Tag: Writing
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Rediscovering Home: Mountains, Memories, and the Heart’s True Pull
Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas—these holidays mark a season of homecoming for so many of us. But what does “home” truly mean to you? Years ago, my parents uprooted our family from the geographic place I still call my hometown and relocated us to another spot where I spent my formative years. I’m deeply drawn to both…
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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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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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From Bully to Brother – Charley’s Redemption Arc
Can Bullies Change? Should We Give Them the Chance? Charley starts as a bully. On the first day of summer camp, he tries to shove Tommy out of his seat. As the novel unfolds, we glimpse more of their time at Camp Wallace Creek—Charley’s hostility toward every activity, every rule, every kid. He’s there against…
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Targeting YA Teens, Hooking Adult Readers: The True Audience for The Long Walk Home: When the Power Dies
Who did I write The Long Walk: When the Power Dies for? The short answer: the young adult market—readers aged 13 to 18, likely skewing 60% boys and 40% girls at launch. With the short story I’m crafting as a reader magnet, I hope to nudge that toward a more even 55/45 split. But here’s…
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Conquering Writer’s Block: Steinbeck, Heinlein, and My Battle with Procrastination
Writer’s block has been a hot topic on my writing-related social media feeds lately, and most, if not all, writers experience it in some form. For some, it’s debilitating, pushing them to abandon writing as a career or even a hobby. On the other end of the spectrum are those who experience only a brief…
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From Childhood Books to My Debut Novel: Updates, Stories, and a Call for Reviewers
Thanks for Your Questions!Over the past few weeks, I’ve received a flood of questions about my writing journey and my upcoming novel, The Long Walk Home: When the Power Dies. I’m thrilled by your interest! So pardon my dust! This post is a bit of housekeeping to answer those questions, share exciting updates, and invite…
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A Teen’s Odyssey Through a Powerless World:
A Race Against Winter in a World Gone Dark Imagine a world where the lights go out—and stay out. In The Long Walk Home: When the Power Dies, fourteen-year-old Tommy faces this jarring reality. Fresh from summer camp, he’s thrust into a world without electricity, stranded at Denver International Airport with the Browns, his newfound…
Michael H. Ritterhouse 