Tag: post-apocalyptic
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Life Without Electricity: Insights from the Backcountry and Beyond
Have you ever wondered what your daily life would look like if the power grid suddenly failed? In my novel, The Long Walk Home: When the Power Dies, I explore a world plunged into darkness. Recently, I was challenged to describe my own life without electricity—and surprisingly, I have some firsthand experience from my college…
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Exciting News: My Interview on Voices of Taos Podcast – Diving into ‘The Long Walk Home’
Dear readers, I’m thrilled to share that I recently sat down with Ellen Miller Goins on the Voices of Taos podcast, hosted by Taos News, for a deep dive into my latest novel, The Long Walk Home: When the Power Dies. We explored the gritty realities of a post-electricity world—think societal collapse, human resilience, and…
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Spoilers Ahead: Charley’s Unexpected Redemption in The Long Walk Home
Irredeemable evil has long been a staple of fiction, but in recent years, we’ve seen a shift toward more nuanced villains—from subverting expectations to exploring stories from the antagonist’s point of view. In contrast to contemporary writing tropes, in creating Charley in The Long Walk Home: When the Power Dies, I originally intended him to…
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Fatherhood in Crisis: What Does Fatherhood Look Like When the World Falls Apart?
With tens of thousands of books on parenthood—and over 2,200 on fatherhood listed on Goodreads alone—you might wonder how a young adult adventure novel could offer fresh insights into being a dad. I didn’t set out to write a story centered on fatherhood any more than I intended to explore cults, bullying, or leadership. Yet,…
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Unraveling the Cult at Heavenly Ranch:
How Fiction Mirrors Real Manipulation Spoilers ahead! Content Warning: This blog post contains sensitive content, such as psychological abuse, manipulation and cult indoctrination. Reader discretion is advised. By continuing to read, you acknowledge that Michael H. Ritterhouse is not responsible for your individual emotional response to the content. I am not an expert in this…
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What True Leadership Looks Like in Crisis (and Why Tommy Nails It)
Leadership is a vast, timeless topic—one I’m so passionate about I could fill a whole book. We’ve seen it explored in ancient China, India, Greece, and Rome, then evolving through Medieval Europe. Think diverse thinkers like Sun Tzu, Confucius, Plato, Aristotle, and even Niccolò Machiavelli. Over centuries, leadership has shifted from innate traits to behaviors…
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Crafting Authentic Hope: Writing in a Post-Apocalyptic World
What do you feel and think when you see someone doing something, it could be a hobby, a job, or other activity, when they are truly positively engaged in the process? I am drawn to it and I feel a sense of subtle awe, especially if they are a master of their craft. I see…
Michael H. Ritterhouse 