0 ratings | 0 reviews | avg rating:0.0

Leslie's Bookshelves

read (0)
currently-reading (0)
to-read (0)

Leslie's Friends (46)

Sabrina

1,695 books | 299 friends

Misha

8,003 books | 659 friends

Joann Spears

112 books | 442 friends

Christy English

343 books | 433 friends

Anne Brear

159 books | 222 friends

Courtney Milan

55 books | 504 friends

Colleen Turner

1,078 books | 181 friends

Brandon

23 books | 1,766 friends

More friends…

Leslie is following 4 people

Leslie Carroll

Goodreads author profile

born

New York, The United States

gender

female

website

http://www.lesliecarroll.com/

genre

Literature & Fiction, Romance

member since

June 2011

About this author

edit data

I used to tell people that I was born in Manhattan and raised in the Bronx; but the truth is that apart from the stellar education I received at the Fieldston School in Riverdale, much of who I am was shaped by my two grandmothers, who encouraged me to follow my bliss long before it became the sort of catchphrase you find on tee-shirts and new-age tchotchkes. My East Side grandmother took me to FAO Schwarz, the New York City Ballet, and afternoon tea at the Plaza Hotel, where I dreamed of becoming another Eloise. My West Side grandmother took me to the Central Park carousel and the zoo and treated me to colorful paper parasols and gummy, lukewarm pretzels from the vendors whose wares my East Side grandmother deemed too "dirty" for human con...more I used to tell people that I was born in Manhattan and raised in the Bronx; but the truth is that apart from the stellar education I received at the Fieldston School in Riverdale, much of who I am was shaped by my two grandmothers, who encouraged me to follow my bliss long before it became the sort of catchphrase you find on tee-shirts and new-age tchotchkes. My East Side grandmother took me to FAO Schwarz, the New York City Ballet, and afternoon tea at the Plaza Hotel, where I dreamed of becoming another Eloise. My West Side grandmother took me to the Central Park carousel and the zoo and treated me to colorful paper parasols and gummy, lukewarm pretzels from the vendors whose wares my East Side grandmother deemed too "dirty" for human consumption.

There are writers on both sides of my family, and although I always loved to write, I never anticipated that it would become my profession. I had wanted to be a ballerina; and though my club feet were corrected at birth (from the stilettos I adore now, you'd never know) and my short Achilles tendons made my toes turn in (corrected at the age of 9), I was never going to end up en pointe.

About a year later, I decided to become an actress when (if?) I grew up, and I never looked back. I majored in Theatre at Cornell University, worked in summer stock, and took classes with a couple of acknowledged masters. I performed a lot of Shakespeare and other classics in New York parks, basements, church choir lofts, and the occasional Off-Broadway theatre; then founded and ran my own nonprofit theatre company for several years. And when things got slow, and I found myself working three survival jobs simultaneously (one of them as a journalist and editor), I decided it was time to pursue an additional creative avenue.

Fast forward a decade. I'm now a multi-published author in three genres, as well as a freelance journalist. And I've also adapted a number of classic texts (Ivanhoe; The Prisoner of Zenda; The Scarlet Pimpernel; Mark Twain's The Diaries of Adam and Eve) for the stage. I began writing women's fiction and historical fiction simultaneously, but my first published novel was the urban romantic comedy Miss Match in 2002. In 2005, as I continued to write about feisty female New Yorkers, my first historical novel was published under the pen name Amanda Elyot. While keeping those literary plates spinning I made my historical nonfiction debut in the spring of 2008.

In what I laughingly refer to as my spare time, I'm still a professional actress, working when the scripts and the roles excite me.

I'm such a native New Yorker that I still don't have a driver's license, "Big Sky Country" means Central Park, and the farthest I've ever been from the Upper West Side for any great length of time was my four-year stint upstate in Ithaca, at Cornell, known for its rigorous academics and its equally harsh permafrost.

My birthday falls on the same day as two of my heroes—F. Scott Fitzgerald and Jim Henson. So I reread The Great Gatsby every year and number Miss Piggy among the great actresses of her generation. My favorite color is deep hydrangea blue, and it just kills me that it doesn't look good with red hair.

I live in Manhattan with my husband Scott—who is my hero and everything I ever dreamed of. For the past couple of years we've been considering an addition to the family in the form of a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.(less)

17 posts
Leslie Carroll's Blog

Where Did 2011 Go?

I'd intended to write this post on the first of the year, figuring at least it would become an "annual tradition" to write a blog post -- which was never my original intention when I began blogging. But I got so busy! On January 1, 2012, I was deep into revisions of my upcoming nonfiction opus, ROYAL ROMANCES: TITILLATING TALES OF PASSION AND POWER IN THE PALACES OF EUROPE (a November 2012 rele... read more »

View more on Leslie Carroll's website »

0 comments

•

Published on January 09, 2012 04:45 • 16 views

View all 17 posts »

combine editions
Books by Leslie Carroll

Average rating: 3.50 · 1,015 ratings · 222 reviews · 13 distinct works

	Notorious Royal Marriages: A Juicy Journey Through Nine Centuries of Dynasty, Destiny,and Desire 3.96 avg rating — 269 ratings — published 2009 — 3 editions	My rating:
	Royal Affairs: A Lusty Romp Through the Extramarital Adventures That Rocked the British Monarchy 3.76 avg rating — 205 ratings — published 2008 — 4 editions	My rating:
	Royal Pains: A Rogues' Gallery of Brats, Brutes, and Bad Seeds 3.66 avg rating — 152 ratings — published 2011 — 3 editions	My rating:
	Herself 3.19 avg rating — 77 ratings — published 2007 — 5 editions	My rating:
	Play Dates 3.02 avg rating — 82 ratings — published 2005 — 5 editions	My rating:
	Temporary Insanity 3.04 avg rating — 56 ratings — published 2004 — 4 editions	My rating:
	Spin Doctor 2.56 avg rating — 66 ratings — published 2006 — 4 editions	My rating:
	Miss Match 3.13 avg rating — 39 ratings — published 2001 — 4 editions	My rating:
	Reality Check 3.00 avg rating — 32 ratings — published 2003 — 3 editions	My rating:
	Choosing Sophie 2.52 avg rating — 25 ratings — published 2008 — 5 editions	My rating:

More books by Leslie Carroll…

Upcoming Events

No scheduled events. Add an event.

rss
Leslie's Recent Updates

Leslie Carroll joined the Need A Reviewer? I'm it! group.
May 27, 2012 10:03am · see group
Leslie Carroll said "yes" to attending the event: Live Chat with Juliet Grey, author of Days of Splendor, Days of Sorrow date: May 16, 2012 07:00PM location: Passages to the Past, The United States description: To celebrate the release of her second novel in the Marie Antoinette trilogy, Days of Splendor, Days of Sorrow and the 242nd wedding anniversary of Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI author Juliet Grey will be here at Passages to the Past for a Live Chat on May 16th from 7:00 - 8:00pm EST! Chat participants are eligible to enter any or all of the four fabulous giveaways that Juliet is sponsoring (open to US/Canada only): - Oh-so chic Ballard jute tote with genuine leather trim, which will hold dozens...more Leslie said: You bet, I'll be there! :)
May 13, 2012 02:05pm
Leslie Carroll voted for The Orchid Affair in Best Romance in the Semifinal Round of the 2011 Goodreads Choice Awards. cast your vote
Nov 15, 2011 09:45am
Leslie Carroll is now following Jennifer's reviews
Jun 16, 2011 12:55pm

More of Leslie's books…

Topics Mentioning This Author

topics	posts	views	last activity
The Next Best Boo...: Joy's Personal Reading Goals	15	133	Jun 04, 2009 08:57am
The Next Best Boo...: OFFICIAL SPRING CHALLENGE - 2009	6462	7918	Jun 14, 2009 02:57pm
Challenge: 50 Books: Joy W.'s 50 for 2009 (maybe-starting late)	37	135	Jun 26, 2009 10:28am
A History of Royals: June/July nominations for German Monarchy	52	46	May 27, 2011 11:27am

More…

Leslie's Bookshelves

Leslie's Friends (46)

Leslie's Fans (32)

Leslie Carroll

Goodreads author profile

17 posts
Leslie Carroll's Blog

combine editions
Books by Leslie Carroll

Upcoming Events

rss
Leslie's Recent Updates

Topics Mentioning This Author

recent posts
Leslie's Groups

Leslie's Friend Comments

Flag Abuse

Leslie's Bookshelves

Leslie's Friends (46)

Leslie's Fans (32)

Leslie Carroll

Goodreads author profile

17 postsLeslie Carroll's Blog

combine editionsBooks by Leslie Carroll

Upcoming Events

rssLeslie's Recent Updates

Topics Mentioning This Author

recent postsLeslie's Groups

Leslie's Friend Comments

Flag Abuse

17 posts
Leslie Carroll's Blog

combine editions
Books by Leslie Carroll

rss
Leslie's Recent Updates

recent posts
Leslie's Groups