Patrick Ford

This is a compendium of short stories; you can read each one in ten or fifteen minutes. There is an engaging mix of humour, love and a little homespun philosophy.

This collection of short stories brings to the reader a variety of events that shape or enrich our lives. Each is different, each has a different outcome, each aims to stimulate. It's good stuff for that bed-time read.

Life, love and war are essential elements of the human condition, especially for those who lived most of their lives in the twentyth century. This collection of stories looks at the lives people through the lens of history, seeing the way life can affect us all given the circumstances.

The story is set in the United Kakedom, an island bigger than Iceland and smaller than Greenland. It is a circular island containing four countries of exactly the same size - like four quarters of a cake. These countries are Eggland, Sconeland, Pieland and Waffles. The people who live there are called crumbs. The crumbs are ruled by a Queen and she is helped by her Prime Minister. At the time of this story the Queen's name is Cranberry and the Prime Minister's name is Mrs Cheese Sandwich. Cheese Sandwich is married to Ham, a writer. They have two pugs called Louie and Zucchie, adopted from a rescue home. Unknown to the Sandwiches, prior to meeting the pugs Louie made a promise to a lady pug; that he and Zucchie would give her the world's tastiest bone. The world's tastiest bone belonged to the Ancient Egyptian King, Pug Tootandfarten. It has been lent by the Egyptian Queen, Juniper, to the Museum of Bones in Eggdon, the capital city of Eggland. No pugs are allowed inside the museum, only labradors. Louie decides to build a robot labrador to steal the bone. The robbery is successful, but Queen Cranberry has ordered two hounds from the Dog Police to catch the thieves. If the bone is not returned to the Cairo Museum, Queen Juniper has threatened that Egypt will not sell the United Kakedom any Bogtrax toilet paper. The United Kakedom will be in the poop, as Egypt is the only manufacturer of toilet paper in the world. If the pugs are caught they face a trial, watched by the crumbs of the United Kakedom, and a prison sentence. If the pugs are found guilty Cheese Sandwich will lose her job, and the pugs will lose their home.

The story of one man's search for people from his past and the moral dilemma it produces for him.

Jack is a young Australian, Susan an American girl. For them, it was love at first sight. But, when she becomes pregnant, her family takes Susan back to America, and it seems Jack will never see her again. However, Jack is not so easily dismissed. In the green hell of Vietnam, he finds the clue that will re-unite them. A story of love, war, and the strength of the human spirit. From Australia to Boston, Sydney to Saigon, Jack and Susan's story will tug at your heartstrings.

Michael (Young Jack) Riordan and his new wife, Elsbeth rescue a young woman, Sonja, from a sex trafficking ring in England. They are sent to Croatia to track down the ringleaders. The web of corruption and brutality takes them on a wild adventure in one of Europe's newest nations.

My story of Kilshanny in Ireland, the homeland of my father. My experiences whilst I was visiting this beautiful country

Two young lovers, separated by circumstance, find each other despite distance and war. Jack fears he will never see Susan and his child, but in the horror that is Vietnam, he comes across the clue that will result in their reunion. A story of love war and the strength of the human spirit. From Brisbane to Boston, Sydney to Saigon, this story will tug at your heartstrings

Jack and Susan Riordan return to their farm. However, he retains his commission in the army reserve. On an exercise in northern Australia, he encounters pirates and frees a ship they had captured. The pirate leader, a Muslim extremist, vows vengeance. He pursues Jack to the USA, where his attempt at terrorism fails.Back in Australia, Jack and Susan fight drought and falling markets until they finally triumph and established a farming dynasty.But danger still lurks in the form of two more terrorists who break out of jail and seek to kill Jack and his family. Will they survive?

The story of Jack Riordan, who served in two wars, acquired a sawmill and finally, the farmland he always craved. A fabulous story of pioneering spirit, bravery, hard work and the support of a loving family.

Hans is an old soldier, a refugee from post-war Germany. Patrick Riordan befriends him and learns his story. When the old man is arrested and charged with war crimes in the camps in Poland, Patrick and his father Jack set off for Europe to find his missing sister to prove his identity.Meanwhile, the real criminal has been living in Florida. He flees after being recognised by a camp survivor and goes to ground.In Europe, a group of old Nazis try to stop Jack and Patrick finding the truth and exposing the real criminal, They send men to kill them and the sister they find. They have not bargained on a man like Jack Riordan, and their attempts fail. Their activities bring them to the attention of the Israelis who have hunted them since the war's end.Will they save their friend, or will the real criminal be brought to justice?

Patrick and Michael ('young Jack') go on a hiking trip to Europe with their girlfriends. They stumble upon a lost cache of WW2 gold and set in motion a chase across Germany, where they uncover a blackmail attempt on the USA by a former Stasi General. They are captured and escape and help the CIA andf the Germans to avoid the threat.

Jack Riordan leaves Ireland in 1825. It is either that or starve He joins the British Army, seeing service in Australia, India and New Zealand. After his discharge, he becomes a mounted policeman. His large family becomes part of this new country.