Look and Listen

Biography

Michael Ritter has been involved in the arts for most of his adult life. He studied Art and Creative Writing at St. Edward’s University and the University of Texas in Austin, Texas. During the late 1970’s and early 1980’s, he was one of the “Austin Poster Artists” known for silk-screen concert and political posters. Michael achieved critical acclaim for his series of full-color, cartoon, political posters - one of which was placed in the political memorabilia archives at the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library. His latest endeavor, The Brat Chronicles , is a comical novel about a military family, living in Germany during the early 1970’s. Michael has his own web page at www.thebratchronicles.com where military brats can post their personal stories about growing up in a khaki-colored world. Michael and his wife, Barbara, have been married for 30 wonderfully blissful years, and make their home in Austin with their two cats, Maizy and Scout. Review: The Brat Chronicles had me laughing out loud from the first chapter. The Griswold Family has nothing on the Ritters. From falling in French toilets to feeding seven on a Master Sergeant's salary, 'it's all just part of the adventure.' Michael Ritter may well be the Jeff Foxworthy of brats!" --Donna Musil, Writer-Director, "Brats: Our Journey Home."

Inspiration

Being a baby-boomer and a member of the "TV generation" I was actullay inspired by television and movie writers. I have a particular fondness for narratives like "The Wonder Years" ad "Stand By Me". Also like anything by Woody Allen or Albert Brooks. My favorite authors are Truman Capote and Harper Lee. After years of regaling family and friends with war stories, I was persuaded to put them in writing, and The Brat Chronicles is the fruit of that labor. Each chapter is a story unto itself, and the book spans the years 1954 through 1973, a humorous snapshot of one family who spent 20 years living life in Uncle Sam's shadow.