Author J.A. Pitts, 54, died October 3, 2019 in Bellevue WA. He is best known for the Sarah Beauhall urban fantasy series: Black Blade Blues (2010), Gaylactic Spectrum Award winner Honeyed Worlds (2011), Forged in Fire (2012), and Night Terrors (2016). He also published short fiction (including a collaboration with Ken Scholes), starting around 2006, sometimes as John A. Pitts. Some of his short work was collected in Bravado’s House of Blues (2013).

Pitts was born February 13, 1965 and grew up in rural Kentucky. He earned a BA in English and a Masters of Library Science at the University of Kentucky, and worked in the technology sector. He is survived by his wife Kathy Pitts, daughter Emily, and son Patrick.