After raising six children and spending more than three decades as a freelance writer, Leslie Wyatt entered her fifties with a sense that her life was shifting.
With her youngest children graduating high school and the demands of homeschooling behind her, she began to ask herself an important question: What now?
Rather than becoming stuck in mourning the closing of one chapter, Leslie embraced the opportunity to start another.
Today, well into her sixties, she is a published romance novelist and an accomplished oil painter. But, more than that, she is a woman who has found meaning and purpose by helping others see the beauty of everyday life and the possibility of second chances.
Creating romance for the rest of us
Leslie’s foray into romance novels began with a nudge from her daughter, who encouraged her to try something new after Leslie found herself stuck while working on a book for middle school students.
Her daughter sent her a simple writing prompt that included the phrase “the color blue.” That prompt planted a seed. Leslie began to imagine writing for adults instead of children, and not just adults, but people her own age.
“I decided to make the protagonists in their sixties,” Leslie explained. “There really is not much out there featuring older characters in love stories. And when it is, it is often written by people who have not experienced what this stage of life is really like.”
With decades of real-world experience behind her, Leslie found that writing about people in their sixties came naturally. She didn’t have to imagine what it was like to be navigating aging bodies, adult children or past heartbreaks. She lived through them all.
Her novels reflect that authenticity. They are not set on exotic beaches with mysterious strangers. Instead, her stories focus on relatable people facing real challenges.
Some characters are widowed or divorced, while others are simply trying to figure out whether love is even worth pursuing again.
“I write about the middle, which includes the rest of us,” Leslie explained. “I write about people who are not wealthy or glamorous, but still enjoy rich, beautiful lives. I try to capture the magic in the ordinary and show that love, connection and purpose are still very much possible at our age.”
Leslie’s readers have responded with gratitude and enthusiasm. Some tell her that her books gave them hope after a difficult breakup or the loss of a spouse. Others say they finally saw themselves reflected in a love story, which is something they had never experienced before.
Art for the everyday soul
Writing is just one way Leslie expresses herself. She is also a gifted oil painter with a particular fondness for architecture and landscapes. Her paintings often depict bridges, Victorian homes, birds and everyday scenes brought to life with rich colors and texture.
Leslie discovered oil painting later in life, while taking a class as part of a graphic design program. That one class reawakened a creative passion that had long been dormant.
In high school, she enjoyed art but never felt encouraged to pursue it. Now, with more time and confidence, she dove back in.
“I love oils because they are silky and luminous,” she explained. “There is something about mixing colors and working with texture that brings me so much joy.”
In the spring of 2025, Leslie engaged an artist residency at Whiskeytown National Recreation Area, where she painted a scene at one of the historic buildings there and worked on a novel set in a fictional national park. It is an opportunity that combines her two creative loves and allows her to immerse herself in nature, reflection and storytelling.
Giving herself permission to matter
While many people in their sixties wrestle with questions of relevance and self-worth, Leslie believes the secret to moving forward with purpose lies in learning to matter in your own equation.
That’s especially true for women, she explained, because there is often a deeply ingrained sense that their value lies in what they do for others. But, Leslie is learning to challenge that belief.
“I think women, in particular, struggle with feeling guilty when they do something just for themselves,” she said. “We are used to nurturing everyone else. But, now is the time to nurture ourselves, too.”
That shift has been both freeing and fulfilling. Leslie has stopped measuring her days by productivity and is trying to evaluate them by joy. She still works a part-time job as an operations manager, but she spends much of her time writing and painting as well. She does that because it helps her feel alive.
In doing so, Leslie is modeling something powerful for others. She’s showing that this season of life is not a time to fade into the background, but rather to rediscover forgotten dreams and explore new passions.
“I have never been 65 before,” Leslie said. “So why would I try to be 30 again? I want to fully live during this season and not waste it looking back or trying to recapture something that is gone.”
Embracing aging by telling the truth about it
Leslie is also passionate about reshaping how society views aging. She believes older adults have been sold a false narrative that life peaks in your 30s and everything after that is a slow decline. She is determined to challenge that idea through her books and art as well as the example she sets for others.
“Nobody told me what it would really be like to get older, especially as a woman,” Leslie explained. “There is so much pressure to stay young, to be thin and to look a certain way. But, I want to embrace my age and help others do the same.”
She believes seasoned citizens have a responsibility to speak honestly about the aging process, not just so they can live authentically, but so younger generations can prepare for it with hope rather than fear.
Her characters deal with these themes, too. They grapple with menopause, changing bodies and cultural expectations. But, they also experience deep friendship, renewed purpose and unexpected love. For Leslie, that combination of realism and optimism is what makes her stories resonate.
Living forward, not looking back
As she looks to the future, Leslie does not have a traditional bucket list. Instead, she follows her curiosity. That mindset once led her to take up karate at 59, eventually earning a second-degree brown belt before joint issues prompted her to stop.
Today, she dreams of hiking a solo section of the Pacific Crest Trail near her California home to challenge herself and reconnect with nature.
More than anything, Leslie wants to keep discovering who she is and what brings her joy. She encourages others to do the same.
“Think back to what you loved as a kid,” she advised. “What made your heart sing before life got in the way? That might be the clue to what will give you purpose now.”
She believes people over 50 do not need to earn their worth. They already matter simply by being here.
If they can tap into something that makes them feel alive, such as gardening, hiking and photography, or simply spending time with grandchildren, then they are living well.
“One measure of a life well-lived is to really inhabit your days and be who you are,” said Leslie. “If you can be kind to others along the way, that is enough.”
For more information
People can connect with Leslie in several ways, including:
- Website = www.lesliejwyatt.com
- Facebook = www.facebook.com/leslie.wyatt.58
- Instagram = www.instagram.com/lesliejwyatt
- LinkedIn = www.linkedin.com/in/lesliejwyatt
Leslie’s books, “All of Me” and “When I’m 64” can be found on Amazon and in other bookstores.
If you buy one of Leslie’s books from a link above, Forward From 50 may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.
After closing his business and enduring several painful years of uncertainty regarding what to do with his life, Greg founded Forward From 50 to help men and women over 50 to live more purposeful lives by pursuing things they are passionate about. A Wisconsin native, Greg currently lives in Arizona.