Eric Jerome Dickey, a New York Times best-selling author, has died at the age of 59. His publicist confirmed that Dickey died on Sunday, January 3 in Los Angeles “after battling a long illness.†Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, there will be no services. Throughout his prolific career, Dickey wrote 29 novels, many of which became cultural touchstones for African American contemporary life. Several of his works became New York Times best sellers, including Milk in My Coffee, Cheaters, Chasing Destiny, and Thieves’ Paradise. Born and raised in Memphis, Tennessee, Dickey studied engineering at Memphis State University. He began writing in 1989, when he was still working as an engineer, before leaving to try comedy and acting in Los Angeles. His debut novel, Sister, Sister, was released in 1996 and is still considered impactful for its representation of Black sisterhood today. Dickey is survived by his four daughters. “I am heartbroken,†wrote La Verne Madison Fuller on Facebook. “My cousin, Eric Jerome Dickey, passed away on yesterday. Guys, when God tells you to do something, just do it. Just a few weeks ago, God woke me up to text him and say that I loved him. He let me know that he loved us too.â€