In Embassy Tales, we explore through fiction every part of an American Embassy, from the glamorous Ambassadorial suite to the Consular office, where fledgling diplomats on the visa line face their own challenges – and meet more local citizens than most political officers! As the reader gains familiarity with how an Embassy comes together, there will be no surprise to find also jealousy, love lost and gained, perhaps a murder or two – they happen in the best of families – and even occasional hauntings may be expected. So, welcome to the Embassy. Your personal invitation to my final official Fourth of July Reception is enclosed. Here is a recent assessment of this book. “Retired diplomats, prime ministers, politicians and generals turned writers produce in their golden years credible pieces of literature. William S. Shepard, a retired senior diplomat, joins them with Embassy Tales, the second volume of stories close to his heart about the light and hilarious, as well the dark side of life of American diplomats serving their country abroad. And Shepard has a lot of fascinating experience to write from, having served in many countries in Europe and Asia. His first collection, entitled Sunsets In Singapore: A Foreign Service Memoir, was published last year. The present anthology gives us twenty enchanting short stories with intricately developed plots which are drawing not only upon the best, honest and most endearing aspects of human nature but also upon professional jealousy, greed, envy and its other less attractive sides. They are told with vigor, imagination and a superb sense for drama, suspense and timing. Here the author displays an array of literary ploys to achieve his desired effect with the skill and imagination of a seasoned novelist. Shepard writes not only for pleasure and to entertain a general reader with his stories of glamorous parties, receptions and other perks of diplomatic life, like tax free champagne, caviar and single malt scotch. He also writes to inspire a new generation of young Americans, as a fire-tested old hand who had been "there", to join the Foreign Service for other goodies in that basket as well, like the drama, the adventure and the thrill of it all, so well lived through, enjoyed and depicted by him. Here the anthology of his tales will, undoubtedly, do its share.”