Leslie Esdaile Banks, née Peterson (December 11, 1959 – August 2, 2011) was an American writer under the pennames 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.