NYT Best Selling Author E. Lynn Harris Dies at 54

UPDATE: Server problems because of traffic.

Best selling black and openly gay author Everette Lynn Harris passed away overnight. He was on a book tour of the West Coast and only 54 years old.

Harris' work dealt with black gay culture, homophobia, religion and the black community. The plots—often featured around sports or entertainment—were a huge success with black women and made him a fixture on black talk radio. Harris was a passionate University of Arkansas Razorbacks fan and returned to his alma mater a visiting professor in the English department. Harris also recently became a mentor and father figure to two college students and athletes. "He was a very loving and involved dad," adds director Patrik Ian Polk.

In January, Harris wrote his 11th novel, Basketball Jones. The plot was ripped from the headlines about a closeted professional basketball player and a blackmail scandal. The book also featured the character of a well-known black gay blogger, which Harris said was inspired by this blog. Harris told Rod 2.0 the story came to him after a call from the manager of an NBA player. "The player wanted my advice because they were being blackmailed and were thinking about coming out. I was not told his name, or what team he played for, only that he might call and was considering coming out of the closet. ... So I started thinking, 'What if there were a professional basketball player who was involved with a man and wanted to come out?'"

Reportedly the author went into cardiac arrest last night after having dinner in Beverly Hills. Harris recently complained of his health and the stress of the book tour.

The news broke this morning across Twitter, the uber-popular instant message social networking platform. Patrik Ian Polk (@PatrikIanPolk), the director and creator of Noah's Arc, was supposed to meet Harris this afternoon for lunch and Tweets the details to Rod 2.0: "I called the [Peninsula Hotel] in Beverly Hills, to confirm lunch and hopefully laugh about the erroneous reports of his death. When the operator transferred me to a hotel manager, I knew something strange was up. This is unbelievable."

Polk adds that Lynn was visiting with one of his son's frat brothers "when he went into cardiac arrest ... I'm in shock. To have just spoken to him yesterday afternoon, this is hard to believe."

Keith Boykin adds: "Cedars-Sinai Hospital told Lynn's agent that [he] died Thursday night and his body is being transferred to the coroner's office." Harris' novel I Say a Little Prayer included a cameo by Boykin, marking his first appearance in a novel. Boykin's tribute to Harris is at The Daily Voice.

The Detroit native stormed the literary scene in 1994 with Invisible Life, an originally self-published story of bisexual Raymond Tyler. That and the sequel Just As I Am were among the earliest in a new wave of black gay literature that popularized and humanized black gay and bisexual literary characters. Harris was picked up by publishing giant Doubleday and had a string of best selling novels, including Any Way the Wind Blows, Abide with Me, Not a Day Goes By, and I Say a Little Prayer. Harris also wrote a memoir, What Becomes of the Brokenhearted, another New York Times best seller. Harris ultimately had ten  New York Times best sellers. This feat has never been rivaled by any black author.

On a personal level: Lynn was a friend, a mentor and a very strong supporter of  Rod 2.0. Before meeting in Chicago in the mid 90s, we actually had friends in common for several years and his ex, also named Roderick, was a mutual friend. (The joke was "Which Rod? 'Lynn' Rod or 'Rod Rod'?") Years later, when we finally met, ELH was guarded but extremely loving and giving. Lynn was very supportive of me last year during a personal problem and offered help, which I humbly refused. More importantly: Lynn never lost the common touch. Lynn often made Rod 2.0 his first stop on interviews and many times personally responded to comments, supportive and negative, via email. Classy to the end.

Thanks @PatrikIanPolk!

You May Have Missed...
E. Lynn Harris on New Novel "Basketball Jones" [R20]
A Conversation with E. Lynn Harris [R20]
We Don't Feel Welcome Here [R20]
Say A Little Prayer: ELH Interview [R20]

Comments

[Diva1961]

Whaaaaaaaaat!!!!!!!!!!!! Really? OMG!!!!! How????

[anthony davis]

If this information is in fact true I can tell you that it has hit me like a ton of bricks.I just finished reading, " Basketball Jones" and I was so looking forward to his next book.This is truly, truly devastating news,I am deeply saddened.

[qdeon]

i jus can't believ this

[Anthony in Nashville]

Damn this is a surprise!

Did he have longstanding health issues?

[Chaz]

OH HELLLL NO! WTH! Heck no! OMG! E. Lynn?! I have never been so hurt by the death of a person I didn't know personally.

[soulbrotha]

What the hell is going on with July 2009?!

Condolences to his family.

[alicia banks]

what???

how????

i know you will keep us posted

[Lang B]

WHAT!

[alicia banks]

i live in ar

and i had never heard he was ill

????

[Taylor Siluwé]

wow. so much loss this year. i'm speechless.

[FREELEO]

This is very sad news. I met E. Lynn while he was still selling books out of the trunk of his car. He had a wonderful sense of humor and a great laugh.

Whether you enjoyed his writing or not, he was a very important part in getting our stories told. His commercial success made it harder for publishers and editors to say that people wouldn't buy a book with black sgl characters in it.

Thank you E. Lynn Harris!

[H2B]

If true we have lost a pioneer that opened doors for so many. This has been quite a month.

[D.bARR]

I felt deeply saddened by the death of MJ....but E.Lynn has such a special significance to so many of us in the LGBT community...he was the first gay book that many of us read...for me, he got me interested in exploring all that there is (blogs, other authors, etc) and I love everything that he was and more of what he leaves behind! R.I.P. Brother

[Mr. FAMU]

This really is the summer of the death. :-(

[alicia banks]

was this just sudden cardiac arrest?

what "illness/setback"?

rsvp

[DW Jazzlover]

I met Mr.E.Lynn Harris years ago at an after hours dance club in Houston. He was a very nice person and I have read everyone of his books.
He will be missed... R.I.P Brother Man

[Cedric]

Wow I was just informed by a friend of this. Then I had to confirm it with another. This is such a bad summer but we shall not forget the impact that E Lynn Harris had on the world.

[Roger Pollard]

This is truly a tragic loss for us all.

[Barton]

Like others, "wow" is the first thing to come to mind. I met E. Lynn way back b4 his first novel ... infectious laugh ... piece of work (in a good way)He deserves much praise for bringing our stories to the mainstream.
RIP

[J. F0x]

awwww i'm saddened by this!

[David]

He will definitely be missed! I have all his books and was always riveted and drawn in by his writing! I've had the pleasure of meeting him and we had a few mutual friends in common and he was very genuine and down to earth@ Rest in peace E.Lynn.

[Jamar Herrod]

IM STILL in disbelief. E. Lynn Harris first novel "Invisible Life" is my favorite book of all-time. Just As I Am is my second favor. I met him at the Shrine of the Black Madonna in Atlanta at the end of January. I have the picture we took together on my website. I was last person to leave after everyone had their book signed. I wanted to let him know how much he meant to me and how much his literature impacted my life. I didn't say what I wanted but I did say enough to let him know and understand that I related to his characters. R.I.P. E.Lynn Harris. Our brother shall truly be missed and shall not be forgotten.

[kevjack]

I cannot believe this! This cannot be happening!

I met ELH twice while he was on tour and I was so impressed with him. He was so kind to his fans and he loved to talk football (although we are fans of different teams, he was courteous!). His novels had a huge impact on me-- I remember reading "Invisible Life" and "Just as I Am" as a college freshmen, and it was so powerful to see such a humane, mature treatment of educated black SGL men. It was so affirming. To this day, he is the only author whose books I buy the day they come out.

It's so funny, just this week I have been re-reading "And This Too Shall Pass" (which is my favorite ELH novel). For some reason, I just had to read that book again. I am on page 209. I will never forget pull $25 out of my account, leaving me a $2 balance, just to get that book. If that is not somebody who has touched lives I don't know who is...

May God Bless him and his family and friends thorough this difficult time...

[Ashley V. (London, England)]

I was hoping that this would turn out to be some kind of joke, but it isn't. One of my favourite authors, E. Lynn Harris, has passed away. I am devastated & shocked to know that we have lost one of the greatest.

The first black gay fictional novel I read was written by E. Lynn and I have been hooked on his writing ever since.

E. Lynn's family and friends are in my thoughts & prayers.

R.I.P. E. Lynn Harris, you were a true pioneer & will always be remembered.

[Lang B]

He opened my eyes to a world I thought only existed in my head. His book transformed my life and made me more secure in my sexuality.
God Bless rest his SOUL.