Leslie Esdaile Banks

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.

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). She became the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, received the 2008 ESSENCE Magazine Storyteller of the Year award,

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. 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.

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.