*New York Times bestselling author Eric Jerome Dickey has died of cancer at age 59.
Dickey, known for his work about contemporary Black life, died on Sunday in Los Angeles, his publicist confirmed to PEOPLE. As noted by the publication, his novels Chasing Destiny, Liar’s Game, Between Lovers, Thieves’ Paradise, The Other Woman, Drive Me Crazy, Genevieve, Naughty or Nice, Sleeping with Strangers, Waking with Enemies and Pleasure landed on The New York Times bestseller list.
Dickey’s last novel, The Son of Mr. Suleman, is due out in April.
“Eric and I have been together since the start of both of our careers. He’s been like a member of our family,” his agent Sara Camilli said in a statement. “His death leaves a large void not only in the literary world but in our lives as well. He was a writer’s writer–always striving to make everything he wrote the best it could be.”
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Rest In Peace, to Mr. Eric Jerome Dickey. ???? ???? ❤️ pic.twitter.com/gPlbwBzl6z
— Promised Land Magazine. (@PromisedLandMag) January 5, 2021
On Tuesday, several of Dickey’s literary peers paid tribute to him on social media.
“I am truly saddened to hear about the passing of Eric Jerome Dickey,” Roxane Gay tweeted. “His were some of the first novels I ever read about black people that weren’t about slavery or civil rights. He was a great storyteller.”
“Eric Jerome Dickey was a literary legend,” Luvvie Ajayi wrote. “Had a whole generation reading and coming to school the next day like ‘DID YOU FINISH YET??? We have to talk about it when you do!’ Wow. May he rest peacefully.”
“Eric Jerome Dickey loved being a writer and all that it encompassed,” Dickey’s publisher, Dutton, said in a statement. “He loved challenging himself with each book; he adored his readers and beloved fans and was always grateful for his success. We are proud to have been his publisher over the span of his award winning career. He will truly be missed.”
Dickey is survived by four daughters.
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