A B O U T
Delia C. Pitts

"Well, writing was what I wanted to do, it was always what I wanted to do. I had novels to write so I wrote them." -- Octavia E. Butler
Wondering about the inspiration for my murder mystery series? (South Side Chicago relatives are involved!) Or how I got into writing in the first place? This new interview in IndieReader supplies the answers to these questions and more. Enjoy!
I've been enchanted with books from my earliest days; one of my first memories is of sitting on the floor in the golden motes of dust flying around the booklined porch my father used as his office. Second grade found me crafting a pastiche on the great Walter Farley novel,"The Black Stallion." I sold that story, with original cover painting, for .02 cents at our school's spring book fair.
My writing took a turn from animal lore when I discovered Sherlock Holmes in seventh grade. Agatha Christie, Langston Hughes, Margery Allingham, P.D.James, Walter Mosely, Ralph Ellison,so many fine practitioners of detective and other fiction influenced me over the years. Perhaps the biggest single influence, however, was my long-standing love affair with newspapers. I worked for professional papers in the rough-and-tumble news town of Chicago since my late teen years.
Pursuing a doctorate in African history and a career in the United States Foreign Service reinforced my interest in people, places, and writing. Though the settings were not quite so exotic as West Africa, my subsequent career as a university administrator took me to Texas, New Jersey, and right around the world recruiting international students and promoting study abroad programs. I jumped into the world of fiction writing through the stimulating and fun adventure of fan fiction. To date, I've published over sixty fan fiction stories since 2012, under the pen name Blacktop.
My wonderful husband, who's traveled this journey with me, has been a source of insight and common sense for decades. And our twin sons --smart, sensitive, and fun --are the inspiration for everything I do.

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Dive into this Free Short Story
Thanksgiving takes a fatal turn when Harlem private eye SJ Rook is thrust into his first murder case in "A Deadly First." A prequel to the full-length mysteries, this story is a darkly atmospheric tale of noir and enlightenment. Read "A Deadly First" for free to find out how Rook got his start.
A Banner Year!
In 2021, I published the fifth book in my noir mystery series, MURDER MY PAST. And I published short stories in three important anthologies: Best American Mystery and Suspense 2021; Chicago Quarterly Review's Anthology of Black American Literature, and Midnight Hour, a chilling anthology of crime fiction by writers of color.
What a year, what a ride! A million thanks to everyone who read, reviewed, cheered, and supported me on this journey. You made all the difference!


It's A Mystery, Podcast, with Alexandra Amor
Joining Alexandra Amor for her podcast, "It's A Mystery," was loads of fun. I got to stretch my performance muscles by reading an excerpt from my latest book, Murder My Past. It turns out, talking is easy, dramatic reading is hard! Tune into this episode to hear how well I did!

SinC into a Lively Chat
Sisters in Crime is an international organization that supports a diverse array of writers specializing in mystery and suspense. Each week, SinC offers a podcast featuring an in-depth conversation with a writer. In this episode, SinC executive director Julie Hennrikus talks with Delia about the writer's craft, building a series character, and the twists of the publishing journey.

Best Black Private Eyes
Looking for fresh reading for your book stack? Check out my recommendations of five great mysteries featuring Black private eyes, here.