UPDATE: Max Brantley of the Arkansas Times just e-mailed MrsGrapevine.com to confirm the death of E. Lynn Harris. He also provided these additional details from Laura Gilmore, publicist:

I talked with his assistant Laura Gilmore, as did the AP. I believe Arkansas Sports 360′s report came from University of Arkansas athletic officials. This is from AP:

A publicist for E. Lynn Harris says the author has died at age 54.

Publicist Laura Gilmore says Harris died Thursday night after being stricken while at the Peninsula Hotel in Beverly Hills. Gilmore says a cause of death had not yet been determined. A coroners’ official in Los Angeles said only that a man matching Harris’ name and date of birth had died Thursday night at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

UPDATE: Essence.com has also posted a story on the death of E. Lynn Harris, but no official statement has been released, yet.

Renown author E. Lynn Harris passed away on Friday, July 24, at the age of 54, according to the Arkansas Times.

The celebrated author’s personal assistant confirmed that his health had declined but would not provide any details as to what caused his death. Harris was in the middle of a West Coast book tour. His best-selling novels such as “Invisible Life” depicted African-American gay community in a unique way and exposed the down-low phenomenon of athletes.

There is only one news source reporting E. Lynn Harris death, so until I get more confirmations, this will be posted as unconfirmed. E. Lynn Harris rep has not been able to verify, so this just may be a bad rumor. As soon as someone responds or release a statement I will update this post.

According to local Arkansas newspapers, E. Lynn Harris, the famed openly gay African-American writer dies at age 54, from health issues. Originally Harris was suffering health complications during a West Coast Book Tour, but just minutes ago Arkansas Sports 360 has confirmed his death. No word on what those complications are.

We owe the word down low to Mr. Harris, because he certainly made it a household name. Harris famed books were often controversial and revealed a secret world of gay black men, married to women. Harris had trouble finding a publisher for his first book, Invisible Life, so he published it himself. Since, five of his books have made the New York Times Best Seller’s List.

• Invisible Life (1991 Self Published – 1994 Mass Marketed)
• Just As I Am (1995) ^*
• And This Too Shall Pass (1997)

[Thanks]