LESLIE BANKS

That has always been it for me: family first.

I began writing after my child was seriously hurt in a day care center accident, and I wanted to come home to be with her during her recovery.

The story grew, got way bigger than the contest rules called for, and next thing I knew I had a book.

I look at life, the experiences I've had, at the human condition, the dynamics between people, the news (world news), and draw from the compelling realities all around us.

In all honesty, at that time, I never saw myself as an author... I was just a Mom in a state of panic, trying to enter a short story contest to win the prize money in order to keep the lights on in my home.

I love the paranormal, because there, every genre I write can become one beacon for my imagination.

It was all a back-handed blessing, and my friends were the ones who kept the faith, read my work, and urged me to submit it to publishers (by sending it out for me - they would not hear no for an answer.

In all honesty, at that time, I never saw myself as an author... I was just a Mom in a state of panic, trying to enter a short story contest to win the prize money in order to keep the lights on in my home.

The story grew, got way bigger than the contest rules called for, and next thing I knew I had a book.

That has always been it for me: family first.

I love the paranormal, because there, every genre I write can become one beacon for my imagination.

I look at life, the experiences I've had, at the human condition, the dynamics between people, the news (world news), and draw from the compelling realities all around us.

It was all a back-handed blessing, and my friends were the ones who kept the faith, read my work, and urged me to submit it to publishers (by sending it out for me - they would not hear no for an answer.

I began writing after my child was seriously hurt in a day care center accident, and I wanted to come home to be with her during her recovery.