This novel poses an interesting and painful question for gay men. If you had a lover for eight years and then he wanted to become a "she" would you be willing to give up your gay self-identity and continue in what would then be a heterosexual relationship? Okay, what if you were the head of a phenomenally successful televangelist empire and had millions of followers who adored both you as the minister and your "wife" who was really a man--would you then want to risk losing it all if you broke up with "her"? The Transition of Sinful Sadie has to be one of the most unique, absorbing, and entertaining novels I have read in a long time. It has all the intrigue of Jim and Tammy Faye
Bakker's ruined empire, the trappings of a mystery-suspense thriller, a whole rafter full of interesting and twisted characters, as well as a heart as deep as the South. How all the elements play out as this masterful writer weaves his tale is certainly not predictable, and you find yourself rooting for the
darndest people. Every time you begin a new segment of the story or start a new chapter, you'll do so with one eye shut, one eye wide open, afraid to look and afraid not to look. Almost any one of the characters could hold center stage in the title. Each one is finely drawn with his/her own unique traits. Even the villain is at times a sympathetic character. Well worth the read and deserves great recognition as a truly unique work of fiction. ---Ronald L. Donaghe, author of The Salvation Mongers.

This is an excellent book full of eye-opening accounts of what it means to be called by God into the ministry and still remain true to one's self as a human being. As a lesbian considering entering the ministry I found this book to be extremely informative as to what both the joys and sacrifices of choosing such a life altering path entails. The chapters featuring the stories of gay clergy in more traditionally conservative faiths were the most riveting. Those of us who are members of more liberal faiths can sometimes take for granted the acceptance and respect that our brothers and sisters in more traditional faiths are forced to fight for with their very souls. This book is also a wonderful resource gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgendered people who have recently discovered or rekindled their own faith/spirituality and wish to find an informative guide as to which religious traditions will be the most welcoming of them. Even for the more secular among us it's quite life affirming to read the stories and struggles of those souls who choose to neither give up their faith nor deny who they are and whom they love.

The most useful aspect of Dann Hazel's book is his many individual testimonies. I am trying to deal with a long-term relationship that has suddenly turned very long-distance. I found the testimonies he recounts very helpful in giving a sense of the endless variety of arrangements and issues that couples deal with. This widened my ideas of what's possible and acceptable. His sections on dealing with being alone have helped me deal with suddenly living alone, while my partner is in another country for a year. But I found his exercises after each chapter superficial, and his habit of always talking in terms of "we", rather than "I", "you," or "they," as appropriate became so irritating I almost didn't read the book.

I was in a relationship for two years where it was all to unhealthy and it broke up after too many hurts. All I knew was that I didn't want to to be bitter, at me, at him, at two years, at love. I was left wanting and unsure of almost everything. Who I was, where did I go wrong, what part of myself did I let go of, how can I be whole again. I read this book over two weeks, somewhat deliberately slow so I can think about me as I read it. Some parts didn't help me quite so much but allowed me to understand human nature and a little bit of gay culture. The other parts left me with a place to build from. It wasn't a simple how to book, it was written in a very down to earth way... a way that I felt related to yet look clearly at the situation. If you want a book about how to perfectly do rebound relationships then this isn't it. It isn't either one that makes itself feel too serious that you feel like your forcing yourself to read. It helped me immensly. I would recommend it to anyone how is in a dependant relationship, how has left a relationship, who was left. The book was written towards gay man/man relationships but I felt it would help anyone who looks beyond that superficiality. If nothing else the chapters that explained the cycle of grieving/loss are indespensible. I would recommend this book in some degree to someone who has lost someone through death, though it isn't written for that. I can't imagine how differant things would have turned out if I didn't find this book, but it helped me... very much.

I bought this book about 5 months after my breakup with my ex. I was dealing with it very badly and needed some comfort, support, and, most importantly, information about what was going on. This book provided all of that and more. In addition to being a great book for dealing with the loss of a relationship, it also gives great advice on how to know if you need to break up, how to make future relationships work, and how to "move on".

I found this book so helpful that I bought copies for a number of friends as gifts. Even if you aren't going through a breakup, this book is interesting and very insightful. I highly recommend it.

This is a touching, engaging story, the emotional journeys of the main characters being of foremost importance. Ever present in the story is the notion that lies and deception can come to no good but that the truth can set one free. Although not classified as such, this novel could fall easily within the realm of young adult literature; there are no gratuitous explicit sexual scenes, and the few physical situations that do exist, as well as a bit of off-color language, are germane to the story.

Nothing as of lately has thrilled me more than seeing this book in print. Several years ago, I was fortunate enough to be one of Dann Hazel's students. And fortunate enough to see this story in the early stages. My opinion of this novel then is the same as it is now--it's a great read that feels real and true in the way the story is told. This book has a "young-adult" feel to it, but not in the corney way most young adult fiction comes off these days. Dann Hazel has a great voice. And with it, he told an amazing story.

Can honesty save lives? That question seems to linger between the lines of Dann Hazel's novel Two Paths to Now. The dialogue and interior monologues of the teenage main character (Rusty) are completely believable. So is the situation, which involves two generations of deceit and closets.

I've met or received e-mail from many people who are in situations similar to the ones Rusty and his parents must endure. Most people say to keep homosexuality locked away and silent, no matter how much lying and pain that requires. But can honesty save lives? Well, read the novel.

In addition to believability, Hazel also creates beautiful prose. Often, the paragraphs become extremely short, with terse but elegant phrasing that captures the tensions and fears that haunt Rusty and the other characters. Though I usually hear Hazel referred to for his nonfiction work, I think his fiction deserves much more attention.