▁average . ▁She ▁received ▁the ▁Robert ▁Bl iss ▁Award ▁as ▁top - ran king ▁senior ▁in ▁the ▁School ▁of ▁Journal ism ▁and ▁Mass ▁Communic ation , ▁and ▁won ▁a ▁national ▁William ▁Rand olph ▁H ear st ▁Award ▁for ▁feature - writing ▁as ▁an ▁under grad uate . ▁ ▁When ▁Le An n ▁was ▁very ▁young ▁she ▁read ▁rom ance ▁nov els , ▁and ▁when ▁she ▁was ▁fifteen , ▁she ▁wrote ▁her ▁first ▁rom ance ▁novel ▁and ▁burn ed ▁it . ▁She ▁burn ed ▁five ▁more ▁complete ▁manuscript s ▁before ▁subm itting ▁one ▁to ▁a ▁publish er . ▁The ▁first ▁submission ▁was ▁accepted ▁by ▁Har le quin ▁Enter pr ises , ▁the ▁only ▁publish er ▁to ▁look ▁at ▁it , ▁and ▁was ▁published ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 4 ▁under ▁the ▁pseud onym ▁Le igh ▁Mich a els ▁( her ▁husband ▁name ). ▁ ▁Le An n ▁married ▁to ▁Michael ▁W . ▁L ember ger , ▁an ▁artist - ph ot ograph er . ▁ ▁Awards ▁T ies ▁That ▁Bind : ▁Final ist ▁for ▁Best ▁Trad itional ▁Rom ance ▁novel ▁in ▁the ▁R IT A ▁Award ▁by ▁Rom ance ▁Writ ers ▁of ▁America . ▁The ▁Lake ▁Effect : ▁Final ist ▁for ▁Best ▁Trad itional ▁Rom ance ▁novel ▁in ▁the ▁R IT A ▁Award ▁by ▁Rom ance ▁Writ ers ▁of ▁America . ▁Tra vel ing ▁Man : ▁Final ist ▁for ▁Best ▁Trad itional ▁Rom ance ▁novel ▁in ▁the ▁R IT A ▁Award ▁by ▁Rom ance ▁Writ ers ▁of ▁America . ▁The ▁Un likely ▁Santa :