Award-winning author John L. Leonard sounds pretty good, doesn't it? The 2013 Readers' Favorite international book awards ceremony will be held next month in Miami. My wife and I have made plans to attend. She's my editor and publisher, deserving the trip just as much as me. And why are we going? Three of my five books, edited and published last year, were entered in the 2013 contest. My collection of short stories about animal rescue called Always a Next One: true stories of dog fostering, was awarded the highest honor, the gold medal for Nonfiction/Animal books. Reviewers offered some very kind words. One said: The author wrote in a conversational manner, as if he were sitting with me and personally telling me his tales. Another critic wrote: This is a book that belongs on animal lovers' reading lists everywhere. My book Counterargument for God won the gold medal for Nonfiction in the category for Religion/Philosophy. One reader wrote, This is a must for anyone struggling with their own faith or trying to get a loved one to see that God does exist. Mr Leonard's style of writing keeps one interested while presenting very scientific material. Another review 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. He also deftly asks questions that should have atheists questioning their beliefs. Even my alter-ego for fiction, Rocky Leonard, got into the act. My novel … [Read more...]
The Movie Test
My wife and I met twenty-five years ago, as of this December. She was literally the teacher, and I the student when I took a week-long UNIX system administration course just before the Christmas holiday in 1988, mostly because my co-worker friend Mark signed up, but decided at the very last minute that he didn't want to attend. I was looking for someplace to hide so my boss couldn't send me to another yet customer site. The single "fly-and-fix" debugging expert in my group,I'd been on the road for almost eight straight months, six of which I spent living in Hong Kong. I just wanted to stay close to home, so I took Mark's place, even though I had no interest or need to take the class. It seemed that Lisa and I were destined to meet, fall in love, and get married. Both of us were "on the rebound" as they say...Lisa came as a package deal from her divorce that hadn't even been finalized, with an adorable three-year-old daughter who is now the mother of our three grandchildren, and I remained a little gun-shy after a failed international romance. Needless to say, we were advised to slow things down after I announced our wedding date had moved forward from September to May, less than six months after we first met. We didn't listen. If I had any lingering personal doubts about my bride-to-be, it was that she seemed too good to be true. However, I wasn't completely sure that I trusted my own judgment. Perhaps a few of the naysayers advising unnecessary caution had some subtle influence on my thinking at the time, or perhaps it was fact I'd been burned … [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...]
