Les Edgerton has a bit of an unconventional background in that he’s an ex-con having spent a bit over two years in prison for burglary, armed robbery, strong-armed robbery and possession with intent to sell. He’s since taken a vow of poverty (became a writer) with 18 books in print.
Edgerton has been a semi-famous hairstylist (was an “A” national platform artist for Clairol, won 16 state hairstyling championships in Illinois, Michigan and Indiana, co-hosted a Cox Cable TV show on fashion with Paul Cimino in New Orleans), and when he was the Artistic Director for the Snobs Salon in New Orleans, they were the hairstylists for the 1987 spring release fashion show for Liz Clairborne. His hairstyles were featured on the covers of various magazines, including Touts and Gambit. He has held various jobs in not-so-ordinary lines of work, including working for an escort service (whose clients were older, wealthy women), a gambler, a drug user and dealer, and a singer in a rock band (very minor rock band … very minor singer … ). He was also elected student body president for Indiana University at South Bend, made porn movies, was a sports reporter for The South Bend Tribune, drove his T-Bird at speeds over 120 mph down icy city streets in a police chase (he outran the cops), been homeless, was married five times, and has been shot at more than once (and shot back) as well as being the victim of attempted stabbings. All of these things (and others) happened at different times in his life if you thought he was just having a busy week. All of which give his crime novels a verisimilitude other writers can’t possess.
After gaining parole, Edgerton obtained a B.A. from Indiana University and an MFA in Writing from Vermont College. He has taught in a variety of places, including the UCLA Writer’s Program, was writer-in-residence at the University of Toledo (3 years), same at Trine University, and has also taught for St. Francis University, Phoenix College, Writer’s Digest Online Classes, the New York Writer’s Workshop and he currently teaches a private class online.
Work of Edgerton’s has been nominated for or won: the Pushcart Prize, O. Henry Award, PEN/Faulkner Award, the Derringer Award, the Texas Institute of Letters Jesse Jones Book Award, Spinetingler Magazine Best Thriller (Legends category) and the Violet Crown Book Award (Special Citation). His work was included in the 2001 Houghton-Mifflin BEST AMERICAN MYSTERIES.
Find Les Edgerton online …
Blog: http://lesedgertononwriting.blogspot.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/les.edgerton
Twitter: https://twitter.com/hookedonnoir
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Les-Edgerton/e/B000APH7SI
Goodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/212322.Les_Edgerton