A Springfield native, Ritter first embraced creative writing at the age of 9. By age 13 he had written two adventure books, several plays, and created his own comic strip. His 8th grade editorial Lunchline Blues earned him an award in the LAD language arts fair, and in high school his poem Death of a People appeared in Labyrinth, an anthology of writing and artwork from students throughout Springfield Public Schools. He also wrote scripts for several assemblies in high school.
While attending college, Ritter couldn’t keep from writing and began experimenting with free verse poetry and nontraditional prose. After graduation, he continued writing about his life experiences, including marriage, fatherhood, death, abuse, and divorce, the collection of which became his first book, Soul Sketches, self-published in 2012.
Ritter’s second book, Cooter Up! Adventures of a Civil War Reenactor, was self-published in 2013. A Civil War reenactor since 1999, Ritter collected stories of his experiences on and off the field and combined them into an entertaining mix of what he calls “The good, the bad, and the silly” in reenacting. The book earned him several 5-star reviews on Amazon.
The Lantern series is a collection of lectures which have been presented to Masonic lodges in the area, and has received critical acclaim from Masons across the state.
All Ritter’s books are available online at Amazon.com and his website timritter.net.
Ritter’s current work in progress, Sarah Burning, is planned for release in September of 2019. Additionally, Ritter is working on a driving tour book for railroad enthusiasts, and is a contributor to the Douglas County Historical Society Journal.
After a 29-year career in engineering, Ritter is retired and happily writing full time, and also speaks to civic groups and organizations offering several lively and entertaining presentations.
Living near Fair Grove with his wife Lisa, Ritter enjoys reading, traveling, studying genealogy, visiting flea markets and antique stores, and spending time with his sons and grandson.
Springfield Writers' Guild 