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...]
Atheist versus creationist: which is worse?
Recently, I was watching a online panel discussion on atheism when one of the participants cited a statistic from a survey that I found to be very disturbing. According to the American Psychological Association, atheists are perceived to be less trustworthy than rapists. Really? I'm tempted to do my best John McEnroe impression: "You CANNOT be serious!" Let's start by acknowledging a simple fact: any harm that may come from atheism would be largely self-inflicted. If anyone suffers from atheism, it is first, and foremost, the atheist. Atheism simply means that one does not believe in any sort of supernatural God. Period. Rape, on the other hand, is violent and evil--the pernicious act of a predator. By its definition, another person is harmed. In short, there really is no comparison between rape and atheism. None. Whether or not the poll was accurate is not important. The question is, how could anybody even think someone's beliefs, or in this case, their personal non-belief in God, is worse than a vicious sexual assault on another human being? Would you rather your daughter's friend confide that he doesn't belief in her God, or that he brutally raped her? Having a daughter, it's easy for me to answer that question. I know my daughter is not easily influenced by the thoughts and words of other people--God only knows, she heard enough of my words of advice that went into one ear and right out the other. The words of her friend would not affect my daughter's personal belief in a supernatural God, which happens to be quite strong. I know … [Read more...]
Secondhand Sight official book trailer
Here's the official book trailer for Secondhand Sight, now less than a month away from official release... BookTrailer_only … [Read more...]
Rocky Leonard interviewed October 9th at Unnecessary Musings
Please visit J.A. Beard's blog Unnecessary Musings tomorrow, October 9th for my interview about my latest novel, Secondhand Sight. The interview was a lot of fun. I was asked some really interesting questions, definitely not your run-of-the-mill fare. Stop by and leave a comment at the blog for a chance to win a free e-book copy of the novel. … [Read more...]
