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UPDATE:7/30/09

LOS ANGELES – A coroner’s official says heart disease, complicated by high blood pressure and a hardening of the arteries, is what killed author E. Lynn Harris last week.

County coroner Craig Harvey said Wednesday that the 54-year-old died of natural causes. Harris died July 23 while visiting Los Angeles to promote his latest book.

Harris lived in Atlanta and was considered a pioneer of gay black fiction, enjoying unprecedented success in the genre. He wrote 11 novels, and ten of them became New York Times best-sellers.

More than four million of his books are in print.

From ArkansasSports360.com:

Author E. Lynn Harris, cheerleading sponsor/coach for Arkansas and a passionate Razorbacks fan, has passed away at 53. He was on a book tour of the West Coast.

Harris, a best-seller whose work dealt with black, gay culture and delved into athletics, was a passionate Razorbacks fan. For the past eight semesters, Harris served as a “visiting” professor for the English department. Harris detailed his life, inspiration and passion for the Razorbacks in a September 2008 Q&A with ArkansasSports360.com

Most recently, Harris’ wrote his 11th novel, “Basketball Jones”, which involved an NBA player and the player’s gay lover. Before “Basketball Jones,” Harris penned “Just Too Good To Be True,” a novel detailing the life of Heisman Trophy candidate Brady Manning. Harris’ novel focused on the pressures surrounding Manning and the support system the star athlete leaned on to help him through dark and troubling times.

Click here to read more.

Tags: Death
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  • http://www.blackplanet.com/sexymika21302/ sexymika21302

    Wow this world seems like it coming to a end everybody is diein and a lot it just going on when they said we ina reccession that is foreal it seem like everybody is passin away around the same date just a different month

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/CaliLibra1/ CaliLibra1

    Wow really?? I just read “Just too good to be true” and enjoyed it. I liked his books. This is very sad.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/DangerouslyInLove/ DangerouslyInLove

    RIP…loved your books

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/hellovanilla/ hellovanilla

    To anybody who’s stupid enough to think that a celebrity death or two signifies the end of the world, please don’t reproduce.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/WHATUDOINDADARK/ WHATUDOINDADARK

    LMAO, yes I have to agree with the one writer. If you think the world is coming to an end just because a few well known people are dying you got issues. But it is sad to hear none the least. I really enjoyed his books. R.I.P

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Stan_Vinyl/ Stan_Vinyl

    R.I.P Mr. Harris.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/keishelle/ keishelle

    Sexymika21302, first of all, it’s dying not diein. Second of all, what does a recession have to do with something as natural as death. People are going to die whether we’re in a recession or not. If you didn’t realize the people you are noticing dying are rich, so what does that have to do with a recession. Please sweetheart don’t reproduce and pass on ignorance to your children. Thank you. Now to what I really wanted to say. I met Mr. Harris. He is a really nice guy despite his sexual preference. It’s sad to see a writer who has made such an impact on black fiction go. He will be missed, and I pray for his family.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/thebomb_24/ thebomb_24

    THROUGH YOUR GIFT TO US MR E. LYNN HARRIS YOUR MEMOIR SHALL LIVE ON AND I AM APPRECIATIVE, FOR YOUR TALENT YOU CHEERED TO US…THANK YOU!!!

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/jasmyne24/ jasmyne24

    OMG! I burned up my dinner 2 nights in a row reading invisible life! He will surely be missed!

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/mrcoolb2001/ mrcoolb2001

    I went to the library a couple of days ago an saw E. Lynn Harris’ books on display in the front lobby of the library (which was never done b4); however, I didn’t pay any attention to his picture and the note at the bottom which stated that E. Lynn Harris’ died at age 54. When I got through doing what I came to the library to do, as I walked out towards the lobby to exit the library my eyes focused on his picture and finally the note at the bottom. I looked at the librarians behind the counter who were on their computer’s working and I said to them, “Is this a joke? You got to be kidding me.” One of the librarians said to me, “No it isn’t a joke. He died yesterday on the 23 in Los Angeles, but there is nothing stating how he died or what he died of.” My response to that was, “NOOOOO!! this can’t be happening. I’ve been reading his books since I was a senior in high school.” I truly have been a fan of E. Lynn Harris for almost 10 years, reading almost every one of his books he has ever published. I have read all of his books except ‘What Becomes of the Brokenhearted’. E. Lynn Harris, you will be truly missed from all of your fans including me. R.I.P, baby.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Hneef18/ Hneef18

    Its sad so many black men die from heart disease

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/kennyd4/ kennyd4

    you mean to tell me hes so busy sittin around writing some gay shyt and bringing in millions he could’nt get up and go to the doctor and get checked.when we know he had the funds to do it too so theres no excuse(I GUESS ONCE HE SAT DOWN AT THE COMPUTER AND STARTED PECKING AWAY)with one of his many close friends by his side and a class of merlot he could’nt get his dumb ass up to the doctor.he certainly did’nt look like the type who was scrared of the prostate exam,im sure hes had many and not all by doctors either.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/SugarSweetums/ SugarSweetums

    He’s not the first black person who doesn’t go to the doctor when they know something is wrong. Black people, especially men have got to do better concerning health. Eat better and exercise. It’s okay to have your favorite fried foods and such but do it in moderation or else we’ll never get pass 60.

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