Eric Jerome Dickey
Eric Jerome Dickey was born in on 7 July, 1961 in Memphis, Tennessee and he attended the University of Memphis, where he earned a degree in Computer System Technology. In 1983, he moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in engineering. After landing a job in the aerospace industry working as a software developer, EJD's artistic talents surfaced, inspiring him to become an actor and a stand-up comedian. He soon began working the local and national comedy circuit. In the early 1990's the aerospace industry took a downward turn and Dickey found himself "downsized," but took this as an opportunity to embark on a writing career.
Having written several comedy scripts for his personal comedy act, Eric Jerome Dickey started writing poetry and short stories. In 1994 his first published short story "Thirteen" appeared in the IBWA's River Crossing, Voices of the Diaspora--an Anthology of the International Black Experience. A second short story "Days Gone By" was published in the magazine A Place to Enter.
With those successes behind him, Eric Jerome Dickey then developed a screenplay called "Cappuccino." "Cappuccino" was directed and produced by Craig Ross Jr. and appeared in coffeehouses around the Los Angeles area. In February 1998, "Cappuccino" made its local debut during the Pan African Film Festival at the Magic Johnson Theater in Los Angeles.
Eric Jerome Dickey has gone on to write over ten novels and has featured in many publications, including Essence magazine, USA Today and The Los Angeles Times, and his novels have appeared on the bestseller lists of the "Blackboard," The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times. Dickey has appeared as a guest on many shows, including BET's "Our Voices" and CNN's "Sunday Morning Live."