin'Payback is a Bitch2007Monica JacksonDark Delicacies 2What the Devil Won't Take2007Del Howison Jeff GelbOn the Line2007Donna Hill Vincent Alexandria
L.A. BanksHotter Than HellEquinox2008Kim Harrison Martin H. GreenbergThe Darker Mask2008Gary Phillips Christopher ChambersThe AncestorsEv'ry Shut Eye Ain't Sleep2008L.A. Banks, Tananarive Due, and Brandon Massey
Articles Fiction Factor – Building Characters Through Realism Authors Supporting Authors Positively
References
External links
The Vampire Huntress Legend Series Website Crimson Moon Novels Website Official Leslie Banks MySpace neteruacademy.com
Interviews Romance in Color The Sister Circle Book Club WritersNewsWeekly.com Literary Spotlight
Reviews Paranormal romance Reviews The Best Reviews