Illinois State Library

Illinois Center for the Book

Individual Author Record

General Information

Name:  Loraine Despres  

Pen Name: None

Genre:

Audience: Adult;

Born: Chicago, Illinois

-- Website -- http://www.lorainedespres.com/
-- Loraine Despres on WorldCat -- http://www.worldcat.org/search?q=loraine+despres

Illinois Connection

Loraine was born in Chicago, attended high school in Highland Park and graduated from Northwestern University.

Biographical and Professional Information

Loraine Despres was born in Chicago and attended high school in Highland Park, Illinois. She graduated from Northwestern University. After college, she began to write educational radio, film, and advertising in Chicago, Paris, and New Orleans. She later moved to Los Angeles and within two years, she was writing for the television show ''Family''. She went on to write for the television shows ''The Highlander'', ''The Equalizer'', ''Crime Story'', ''Dynasty'', ''The Waltons'', ''Love Boat'', ''CHIPS'' and ''Knots Landing''. She is probably best known for writing the "Who Shot J.R.?" episode of ''Dallas'', now a veritable icon of pop culture. After writing many movie pilots, movies of the week, feature films and soap operas, Loraine decided to write a novel. Three years later the best selling novel, ''The Scandalous Summer of Sissy LeBlanc'' was published. Loraine currently resides in Los Angeles.

Published Works Expand for more information

Titles At Your Library

Awards

''The Scandalous Summer of Sissy LeBlanc'' was a Literary Guild and Doubleday Book Club selection and was chosen as a Barnes and Noble Discover Great New Writers Pick. ''The Bad Behavior of Belle Cantrell'' was an official selection of the Pulpwood Queens, America's Largest Book Club with chapters across the country and across the world.

Speaking Engagements

Speaking Engagement Availability (Yes)