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.