Friday, July 24, 2009

RIP Storyteller: E. Lynn Harris

Lynn, some people thought you were the second coming of Richard Wright. Some people thought your were our version of Sidney Sheldon, popular but crappy. Some people thought you were an undercover crusader--showing the black community a distant mirror of the ugliness it reflects on issues of gay life. Some people thought you weren't forceful enough, or opened up our "dirty laundry" of life on the DL.
But that pales in the face of the many--not the some-- who just liked your work as a way to pass the time on the train, or by the pool, or liked you as a person. You didn't create or destroy any genres. You didn't hawk and crow about your books as if they were a bootleg DVD. You weren't my idol, but I wanted to be successful like you. Why? Because you just plain told good stories. Ain't that something to exhault, treasure?
RIP, storyteller...

15 comments:

Fellow Writer said...

Saw the outpouring on facebook. A LOT of authors got your message and shot back replies including our mutual friends. He was a good person, and your words, though personal, are very considerate.

Anonymous said...

RIP

Monica said...

Oh my Lord. He was only 54.

Rest in peace.

lincolnperry said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
lincolnperry said...

Thats a decent eulogy Nat!

If The World was Mine, RIP!

Lisa said...

He was our other million seller.

SPB said...

Thanks for this, man. Lynn was a good friend to me...

msladyDeborah said...

A very nice euology indeed.

eisa said...

great tribute

rikyrah said...

this was nice, Chambers. Can't believe he was so young.

Literate Muse said...

E. Lynn Harris was truly a wonderful human being. He was so kind, generous and loving, and never met a stranger. When I first met Mr. Harris nearly 10 years ago, he encouraged me to continue to write and find my purpose and passion no matter where it might lead. In part, it is because of this wonderful man's encouragement that I found my passion and started a web site to help aspiring writers find their "voice."

He will be missed by many.

Dark Moon said...

Wow. Surprising. I wasn't a fan of his either but I appreciated him opening the dialogue about the DL problem. He was prolific and a gentleman who was light years ahead of Omar Tyree, a study in entitlement and arrogance who publishes nothing but mysoginist doggerel.

RIP.

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Unknown said...

New essay "The Gates Affair:Why We Care" yours to publish
Dear readers and webmasters,

Author Daniel Bruno Sanz has written an essay about Gatesgate.  We encourage its publication and distribution.
 
                                                          Regards,
 
                                                          Navas S.
 
 
"The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized."
 
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