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Pat Ritter. Books


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Re: Pat Ritter. Books

Postby patritter » Thu Mar 15, 2018 10:06 pm

'Greatest OMR Stories' - Page 9:

How Did We End Up Here?

We may discuss the birds and bees, theory. Or to be more specific how did we end up here at Pomona Writers Group. An interesting story. Pomona Writers Group saved myself as well as my writing career so to speak. I've been a member since 2010.
I'd love to share my story of how did we end up here. In October 2010, I read in the local throwaway Mary Valley Voice an invitation for writers to attend an introduction day of Pomona Writers Group to be held at the Pomona Bowling Club. I attended to meet some of the most wonderful people I've ever met in my life.
Before entering I met Pam who like myself wanted to attend this introduction day. Jim, the facilitator of the group at the time met Pam and I at the front door introducing himself with a warm welcome. We entered the dining area of the club to meet members of the Pomona Writers Group.
This moment almost surreal because before attending this meeting my writing career had almost come to an end. After writing and publishing many books, in all honesty I never had a clue what I was going to write next. Jim certainly changed that idea. His introduction gave me a shining light to the end of the tunnel. His words seeped into my mind. An important subject he mentioned – no judgement on any writing. Write whatever comes into your mind. No one will judge you or your writing.
Now Jim mentioned these rules, my mind sparked electricity. Electric currents escaped from my ears. My mind alive with words and motivation never experienced. I'd been a member of another writers group subjected the writer to criticism. I didn't want to personally experience these critiques again. My mind relaxed. I became a member of Pomona Writers Group instantly.
My writing journey turned a corner now I became a member of Pomona Writers Group. Excitement filled my mind to forge ahead with my dream to become an author. A tough road to travel especially a lonely one not many others to depend on along the way. Members of Pomona Writers Group since my beginning have been the best writers I have ever come across.
Our facilitator, Noel, provides us with a topic to write as our homework for the week. From this topic five hundred words or round about the number to express a story from the topic. Writing these number of words is tough to share your writing with all members of the group for following week.
When listening to the other members stories my mind swallows these stories to keep in a safe place. By each member writing about a similar topic one would think most of the stories would be similar. Not likely. Each story is completely different written by each member. Amazing.
I pride myself in writing these five hundred words. I name One Minute Reads which I publish annually as eBooks. This year will mark seven books of these One Minute Reads I've written at Pomona Writers Group recording each story I've written.
Would you believe for an author writing five hundred words for a story is tougher than writing a novel of over fifty thousand words. We write five hundred words weekly for our homework. You may ask: How Did We End Up Here.
Word count: 574
TO PURCHASE THIS BOOK: CLICK HERE: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/766429.
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Re: Pat Ritter. Books

Postby patritter » Fri Mar 16, 2018 11:24 pm

'Greatest OMR Stories' - Page 10:

How The World Ends

I have a dream! This dream is to win lotto. Weekly I play lotto games daily in the hope to win. Okay, let's say for instance I do win lotto. What would be my dream? To have a spare $1M my dream would be to own a racehorse. Not any racehorse, a special racehorse.
Bart Cummings, one of the greatest racehorse trainers this country has ever witnessed passed away handing down his training complex to his grandson James. A racehorse Bart trained to win the Australian Cup named So You Think. This stallion won over $8M during his racing career. So You Think stands at Coolmore Stud, New South Wales.
With $1M in my possession this amount of money will pay for a service fee to, So You Think hopefully to breed a colt foal. For this foal to be a champion racehorse a suitable mare of strong breeding to be mated for a better than average result.
After searching the broodmares of Coolmore Stud a suitable mare by the name of Independence Day came to light. Mating Independence Day to So You Think to produce a colt foal to name him Howtheworldends. Now to release my dream into the universe to make my dream come true. These dreams are fate and destiny mixed with a huge dose of LUCK!
Mating season for thoroughbreds commence anytime after September of each year. After joining So You Think with Independence Day result of the joining is eleven months Howtheworldends born in August 2018. From birth the foal is nursed by its mother for six months when the foal is weaned to join other foals born around the same period.
Howtheworldends reaches the age of a yearling building strength from running and playing with his mates. Turning twenty months old Howtheworldends is sent to a horse breaker to ready his forthcoming racing career. After being broken into race he is transported to James Cummings Stables in Sydney for training.
He is allocated a strapper who takes care of his every need. Daily brushing, walks, exercise to build muscle. James Cummings highly depends on information from Howtheworldends strapper to plan the horse's future for racing.
Howtheworldends becomes a champion like his father So You Think. His winnings take him from a maiden two-year-old to become one of the best two-year-old racehorses for the season of 2020. His winnings turn into $5M. His selling price $20M.
Would I part with him for $20M? Not in your life. Howtheworldends will go down in history as being one of the best racehorses ever bred and raced. Pages of history will show how he beat the best two-year-old horses in Australia and New Zealand.
Increasing his prizemoney from year to year extends higher than any other racehorse in history. His final feat to win the Melbourne Cup. His father finished third in the race years before. Howtheworldends goes two places better with James Cummings training him winning this great race.
This is my dream. If this was so simple.
Word count: 514
TO PURCHASE THIS BOOK: CLICK HERE: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/766429.
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Re: Pat Ritter. Books

Postby patritter » Sat Mar 17, 2018 10:38 pm

'Greatest OMR Stories' - Page 11:

I'm Not The One

Growing through my teenage years I developed a few close friendships with the opposite sex. After about three months these words, 'I'm not the one' echo in my ears. Trying to come to terms with these regular rejections I sought out my mother's advice. 'You'll know when the right one comes along' she told me. At seventeen years old many of my mates were married. I thought something must be wrong to not be in a similar position.
My mother's advice became true a week before my twenty-third birthday. I met the love of my life. Words 'I'm not the one' cleared my mind to meet this angel sent from heaven. My mother passed only a couple of days before meeting 'the love of my life'. Up until this time I honestly thought to be left on the shelf of bachelorhood.
We were introduced by a friend. My initial thoughts, 'why would anyone so beautiful want to have anything to do with me?' Our relationship lasted more than three months. I kept waiting for those faithful words, 'I'm not the one'. They were never spoken. Within ten months we married to last thirty-one years. Sadly, my wife lost her fight with cancer. I remember my wife telling me before she passed to find someone else. She gave me her blessing. I had no intention of finding anyone else, or so I thought.
Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think another woman would be interesting in me the way my wife did for thirty-one years. I was wrong. Again, I became satisfied to live my life out as a widower. Fate plus destiny have different views. After a couple of years, I met another angel sent from heaven. Obviously, sent by my wife.
She lost her husband shortly after my wife passed. We always told one another our partners met in heaven to guide us together. At the end of this month we will enjoy twelve years together. She's never said the words, I'm not the one.' Nor do I think she ever will. My mother's words, 'you'll know when the right one comes along' still echo in my mind. Never did I think her words would help me twice in my life.
'I'm not the one' became a rejection. Never did I personally believe God would lead me out of my darkened world of grief, despair to meet another angel sent from heaven. God works in mysterious ways. I am blessed to be loved by another human being than not to be loved at all.
My life is whole. I never fail to think of my wife who I lost suddenly who I loved so much. She appears in my dreams at night regularly. Often, I ask myself why these events happened in my life. To answer this query, I think of my grandmother who lost her husband (my grandfather) after thirty years of marriage. After a couple of years, she met and married my step grandfather which marriage lasted another thirty years before his untimely death.
We have no control over our lives nor the words 'I'm not the one'.
Word count: 533
TO PURCHASE THIS BOOK: CLICK HERE: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/766429.
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Re: Pat Ritter. Books

Postby patritter » Sun Mar 18, 2018 10:14 pm

'Greatest OMR Stories' - Page 12:

I'm Packed And Ready

Mother's Day 2015 became a day to experience something in my life I never thought possible. My partner visited her son and daughter-in-law to attend a family celebration of the birth of her first great grandchild. Both grandparents attended. I didn't attend. Midday I received a telephone call from my partner's son to rush home to his mother's home. She'd taken ill.
On entering my partner's home, she gazed into space whilst seated on her favourite chair. I rushed beside her, deeply concerned of her state of health having no knowledge of what occurred. Taking her hand in mine she looked into my eyes. 'Who are you?' She questioned.
'Yes. We've been together for ten years. I'm your partner.' Shock seeped into my soul.
'What happened?' I asked her son. His answer didn't make sense. 'Phone the Ambulance.' I instructed. Immediately he phoned the Ambulance.
After shifting my partner from the chair to her bed an Ambulance Officer arrived. 'We need to take her to Hospital.' His instructions demanded. Collecting clothes, I drove to hospital arriving the same time my partner arrived in the Ambulance. On the journey my mind blank as to why this episode occurred to her.
Concern filled my mind to determine answers to my query. When my partner settled into a cubicle after being examined by a doctor who asked to speak with me. My partner's son accompanied me to an office, so the doctor explains what occurred.
He explained my partner suffered Temporary Global Amnesia (TGA) which occurs to female aged sixty years or older. His explanation made sense. This TGA occurs when the person is stressed causing the patient to lose their memory. 'You can tell her anything you want. In twenty-four hours she will not remember anything.'
My partner was transferred to another hospital for admission. A strange event happened on our arrival. After being settled into a bed in a private room her attending nurse told me my partner had been the fourth patient she had in a month who suffered a similar illness.
Eleven o'clock the following morning on discharge my partner's health returned to normal. She couldn't remember anything from the day before. Having an inquisitive mind, I needed to investigate this illness. Words spoken by the doctor at hospital bussed through my mind. Stress. At first, I couldn't put my finger on the answer, suddenly, I experienced a light bulb moment. I remembered stories my partner told me about her relationship with her daughter-in-law.
Forming my own opinion, I decided to change whatever the circumstances my partner experienced never to have another Temporary Global Amnesia (TGA) episode. To complete this task, I came up with a strategy to escape every six weeks. Take away any stress related issues.
Since making this decision we disappear every six weeks to escape to places we never dreamed possible. Next week marks another six-week getaway adventure to the township of 1770. I'm packed and ready.
Word count: 502
TO PURCHASE THIS BOOK: CLICK HERE: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/766429.
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Re: Pat Ritter. Books

Postby patritter » Mon Mar 19, 2018 8:43 pm

'Greatest OMR Stories' - Page 13:

Just Remember This

'Just remember this. When I tell you to do something? You do what I say. Understand!' These words shouted by my father, at the time of my tenth birthday. Very much of a disciplinarian. No love for his eldest child shown throughout my life. Never a word of being proud of my achievements. At every opportunity to belittle me in front of whomever present.
Words 'Just Remember This' became my manta. Each time these words come from my father's mouth I'd slide away like a coward to be out of sight – out of mind. His teachings as a parent certainly affected my personality. Many times, I wished to stand up to him, tell him my thoughts instead cowering away keeping out of his way.
Whether these actions were committed by other parents, I didn't understand. No compassion whatsoever, only those horrific words, 'Just Remember This'. Often thoughts passed through my mind never to repeat the actions or criticism my father bestowed upon me toward my own children. Since having a family of my own certainly at times I wanted to repeat my father's words, then I thought of the consequences upon the person I'd say these words to.
Sixteen-year-old I decided to lead my own life. My parents moved away. I became an individual. Throughout these years the words 'Just Remember This' echoed through my mind casting a spell of destruction in my life. Without taking the bait from my father who lived one thousand miles from where I lived I commenced a new life for myself.
Parents are supposed to protect their children even when they become adults. I plugged along down the river of life until the time I joined Queensland Police Force at twenty-one years old. From aged four years I wanted to become a police officer, more particularly a detective. During the next twenty years I did become a detective plus many other positions in the Force.
Being a police officer to serve the community became my role in society. Living a life as a law enforcement officer trained your mind to just about put up with any individual. A thousand stories of my personal experiences. At this stage 'Just Remember This' I loved my role as a police officer.
Aged forty-two years old I retired from the job I loved. My life did a one-hundred-and-eighty-degree turnabout to the field of health. From working in policing over twenty years to work as an alcohol and drug counsellor spun my life around. Instead of arresting drunks on the street, I counselled them for a better life.
I'd hate to think what my father thought of my change of direction in life particularly when I thought of his mantra 'Just Remember This'. I haven't spoken to my father for many years. When we're at the same family function I'm always polite and treat him with respect of being my father. I have no idea why he treated me the way he did.
Now aged sixty-nine, my father is in his early nineties, we treat one another as strangers because of his words at my tenth birthday, 'Just Remember This. When I tell you to do something? You do what I say. Understand!' Have these words helped me through my life? No!
Word count: 556
TO PURCHASE THIS BOOK: CLICK HERE: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/766429.
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Re: Pat Ritter. Books

Postby patritter » Tue Mar 20, 2018 10:15 pm

'Greatest OMR Stories' - Page 14:

My Funny Valentine.

Fifteen years my wife and I caught the ‘Harness Racing Bug’. My wife operated ownership, training, driving whilst I kept accounts under control. Through these years, we worked together experienced several ups and downs. When one of our horses won. Great. If they failed. Wait for the next time. I always had faith in her ability and skills.
Breeding became our downfall. Let me share a story. On 14th February 1996, my wife and I journeyed to a horse stud to check on our broodmare. I asked the stud master if he had any yearlings for sale. Soon as I lay eyes on a filly he showed me I said, ‘I’ll take her.’
This yearling filly sired by Gatwick dam Sweet Valentine became an omen. Being Valentine Day I gifted the filly to my wife. She exploded, ‘another horse.’ She didn’t realise at the time how important this decision became for our future.
Naming rights for this filly lay with my wife who named all our yearlings. She named her ‘My Funny Valentine’ which at the time I thought strange she selected this name. Probably poking fun at my gift. After breaking her in to harness, teaching her to pace, trialling her against her own age, My Funny Valentine set for her first race.
In Queensland at the time special races for the best two-year-old fillies in Australia with prizemoney of $50,000.00 to the winner programmed for Albion Park, Brisbane. My Funny Valentine after nomination for this race become accepted to race against the best of her age in Australia. Nervous energy not only appeared by the owners, also by the trainer and driver.
Without a race under her belt My Funny Valentine raced like a champion edging out all her rivals with pace not witnessed by race goers before. Her speed away from the mobile electric, pace during the race, unbelievable, finish, way ahead of the best in her class.
My Funny Valentine became a pinup horse for punters, plus race goers throughout the country. This filly selected on a whim only because her dam Sweet Valentine plus she didn’t sell at the sales. Our dream came true with this filly. Everyone in harness racing wanted to breed a champion racehorse. We didn’t breed My Funny Valentine, we owned, trained, my wife drove her in races.
Owning a champion placed my wife and I into a position of never experiencing success at this level. Our name mentioned on many lips, our horse shouted from the rafters. People love a champion. This excitement of owning a champion gave my wife and I self-confidence we only imagined possible.
My Funny Valentine went on to win many races showing ability far beyond others her age. Alas one morning my wife returned from the training track to tell me My Funny Valentine broke down whilst trialling with other older horses. My wife’s confidence shattered. Racing finished for My Funny Valentine. Never again would we experience such highs and lows in a cutthroat industry.
Memories linger after more than twenty years since experiencing owning a champion. We were lucky to visit the horse stud on 14th February 1996, luckier to experience owning, training and driving a champion especially My Funny Valentine.
Word count: 546
TO PURCHASE THIS BOOK: CLICK HERE: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/766429.
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Re: Pat Ritter. Books

Postby patritter » Wed Mar 21, 2018 10:08 pm

'Greatest OMR Stories' - Page 15:

My Pact With The Devil

I'm a gambler. Been a gambler since ten years old. Both my parents, grandparents, probably their parents also gamblers. My pact with the devil started at ten years of age. Winning a can of ham for Christmas at the local Ambulance Chocolate wheel. How lucky a ten-year-old boy to side with the gamble devil.
I've been told gambling is mixed with the devil. Ever since I remember I've gambled on many things to make a fast quid. Only a couple of times I remember the thrill of winning a huge amount of money. If by chance my strength forced me not to take the chance to win, perhaps my life would've been different. I live with my pact with the devil.
Saturday in my youth attending local race meetings. Most of the time handing over my well-earned cash to bookmakers. Over time I did receive a small amount of my investment from the bookmaker, only occasionally. Even when I turned fifteen years old I remember regularly placing bets with a Starting Price Bookmaker at work. To my memory only winning a couple of times.
Throughout my teenage years Saturdays were my major pact with the devil. Hope upon hope to choose a winner with odds to more than triple my wages. Once when Prunda won The Elizabeth Stakes at Eagle Farm with Lester Piggott in the saddle did I win a huge amount of money. Next Saturday I'd again be broke looking for the next winner.
Growing through adulthood my pact with the devil continued. Eventually marrying my wife, this continued a regular basis eating into our budget. Lust for winning didn't change. Raising a family didn't chance my pact with the devil. Nothing changed. I never wanted to stop.
My goal in later life is to win lotto. Been trying to win for many years. If I banked each lotto entry, I'd had sufficient to have won lotto many times over. My friend and I have placed the same numbers on Saturday lotto since 1982. Most we ever won was a couple of thousand dollars. One number from winning first prize. This is what happens when you have a pact with the devil.
My faith in winning lotto never fades. I WILL WIN LOTTO! When; I'm uncertain. Perhaps this pact with the devil may cause him to allow me to win lotto once. Until this moment arrives I'll continue to keep trying. Someone always wins, why not myself.
I have a plan to break my pact with the devil. Each time lotto is played, I play games. You can't win, if you haven't got a ticket. Each week I play Saturday night lotto; Super 66; Pools; Monday lotto; Tuesday Oz Lotto; Wednesday lotto; Thursday Powerball; Set for life each night. Playing these number of games must give me a larger opportunity to win first prize.
You probably ask yourself Why! One thing I have learned in my life is to NEVER GIVE UP! Each morning checking my numbers from the previous games excitement of winning rushes through my brain. Winning lotto will happen. When I haven't a clue. My pact with the devil will allow me to WIN!
Word count: 541
TO PURCHASE THIS BOOK: CLICK HERE: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/766429.
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