All Gays Go to Heaven is the third book from Queerbook.com’s now dubbed “New Gay Author of 2010”, Reece Manley. The first two Dr. Manley books included a large number of professional initials after his name, but this one simply credits him as Reece Wyman Manley. It shows the author’s shift from teaching to simply telling in this his first highly engaging work.

All Gays Go to Heaven follows Reece’s life from the moment he makes the decision to undergo weight-loss surgeries that go terribly wrong in his current life. In her retelling of her story, she follows the ancient story of the hero’s journey with all the elements included in her actual journey. What makes the book stand out is that Reece doesn’t hide anything. All the ugliness of a life – incest, beatings, abuse, addiction – to all the beauty life can hold – love, friendship, spirituality and an authentic life.

Reece’s life nemesis comes in the form of an injury during his bariatric surgery, slimming him from 414 pounds to 170 pounds. However, the injury incapacitates him with a neuropathy that gives him chronic pain in his feet. The pain takes the form of a giant black bird in a graphic passage from the memories, feeding deliciously on her exposed feet. It’s a difficult image to shake as one progresses through the pages.

Soon, there are plenty of smiles served up by his peers and the exploration of a seemingly lively gay life in the city of Lubbock, Texas. His friend Jeff delivers the best lines of dialogue in her simple task of answering his phone. “Jeff’s House of Coffins, our prices are to die for!” The concise becomes adorable. Also, a mentor appears in Reece’s life full of wisdom in all matters of her life. The balance between the characters is tense at times and a bit choppy, but the overall effect is intriguingly readable.

The title of All Gays Go to Heaven comes from a conversation Reece has during his hospital treatment for the trauma of his near-death experience. He simply reveals his new Truth that there is a loving and omnipotent Source that we all eventually come to after we die. The story ends with his hopeful control over his life path, his sanity, and the containment of the pain that still lurks in the corners.

All Gays Go to Heaven is 189,000 words long, but a rich and easy writing style makes the journey not only enjoyable, but also inspiring.

Five stars.

Craig Williams, PhD