American author and New York Times-best seller, Eric Jerome Dickey, died on Sunday (January 3), succumbing to cancer at age 59.

Dickey was best known for his novels relating to contemporary African-American life. He was considered a literary giant.

Indviduals who partnered with Dickey on different projects paid tribute to the author.

Amanda Walker, a publicity director at Penguin Random House’sDutton imprint, said in a statement: “Eric Jerome Dickey loved being a writer and all that it encompassed. 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.”

Author Roxane Gay paid tribute to Dickey on Twitter, writing:
“I am truly saddened to hear about the passing of Eric Jerome Dickey. 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.”

Dickey is the author of the graphic novel Storm, which re-imagines the first meeting between the popular X-Men character Ororo Munroe and T’Challa, king of the fictional land of Wakanda known as the Black Panther. Two of his books, Friends and Lovers and Cheaters, were turned into touring plays.

Said author and book club member Lisa Renee Johnson: “As a reader, he made you feel like you mattered.”

His final novel, The Son of Mr Suleman, will be published posthumously in April 2021.