Secret Shepherd
Page 34
In Memoriam
“The Admiral”
Your willingness “to be there” for me personified what a true friend is all about. I will be forever grateful for your understanding and unconditional support; your friendship was instrumental in helping me to navigate through the darkest period in my life. A friend like you is a rare privilege. Those of us left behind sorely miss your wise counsel… and your wicked sense of humor.
R.I.P., My Friend
About James Osborne
James Osborne is an international bestselling author. His varied career includes investigative journalist, college teacher, army officer, corporate executive and business owner. Osborne’s thriller novel, THE ULTIMATE THREAT, twice hit #1 on Amazon. In 2017, his mystery novel THE MAIDSTONE CONSPIRACY was named Best Mystery Novel of the year in a readers’ poll conducted by McGrath House, London, UK. In 2016, his ENCOUNTERS WITH LIFE was chosen as Best Short Story Collection, in an international competition run by the respected website Editors & Preditors.
Acknowledgements
Enormous debts of gratitude are due Trevor Apperley, Kent O’Connor and Judy Bader whose contributions to advancing the completion of Secret Shepherd are beyond measure. Their unreserved acceptance of the onerous task of critiquing earlier drafts contributed materially and substantially to the version of Secret Shepherd that I am proud to present here to you.
As always, any errors or omissions are mine alone.
-- James Osborne
Postscript
While all scenes in this novel are fictitious, some are closer to the truth than to fiction. Represented here are urgent social challenges faced by a majority of the world’s population, condemned to a lifetime of extreme poverty through no fault of their own. By Oxfam’s calculations, eight people on this planet own more wealth than do half of the world’s population. This is obscene.
Segments in Secret Shepherd are metaphors for actual work around the world by a select few of the extremely wealthy, helping people to achieve a better life for themselves and others. These rare few understand that pursuing riches, as an obsessive goal, is a hollow quest and that reinvesting their wealth for the greater good of humanity is among the noblest of callings.
These extraordinary people have pledged to give away during their lifetimes between half and the majority of their wealth through a not-for-profit foundation called The Giving Pledge. They include flounders Bill and Melinda Gates (Microsoft) and Warren Buffett (Berkshire Hathaway), as well as Mark Zuckerberg (Facebook), Michael Bloomberg (Bloomberg LP), Elon Musk (Telsa), Larry Ellison (Oracle), Charles Feeney (Duty Free Shoppers Group) and 168 other billionaires around the world.
They know this: The true measure of a person’s worth is to be found not in what they own, but in how they treat themselves and others.
– James Osborne
If you enjoyed this story, check out these other Solstice Publishing books by James Osborne:
The Maidstone Conspiracy
Paul and Anne Winston’s life is a storybook romance... until they are forced to fight for their lives, and for the massive business empire they’re building.
The Maidstone Conspiracy is a gripping murder mystery artfully blended with a tantalizing love story. Woven into the twists and turns of this action-packed adventure are generous portions of betrayal and intrigue... leading to a surprising climax.
https://bookgoodies.com/a/B016OUM81S
Encounters With Life
This delightful cornucopia of 34 captivating stories guarantees to entertain you, and to lift your spirits! Many are rib-tickling funny... a few are chilling adventures... some are heartwarming… all are entertaining!
Author James Osborne has woven these engaging tales into an amazing collection... many inspired by his experiences as a journalist, teacher, publicist, army officer, corporate executive and business owner. Read a few and you’ll want to read them all!
https://bookgoodies.com/a/B0153RUE28
The Ultimate Threat (Coming Soon!)
The Ultimate Threat tells it like it is ... a chilling look at the senseless brutality of ISIS, while also offering a compassionate exposé of the horrendous suffering that their savagery has imposed upon millions of innocents.
This novel steps beyond fiction, reaching firmly into the realm of the possible... even the probable. The Ultimate Threat is a disturbing forecast of how ISIS is planning to aggressively expand its sphere of terror around the world… including America!