Leslie J. Wyatt was born in Utah, grew up in Montana, and lived with her husband for many years in Missouri. They now reside in Redding, California, back among the mountains that Leslie enjoys exploring on horseback. After twenty-four years of homeschooling their six children, she went on to pursue a degree in graphic arts.

Leslie is a two-time graduate of the Institute of Children’s Literature. A member of SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators), she served as 2010 SCBWI Missouri Mentor and has presented at literature festivals, SCBWI writing conferences, schools, and homeschool co-ops. She has written two historical novels and more than 200 stories and articles that have been published in national magazines. Her work is varied, but the themes of justice, individuality, and heritage run throughout them.