Archives for September 2012

Always a Next One is free on Tuesday, September 18th

 Get a free download of my collection of short stories about animal rescue titled Always a Next One on Amazon tomorrow--that's Tuesday, September 18th. Here's a link to the book. But you've got to wait past midnight, when the price drops to zero. Zip. Nada cent. Spoiler alert: you have no excuses. No animals die in my short stories. I prefer to get people to laugh rather than to make them cry. Even the tear jerkers are guaranteed to have happy endings! Tell your family. Tell your friends. Tell friends of your family. Tell anyone you know who owns a Kindle. Actually, tell everybody you think would enjoy short stories about fostering animals for our local Humane Society--free downloads of Kindle readers are available for Windows and Mac. Anybody who loves animals and knows how to read ought to get a free copy of my book, while they are available. I mean, it is FREE. … [Read more...]

Hate crimes

There have been bizarre yet serious efforts made to categorize certain criminal activities as being worse than others, depending on the suspect's motive. Yet "crimes of passion" are certainly not motivated by love. Usually they are fueled by uncontrolled anger, or jealous fits of rage. Nowadays in our politically-correct world we worry about the motives of the murderer, not the impact of the crime on his victim. We tend to worry as much or more about the color of the victim's skin than the actual nature of the crime. According to some, like U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and Savannah Police Chief Willie Lovett, only certain crimes involving perpetrator and victim of different races or religions rise to the level that can be classified as hate crimes. Apparently, only certain suspects, or members of specific religions, can be accused of actually "hating" their victims. Other criminals are presumably more dispassionate about their evil deeds. For them, criminal activity must be nothing more a business opportunity. Eric Holder testified before Congress that all criminals are not created equal, saying that he doesn't believe members of "protected groups" who have suffered from historic racism are even capable of committing hate crimes. How can this be possible? Obviously, Holder believes that only minorities can be victims. So...when exactly is a crime not a "hate" crime? Tom Barton of the Savannah Morning News wrote an opinion piece in which he discussed the recent savage assault on a young white man at Ellis Square by several black men, in an … [Read more...]

Secondhand Sight is officially on sale!

My new novel, Secondhand Sight, officially became available for purchase yesterday. Here's what Fiona I. from Reader's Favorite had to say in her review of the book: What a riveting read! This book grabbed me from the first page. Author John "Rocky" Leonard creates a thrilling and chilling murder mystery, with an intriguing touch of the paranormal. The title is apt, describing Dan’s ‘second hand’ flashes, which come from the object he touches. The threads pull together via various characters’ points of view, to a harrowing climax. I also liked the way the characters’ relationships develop and strengthen; and in the midst of all the mayhem, people find themselves and each other. The plot is deceptively simple because it is so ingenious. Dan’s descent into a manic paranoia is skillfully documented, and one feels for him in the mental confusion that accompanies his visions. The author also includes some interesting thoughts on the nature of dreams, hallucinations, psychometry (psychic revelations via touching objects), and the power of the mind. Murder mystery and paranormal fans will love this book.   … [Read more...]