Offspring of an Italian/German family in Germany, Leska attended a Catholic all girls school before going on to university to get a degree in Japanese. She lived and worked in Japan for a year as a kindergarten teacher, then underwent teacher and theatre pedagogics training. She is currently a classroom teacher in Alaska.

She told stories even before she could write them down, and was always fascinated by words and language (according to trustworthy sources a.k.a. parents). As far as the written word is concerned, nothing is safe from her -- novels, drabbles, poems, plays, scripts; she tries everything at least once.

Her passions include tea parties, all things edible (first and foremost chocolate), science-fiction in any form, researching, and snow.

When Leska isn't in front of a class teaching, or working on another novel, you're most likely to find her at home, daydreaming about other worlds. Lifelong dream: Produce her own TV series and write blockbuster screenplays for Steven Spielberg!