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The romance world received the sad news that one of the shining stars of the genre, Leslie Esdaile Banks, widely know as LA Banks, lost her battle with late stage adrenal cancer on August 2, 2011. A loved author with more the 40 novels under her belt, Leslie was also known to contribute to magazines and newspaper columns. She was the recipient of the 2009 Romance Times Booklover’s Career Choice Award for Paranormal Fiction and the 2008 Essence Storyteller of the Year award. Leslie was a proud founding member of the Liars Club, an organization based in her home town of Philadelphia of authors and publishing personnel.

Shortly after the announcement of Banks’ illness, the publishing community gathered together and auctioned books, agent and publisher time, and other valuable items to the literary community to help the Banks family with the costs of Leslie’s medical bills. The Liars Club had planned to host a writer’s bash on August 6th at Smokie Joe’s Bar in Philadelphia with the proceeds going towards medical bills. This gathering of friends, family, colleagues and fans will now serves as a memorial to remember the positive force Leslie was to so many people. For those who would like to help the Banks family with expenses, Donations can be accepted through the LA Bank Big Hug Jam paypal account.