I have written five books, both novels and nonfiction. But I only write about things that interest me. My lifelong love of thrillers and detective fiction, combined with my interest in supernatural phenomena, led to my desire to first write Coastal Empire and then Secondhand Sight, a paranormal thriller. The villain of Secondhand Sight was a serial killer, one of the scariest and most depraved members of our society -- a person who murders a number of people, simply for the perverse pleasure of killing them. Speaking of Secondhand Sight, this month you can get a free e-book from Story Cartel and be registered to win a free Amazon gift card at the same time. And tell your friends. At the polar opposite end of the spectrum in regard to my reading interests are science and medicine, inspired by my research to write Divine Evolution and then Counterargument for God. Mix all my various interests in a blender, and about the worst idea I might ever conceive might be a serial killer infected with AIDS, intentionally spreading the virus to everyone with whom he comes in contact. Let's face it -- the words "serial killer" and "HIV" ought to send a chill down your spine. Or it could cause you to weep tears of joy. What if scientists discovered that genetically modified HIV virus could be used to cure cancer? Doubts are perfectly understandable. Seeing is believing. So watch a three minute video found at this link, and learn to believe in miracles. … [Read more...]
Archives for 2013
Travesty of justice: Kolton Houston versus the NCAA
Full disclosure: I am a graduate of the University of Georgia, class of 1983. I bleed red and black. It is fair to say I am an avid Georgia Bulldog fan. Nevertheless, I'm quite sure that my school allegiance doesn't color my judgment in this matter, based on the available facts, not emotion. That caveat aside, I will say that it is nothing less than a travesty of justice that Kolton Houston remains ineligible to compete on the football field. And that's not just my admittedly biased opinion. ESPN's Outside the Lines told the basic story, a rather depressing tale of how one young man has been forced by this monopoly that controls every aspect of collegiate sports to pay, and continue to pay, for the mistake of a medical professional made almost four years ago. The NCAA has unchecked power over the lives of people such as Kolton Houston, a young man who reportedly dreamed of wearing the Bulldog uniform since he was four-years-old. And as Lord Acton famously said, "Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely." Once upon a time, all the way back in 2010 a high school athlete was injected with a forbidden anabolic steroid to facilitate healing from shoulder surgery. No doubt, somebody made a bad judgment call. Compounding an error in judgment into a tragic mistake, the injection went into fat instead of muscle, causing Houston to test positive years after that one-and-only treatment. As a result of that error, Houston has become the most tested athlete in the history of college sports. The evidence remains incontrovertible -- … [Read more...]
Secondhand Sight: 2013 Readers’ Favorite finalist
Secondhand Sight, my second novel as "Rocky" Leonard, has been named one of six finalists in the Fiction/Horror category in the 2013 Readers' Favorite International Awards. This honor would not be possible without the efforts and skill of my editors, proof readers, copy editors, cover designers, and all those who helped me produce these three books that have been deemed worthy of finalist recognition. This year I'm blessed to have three books remaining in competition in three different categories, with Secondhand Sight joining Always a Next One and Counterargument for God! One Readers' Favorite reviewer wrote about this novel: 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. Last year I learned the hard way that a five-star review doesn't guarantee a novel will become a finalist. I know that I'm very fortunate for this opportunity. Coastal Empire never made it this far. … [Read more...]
Counterargument for God: 2013 Readers’ Favorite finalist
Truly, my cup overflows. My book Counterargument for God has been named one of six finalists for in the 2013 Readers' Favorite International Awards contest in the Non Fiction category Religion/Philosophy. One very kind reviewer said: As I review this book, I find myself wanting to quote the author. His presentation is tactful, eloquent and stated in a logical manner. John Leonard has extensively researched the scientific arguments he discusses in this book...The author states his own personal beliefs in a non-threatening logical manner. I find this book well-written and documented. It is very easy to highly recommend this book. On a somewhat related note, Dr. Robert Rose will be interviewing me on Wednesday, July 10th. This will be my third visit to "Rewiring Your Brain." The first two interviews took place earlier this year, on April 5th and then again on April 17th where I offered my "positive" counterargument for God using the best scientific evidence the current experts in their respective fields have given us. I was very pleased when Dr. Rose invited me back for a third hour, this time to discuss how Christianity affected my life. Dr. Rose is one of the most interesting and open-minded atheists I've met on my faith journey. It should be a very interesting conversation. Best of all, I've doubled my odds of earning that trip to Miami! … [Read more...]
Always a Next One: finalist in Reader’s Favorite contest
My book Always a Next One: true stories of dog fostering has been named one of four finalists in the Non Fiction/Animals category for the 2013 Readers' Favorite International Award contest. It's a great honor just to have made it this far. Authors from all over the world enter the contest each year. More books and authors entered this year's contest than ever before. One Readers' Favorite review said the following: "Always a Next One" is a wonderfully written story of a family's involvement with taking in foster animals until their permanent homes are found. Readers who like Herriot's animal stories will be drawn to John Leonard's writings and will want to read more than the sample chapter of dog stories featuring Leonard's beloved Ox at the book's end.The writing in each story is consistent and not maudlin and the animals' characters come through believably. Simone the cat is a cat, not a human in disguise. However, this year's competition is more formidable than ever. The other three finalists also earned five star reviews. Furthermore, the judges may decide none of the finalists merited the gold medal. Just because the medals exist for each category doesn't mean they must be awarded. The winners will be announced September 1st. Finalists are introduced and invited to the stage. Gold, Silver, and Bronze Medalists also receive a physical award. The banquet will be held November 23rd in Miami, timed to coincide with the Miami Book Festival International. A visit to Miami in November sounds really nice! … [Read more...]
