Jim Ritter was born, raised, and lives in Chicago, Illinois where he graduated from Loyola University Chicago with a degree in history. Along the way he's written thirty short stories (including Vicki LaMaar's Statement About Love, The Mentally Slow Revolution, and Enter the Iron Lung) and five novels: The Austrians, Green, Strike, Teddy Bear Land, and A Bridge Over Lights. In Jim's spare time he either watches TV, reads history books, or hangs out in gyms.