Saturday, July 25, 2009



E. Lynn Harris

Nothing could have prepared me for this. I guess so many folks are leaving here so fast that you never know what’s going to happen next. But I was surprised when my favorite author died. E. Lynn Harris was a great writer and a very nice and informative person.

I started reading his work when my past supervisor, Johnnie Penelton brought Invisible Life to the office. She said this book was really good. It was the catalyst to starting our first book club, Circle of Friends. Since that day, I have read all his books except, Basketball Jones, which I plan to pick up hopefully on Sunday.

I met E. Lynn on August 13, 1997. Wow that was a long time ago. Some of the members of our book club went to meet him at a book store in St. Louis. It was the first signing I had ever attended. I was like a smiling kid meeting a superstar. I aspired to write a book and he encouraged me to do so. He even answered questions and told me to email him if I needed more help. I never did. I just thought he was a kind author with this magnetic smile.

As I sit here and think about him dying, I wonder how we are going to make it without his bold and brazen characters. To me, he was the trailblazer that inspired many of the authors out here to self publish and sell books from our trunks. I’m glad that I had an opportunity to meet such an inspiring writer and person. Rest in Peace my favorite author.

3 comments:

Cherlyn Michaels said...

One of my inspirations as well. I'm still saddened by his passing.

Anonymous said...

It hit me hard too! I just wrote a post about meeting him in DC back in '02. He will be missed!

TJ said...

I was really surprised to learn about this, too.