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From Canada’s Backwoods to California’s Death Row: The Tumultuous Odyssey of a Blind Forensic Psychologist
From Canada’s Backwoods to California’s Death Row is a riveting autobiography that chronicles the remarkable life of Shawn Adair Johnston, a legally blind forensic psychologist. The narrative intricately weaves together his personal journey of overcoming significant physical and emotional challenges with his professional experiences dealing with some of the most dangerous criminals. From his childhood struggles in Canada, through his academic achievements at UCLA, to his profound work in forensic psychology, the book offers an intimate look at both his inner battles and his significant contributions to the field.
Johnston’s writing is candid and deeply personal. His recounting of the early loss of his eyesight and the accompanying social ostracism is both heartbreaking and inspiring. The detailed description of his childhood—the isolation, the bullying, and the disbelief from teachers—paints a vivid picture of the struggles he faced. Yet, it is Johnston’s resilience and determination that stand out. His academic prowess, despite his disability, and his journey through various educational institutions showcase a relentless pursuit of knowledge and excellence.
The second part of the book delves into Johnston’s professional life, offering readers a fascinating glimpse into the world of forensic psychology. His insights into the minds of child molesters, rapists, and sexually sadistic psychopaths are both chilling and enlightening. The cases he shares are not just clinical anecdotes but are presented with a narrative flair that makes them engaging and thought-provoking. The author’s ability to humanize his subjects while dissecting their pathological behaviors is a testament to his skill and empathy as a psychologist.
One of the most compelling aspects of the book is Johnston’s discussion of the legal and psychological frameworks surrounding criminal insanity and sexually violent predators. His critique of the system and his advocacy for more effective interventions, including controversial methods, are presented with a balance of professional insight and personal conviction. This section not only educates but also challenges the reader to think critically about the complexities of criminal psychology and the justice system.
From Canada’s Backwoods to California’s Death Row is a captivating and thought-provoking read. Shawn Adair Johnston. masterfully blends his personal story with his professional experiences to create a narrative that is both deeply moving and intellectually stimulating. This book is highly recommended for those interested in psychology, criminal justice, and inspiring personal stories of overcoming adversity. It offers valuable lessons on resilience, the power of education, and the profound impact one individual can have on understanding and addressing some of society’s darkest issues.
Pages: 231 | ASIN : B0D2J53GTP
Our Unbelievably Complex Universe
Interstellar Sex Wars and the Blind Detective follows a renowned blind private investigator who is drawn into a case in which the fate of sentient life hangs in the balance. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
There are two interconnected inspirations for the story. The first is to introduce a credible blind hero into popular literature. If I can inspire some young blind men and women to pursue professional success, good. The second inspiration is to challenge readers to think seriously about enormously important issues (within the context of an exciting sci fi/fantasy mystery). I think many folks in the modern world have lost their way. It is my personal belief that good and evil really do exist and that there are transcendent forces at work in our unbelievably complex universe. I also believe that certain animals will be intellectually augmented in the future and that it is possible that self-aware and autonomous artificial intelligence will be developed. Exploring the ethical and practical implications of these issues, without getting preachy, while keeping an exciting story moving along, is a project.
This book is filled with intriguing characters. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?
Well, the point of the blind hero is hopefully self-evident. Beyond that, since intellectually augmented animals are in our future, I am fascinated as to what they would be like. As a retired forensic psychologist with a specialty in neuropsychology, I thought it would be possible to imagine what it would be like for a dog, a porpoise, and a chimp to receive such augmentation. I believe that my characterizations of the augmented animals in my stories provides a credible description of their cognition, personality styles and relationships with human beings. And then there is the question: what on earth might a truly self-aware and autonomous AI be like? With that, much fun did I have though it could not avoid getting a little scary.
What scene in the book did you have the most fun writing?
With regard to “Interstellar sex wars and the blind detective” I most enjoyed the scene where the octopoids sing ‘amazing grace’ to their astounded human counterparts. In my second book, “Demons, the great white north and the blind detective,” my favorite scene was the debate in the cave concerning the existence of the soul between the humans, the intellectually augmented animals, the AI and, of course, the demon from hell. That debate includes info from Plato, Jung, parapsychic research and research on dreaming. It was a chore to write it while keeping the story moving, and all but one of ten reviewers thought it worked. You cannot please everyone.
Do you plan on writing more books in this universe?
I must write more books from this universe. It is far too much fun to stop now.
Author Links: Website | Amazon
Renowned blind, private investigator Peter Straw, of the “Third Eye Detective Agency,” assisted by his intellectually augmented guide dog, Watson, is initially retained by a victim of child abuse to aid her in the civil trial of her wealthy and powerful stepfather. In the midst of this investigation, because of a unique friendship between Watson and the first self-aware and autonomous AI to originate on Earth, Straw and his canine companion find themselves drawn into an interstellar intrigue in which the motives of two different alien actors are unclear and the fate of sentient biological life may hang in the balance.
Exotic locations, plots within plots and an unforgettable cast of human, intellectually-augmented nonhuman and inhuman characters provides the reader with a good old-fashioned mystery story on a believable future Earth. Recognizing that human history is characterized as much by the fantastic as the tragic, the reader is treated to a non-dystopian story full of surprises, dry humor and a thoughtful consideration of current and future moral dilemmas. Prepare for a story that will be as emotionally satisfying as it is thought-provoking.
Interstellar Sex Wars and the Blind Detective
Interstellar Sex Wars and the Blind Detective, by Shawn Adair Johnston, is a lively science fiction novel about Earth, a world name Octopodia (inhabited by sentient octopus), and the intrigue of “Awakened” AI’s who want to bring serenity and beauty to the galaxy. This fascinating story takes place in the future, where Earth has created bases on Mars, have augmented animals, but hasn’t gotten past political and racial differences. Octopodia has had its revolutions and revelations but it is not as advanced in biology as humans. They seek Earth’s help, but don’t realize that “Awakened” AI’s want both races dead.
This is a riveting sci-fi story that relies less on the mystery to propel the story forward and more on the characters and their motivations to keep the reader drawn in. The intriguing villains of the story are introduced and their plan is laid out for the reader, which makes it easy for us to understand what they want without any guesswork. This will appeal to readers who want a science fiction story that doesn’t bury its ideas and instead presents them clearly.
Intrepid detective, Peter Straw, is the protagonist, but there are so many compelling characters and story lines that it’s hard to say that he’s the star of the show. He had a civil case to help dig up evidence and then he ended up going along for the ride when it came to the main story.
This is a fast paced story that does not spend too much time digging into character’s backstories and instead focuses on telling a thought-provoking story. I found the Octopoids of Octopodia to be very interesting and I would have loved to have dived deeper into their characters and learned more about them. I would’ve liked for the author to dive into present times on Octopodia with a few lines of their history to give us a sense of their past.
Interstellar Sex Wars and the Blind Detective is just as wild as the book’s title. This is a thrilling space adventure with likeable characters and a story that’s fun and intriguing. There is a lot going on in this story but the author’s writing keeps things focused and ensures the story is consistently entertaining.
Pages: 440 | ASIN: B0BLVJ23YR
LITERARY TITAN 