Nye Beach Writers’ Series Presents Leslie What

August 22nd, 2010

From broad humor to dark satire, Leslie What will take the audience to places they didn’t know they wanted to go, but once there, will be reluctant to leave until the story is resolved, until the question is answered: what happened next?

Leslie What is the literary love child of Anne Rice and Joyce Carol Oates.  She has published over a hundred stories, which have been translated into several languages, including Klingon.  Although she is listed as a writer of sci-fi and fantasy, she notes her stories are inspired by societal and human folly rather than by technology.

“Most of my stories take place in the everyday world, with a twist, because it’s the twists that interest me.”

Growing up in Los Angeles with immigrant parents who are terrorized survivors of WWII influences her writing style.

“We were among the first families in Orange County to post barbed wire fencing around our backyard.”

Her readers may squirm at some of the details but recognize the reality at the base of her tales, reflecting our complex humanity.

For a considerable time in her life, Leslie What engaged in a variety of theatre arts, until late 1970 when she moved to Eugene, Oregon, where she committed herself to the full-time life of an artist. She studied with Damon Knight and Kate Wilhelm and earned an MFA in writing from Pacific University. She’s is currently an instructor in The Writers’ Program at UCLA Extension.

Listening to Leslie What read at our August 21, 2010 author event promises to be a wonderfully entertaining summer night at the beach.