Bestselling author Eric Jerome Dickey has passed away after a long battle with an illness, his publicist and cousin confirm.
The Memphis native’s career has spanned over 30 years. After graduating from Memphis State University with a degree in computer system technology, he relocated in 1983 to Los Angeles to work as a software developer in the aerospace industry. However, Dickey soon discovered that his creative desires overshadowed his tech career. He pursued acting, stand-up comedy, and screenwriting before publishing his first novel “Sister, Sister” in 1996. The book became an international success, solidifying his position as one of the world’s greatest urban fiction authors. His illustrious career has spawned 29 books, including “Milk In My Coffee” and “Sleeping With Strangers.”
His talents earned him the 2006 Best Contemporary Fiction and Author of The Year, and Storyteller of the Year in 2008 at the 1st Annual Essence Literary Awards. He has also earned multiple NAACP Image Awards.
His death was initially shared in a Facebook post by his cousin, La Verne Madison Fuller, who wrote, “I am heartbroken. My cousin, Eric Jerome Dickey, passed away on yesterday.”
His publicist confirmed his death in a statement shortly after.
“It is with great sadness that we confirm that beloved New York Times best-selling author Eric Jerome Dickey passed away on Sunday, January 3, in Los Angeles after battling a long illness. He was 59.”
Four daughters survive Eric Jerome Dickey. A cause of death has yet to be revealed.
