Energizing - One Minute Read - (Omr) - Stories

By Pat Ritter

Each week in 2015 I attended the Pomona Writers Group. The facilitator asked us to write a story about a topic he chose. These stories less than 500 words are OMR (One Minute Read). I hope you enjoy reading each one.
I want to express my gratitude to Melissa Smith. Thank you for doing a great job of the cover. If you have enjoyed reading this book, or if you haven’t enjoyed it, still let me know. I would love to receive your feedback. Pat Ritter - Author/Self Publisher

• Language: English
• Publisher: Pat Ritter
• Release date: Jan 7, 2016
• ISBN: 9781311719775

Pat Ritter

Hi Everyone,Let me introduce myself. My name is Pat Ritter. Since 1988 I have been writing and publishing books. In 2009 I decided to publish my books as e-books on this and other websites.Writing and self-publishing became expensive especially the marketing end of the business. I experienced little problems with my first book 'Closing The Gap' however after writing and self-publishing six other books the printing costs out-weighed the cost of production.At this stage of my writing I am converting from writing true life stories to fictional or better known - storytelling and it's difficult I can tell you. I'm giving it my best.Reading is a passion. When I read I try and place myself in the writer's seat and endeavour to work out how they wrote the story. I enjoy reading interesting stories filled with passion, desire with a happy ending.If you have a look at my website www.patritter.com.au all of my books are exhibited plus stories I have written and published.I'm happy to meet you.I'm also proud to be involved in Operation eBook Drop.Pat RitterAuthor/Self Publisher

Book preview

ENERGIZING STORIES

OMR

(One Minute Reads)

By

Pat Ritter

© Copyright Pat Ritter - 2016

Published by Pat Ritter.

Smashwords Edition

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Each week in 2015 I attended the Pomona Writers Group. The facilitator asked us to write a story about a topic he chose. These stories less than 500 words are OMR (One Minute Read). I hope you enjoy reading each one.

I want to express my gratitude to Melissa Smith. Thank you for doing a great job of the cover. If you want Melissa to create your next cover, I highly recommend you do.

If you have enjoyed reading this book, or if you haven’t enjoyed it, still let me know. I would love to receive your feedback. You can contact me on my e-mail: I’d love to receive your feedback.

Pat Ritter - Author/Self Publisher

A Change Of Plans After I Missed The Bus

Often through my life, I missed the bus, unfortunately I couldn't change my plans. At aged twelve my father told me I was so dumb to understand life, I was on the wrong train whilst others my age were on the right train. Beginning to believe his taunts imbedded into my mind. Whether his negative sayings were supposed to make me a better person or to think smarter. I doubt it.

Maturity develops in a person at different stages of their lives. Because of my low self-esteem, uncertainty to do the right or wrong thing, I missed the bus many times. To change my plans an opportunity lost forever.

In my mind I always thought to do the right thing, trust others as you would want them to trust you, be polite and considerate and help out when needed. An opportunity arose at fourteen years of age. My English teacher, Mr Imoff told me I had a gift for writing in that I wrote the way I spoke which was unique. I certainly missed the bus at this opportunity and couldn't change any plans of understanding Mr Imoff's meaning.

Onward I trudged through life missing other opportunities until twenty years later Mr Bob O'Sullivan, a lecturer at college told me exactly the same words Mr Imoff told me at fourteen years old. Reflecting back to this time I'd matured to an adult, succeeded with life and at this point being told my writing was unique almost blew my mind with wonderment.

From these humble words spoken by these two teachers, unbeknown to one another, threw me into the deep end of my writing career. My bus arrived with a change of plans to board and travel to my destination as an author. My self-esteem grew to a level of unbelievable belief in myself. I can do this, kept running through my mind. I needed to believe in myself to write the way I wanted to write no matter what circumstances arose.

Although I missed the bus on many occasions, this time I had a change of plans. Bob and I co-authored my first book 'Closing The Gap' a book to help parents of teenagers improve their communication with their teenage children. This opportunity gave way to a journey which continues today with the forthcoming publication of my 17th novel.

Deep down in my conscious I wanted to be an author. I often think back to when Mr Imoff spoke those profound words, 'you have a gift for writing. You write the way you speak which is unique'. If I'd taken these words home to tell my father, I can picture his reply, 'you, a writer. Who's the silly fool told you that nonsense.' His words echoed in my mind. I didn't tell him.

Word count: 475

A Day At The Office

Have you ever had a dream come true? Honestly come true. I have! Living along my life-line my dream to one day become a published author. I can honestly admit to achieving this dream and now working on my 17th novel.

A day at the office starts at 6.30am daily. After switching on the computer, first to check how many books sold overnight, check two sites. Once I calculate the sales start by promoting my books to the world clicking onto Facebook.

Facebook is a social media programme with millions of members across the globe. Within Facebook I have my own group 'keeping up with my writing' a membership close to 4000 members. Daily I post a page from a book I've written onto the group for all members to read and comment. If I haven't posted this page by seven o'clock daily, I receive messages to ask 'where is the page'.

To promote my writing, I post the same page onto my author page which goes to all friends I have on Facebook. Closing down Facebook I click onto another website in England and post the same page under my post which allows more than one thousand members to read the daily post. I check how many readers are actually read the post to find 92% which is great.

Clicking back to Facebook I start by accepting friends who requested to be a friend and register them into my group. Reply to all messages, answer all requests and finalise by reading posts from other members on different groups at times adding my books onto their post.

Switching from Facebook I click onto my e-mails to read all messages received overnight. This is important because if I won a prize in lotto a message is sent to show the amount I won. After checking e-mails, I click onto the lotto site and pick numbers for the games I play hoping to pick the correct ones.

When I've finalised these small tasks the hard work commences. Write the story for Pomona Writer's Group. Break for morning tea. Write the present novel or in this case re-read; re-read and re-read until no mistakes are found.

Lunchtime. Break for lunch.

After lunch start research on writing. Daily I try and read something about writing through the various writing associations which I'm a member. All are different and to keep up with the latest principles in writing I need to have everything at my fingertips.

At times this information sends me off on a tangent to discover a variety of information authors use to write their stories. Over the years this part of my day has helped me separate the wheat from the chaff in writing.

Finally, for the closure of the day I check Facebook to answer any query, check e-mails to answer any messages and finally close down my computer and have a smile on my face to show I did everything I wanted for the day. Next day do the same again.

Word count: 509

A Million Dollars Is Not How This Story Ends.

When you wish upon a star, no matter who you are, your wish will come true eventually. These words keep running through my mind. My wish to win $1,000,000.00 playing lotto. Numbers I play are drawn in my mind with absolute exhilaration knowing the prize