The Foreign Service Journal, November 2004

America. He has published more than 60 short stories in a range of literary and commercial magazines, and is the author of three previous, highly acclaimed books: Stone Cowboy (1999), The Liberation of Little Heaven (1998), and A Cast of Spaniards (1994). Legend: A Novel Alan Michaels, AuthorHouse, 2004, $11.25/paperback, $4.95/e-book, 271 pages. Set in the near future in California, the Southwest and Mexico, Legend tells the story of four characters: Juana, a talented young Mexican woman who flees to California after her wealthy, influential father is assas- sinated; Alan, an American charter yacht captain who falls in love with Juana; Alan’s partner Robin, a former professional tennis coach who is equally attracted to the young Mexican; and Juana’s powerful Spanish- Mexican uncle Ricardo, who moves to California to pursue his own secret agenda. The love triangle plays out amidst political intrigue, mystery and adventure. In addition to telling an interesting story with distinc- tive characters, this political thriller explores the issues of border control between the United States and Mexico and the treatment of Mexican immigrants by American authorities and employers. Alan Michaels is the pseudonym of a retired FSO who has served on the FSJ Editorial Board and, briefly, on the AFSA Governing Board. He has published more than 100 works under several different names, including in the Journal. Legend is available online at www.authorhouse.com. Diplomatic Intrigue Robert G. Morris, Xlibris Corporation, 2004, $18.69, paperback, 254 pages. In Diplomatic Intrigue , the author’s fourth Foreign Service novel, American FSOs and their families F O C U S 36 F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L / N O V E M B E R 2 0 0 4