E. Lynn Harris

Infobox Person
name = E. Lynn Harris


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birth_date = birth date|1955|06|20
birth_place = Flint, Michigan
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nationality = American
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alma_mater = University of Arkansas
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occupation = Author
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E. Lynn Harris is an openly gay African American author, (born June 20, 1955) most known for his depictions of African American men on the down low or in the closet. Born in Flint, Michigan, he has homes in both Atlanta, Georgia and Fayetteville, Arkansas.citation |last=Foxxe |first=Austin |title=A Visible Life |url=http://www.advocate.com/html/stories/893/893_harris.asp |periodical=The Advocate |date=July 8, 2003 |accessdate=2008-02-25 ] In his writings, Harris maintains a poignant motif, occasionally emotive, that incorporates vernacular and slang from popular culture.

Harris became the first black male cheerleader while attending the University of Arkansas. After graduation he became a computer salesman with IBM for a time.Vanessa Ward Hines, "Bestselling author motivates students to find themselves, live passion" "The South End" (Detroit) April, 2005, p. 1]

Harris was initially unable to land a book deal with a reputable publishing house for his first work, "Invisible Life", so he self-published it through a vanity publisher and sold copies from his car trunk.Ibid, p. 1] Since then, five of his novels have achieved "New York Times" bestseller status.

Not only a fiction author, Harris has penned a personal memoir, "What Becomes of the Brokenhearted?"Ibid, p. 1]

Works

* "Invisible Life" (1991 Self Published – 1994 Mass Marketed)
* "Just As I Am" (1995) ^*
* "And This Too Shall Pass" (1997)
* "If This World Were Mine" (1998) ^**
* "Abide With Me" (2000)
* "Not A Day Goes By" (2000)
* "Any Way the Wind Blows" (2002) ^*
* "A Love Of My Own" (2003) ^*
* "What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted – A Memoir" (2004)
* "I Say a Little Prayer" (2006)
* "Just Too Good To Be True" (2008)

^* Winner of Blackboard's Novel of the Year Award
^** Winner of James Baldwin Award for Literary Excellence

References

External links

* [http://www.randomhouse.com/features/elynnharris Official Website]
* [http://www.urban-reviews.com/ontheline.html Audio Interview with E. Lynn Harris] on Urban Reviews

Persondata
NAME= Harris, E. Lynn
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SHORT DESCRIPTION=Contemporary African American writer
DATE OF BIRTH=1955-06-20
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