Meet the Writer

About the Writer

Leslie Anne Lee is an award-winning author, screenwriter, and podcaster whose work explores the places where myth, faith, love, and darkness collide. Known for creating sweeping fantasy worlds filled with flawed heroes, ancient powers, and unforgettable romances, she writes stories that ask timeless questions about identity, sacrifice, redemption, and what it means to choose hope when the world has grown dark. With a background in literature and history, Leslie's favorites include Sir Thomas Mallory, J.R.R. Tolkien, Leon Uris, Jane Austen, Stephen R. Lawhead, C.S. Lewis, and Charles Dickens (just to name a few). As a M.A. grad, she was told she could not write her thesis on Arthurian Legend and therefore wrote it on child abuse in Dickens' works... then went back and wrote a second thesis on Arthurian legend. 

She is the author of the Legends of the Vale fantasy series, beginning with Child of Dawn, and the creator of an expanding literary world that includes epic prequels, screenplays, and character-driven stories inspired by mythology, folklore, and the enduring power of human connection. Her writing blends cinematic imagery with lyrical storytelling, transporting readers into worlds where gods still walk, monsters are not always what they seem, and love can alter the course of history.

As a screenwriter, Leslie brings that same imaginative vision to the screen. Her screenplay adaptation of Child of Dawn has earned multiple awards and selections from film festivals and screenplay competitions. Her work is distinguished by emotionally complex characters, vivid visual storytelling, and a belief that fantasy can be both spectacular and deeply personal. Whether writing an intimate exchange or an epic confrontation, she approaches every scene with a storyteller’s heart and a filmmaker’s eye. Growing up, she loved old black-and-white movies. This love of film blossomed as she grew and discovered sweeping epics like Spartacus, Last of the Mohicans, and her two favorites - Braveheart and LOTR: Return of the King. In college, essays were written over the course of watching either Ben-Hur or Braveheart in their entirety. Back then, that meant removing one VHS tape and replacing it with a second. 

Leslie is also the host of The Written World, a podcast devoted to storytelling, creativity, books, film, and the journeys of the people who bring imaginative worlds to life. Through thoughtful conversations with writers, filmmakers, actors, and other creative voices, she explores not only how stories are made, but why they matter.

Across every medium, Leslie Anne Lee remains committed to telling stories with beauty, courage, and emotional truth—stories for those who still believe in wonder, wrestle with darkness, and dare to imagine that even the most broken world can be remade.
When she is not stuck with her nose in a book or in front of a computer screen, Leslie loves helping the younger generation hone their creativity. She mentors several students who are exploring careers in writing, and helps teens film and edit their own independent films. 
Her two children are her biggest fans.