A tribute to E. Lynn Harris

I still can't believe that E. Lynn Harris is gone. For the past 16 years, E. Lynn has been a dear friend of mine.

I first met Lynn years ago when I was thinking about writing my first book. Lynn supported me, even though I had never published anything before. He had only read an essay of mine, but he liked what he saw and that was enough for him to recommend me to his editors at Doubleday.

I owe my literary career to E. Lynn Harris. He got me started as an author and encouraged me every step of the way with every book I wrote. He even mentioned me in several of his books.

Lynn was also one of the most prolific writers I've ever met. I think he was the most prolific popular African American male writer in America the past 15 years. As someone who takes years to write a single book, I always envied Lynn's ability to produce on deadline.

He was also one of the most generous people I've met. When I was in financial trouble back in the early 1990s, he offered help. When I was looking for an editor, he put me in touch with his. And when I was looking for an agent, he again recommended his own.

The Daily Voice presented an award to Lynn in January at our Inaugural event and he couldn't make it to Washington to accept. I've been holding onto it for months, thinking I would see him soon, so I finally called Lynn last week to find out where to send the award. Unfortunately, he will never get the chance to see it.

Lynn loved sports and in his last email to me on Sunday, we talked about basketball. He could talk about cheerleading, football, writing, politics and musical theater with the greatest of ease. He was a well-rounded individual who loved life.

He was also a man of the world. When I first met him, he lived in Chicago, but he had lived in many places since then. He had a beautiful home in Atlanta, loved going to his alma mater at the University of Arkansas to teach and work with the cheerleaders, and loved to visit New York City, where he once lived in a beautiful apartment in the Trump Tower building in Columbus Circle.

He was also keenly aware of his critics, and I think he was hurt by some of the things that people said about him, especially the remarks from black gay men. Some complained that he wasn't "out" enough at first, or that he focused too much on bisexual men, or that he catered his books toward black women.

No matter how much it hurt, Lynn never let the criticism keep him from writing and learning and growing. And yes, he did grow as a person and as a writer.

E. Lynn Harris was a remarkable individual. His passing reminds me that we don't have a day to waste on this earth. I cherish our memories together and I miss him already.