L. A. Banks ~ Vampire, Women's & Paranormal Author ~ Rest in Peace

We may be the last to know and to say it, here, but for those who are also on that same list:  our dear author friend Ms Leslie Esdaile Banks passed away on August 3, 2011 after her illness.  See the information below from i90 website:  http://i09.com/  a sy-fy news and incredible literary links stop-over.

R.I.P. L.A. Banks, author of bestselling vampire novels

Leslie Esdaile Banks, who died yesterday, should be an inspiration to writers everywhere — she successfully moved between the genres of fantasy, paranormal romance, crime fiction, African American fiction, and women's fiction, among others. And she also helped bring diversity to the worlds of fantasy and paranormal romance, mostly under the pen-name L.A. Banks.


There's a memorial service in Philadelphia on August 13, and a fundraiser for her medical expenses this Saturday, also in Philadelphia.


There are some great tributes and remembrances about Banks at Tor.com, The Root, and Genreville.


Deborah/TheBookishDame