Eric Jerome Dickey(1961-2021) was the award-winning andNew York Timesbestselling author of twenty-nine novels, as well as a six-issue miniseries of graphic novels featuring Storm (X-Men) and the Black Panther. His novelSister, Sisterwas honored as one ofEssence's "50 Most Impactful Black Books of the Last 50 Years," andA Wanted Womanwon the NAACP Image Award in the category of Outstanding Literary Work in 2014. His most recent novels includeThe Blackbirds,Finding Gideon,Bad Men and Wicked Women,Before We Were Wicked,The Business of Lovers, andThe Son of Mr. Suleman.