An Interview with Bart Ringer: Author of Routine Patrol

Bart Ringer was born in Compton, California where he lived until the age of five when his family moved to North Long Beach where he grew up. From as long back as he can remember, his family spent summer vacations visiting relatives who lived in small towns in Southeastern Idaho. It was from those experiences that he developed a love for small towns and the lifestyles that they offered. Early on he decided that if he could ever figure how to do it, he would like to live somewhere in a small Western town.

After graduation from Jordan High School, Bart joined the Army and served from 1966 until the end of 1969. During that time, he served two tours of duty in Vietnam. When his enlistment ended, he enrolled at Rick’s College which is, coincidentally, located in Rexburg, a small town in Southeastern Idaho. It was there that he met the two loves of his life. He met and later married wife Marian who was also a student at Rick’s and hailed from Lander, Wyoming. He hired on with the Rexburg Police Department as a paid reserve officer, using the money he made there to supplement the GI bill as he attended college.

It was during that time that he decided he would like to make a career out of law enforcement. Bart and Marian both graduated from Brigham Young University in May of 1973 and he immediately went to work for the Riverton Wyoming Police Department where he remained for the next thirty-seven years. During that time, he was blessed with four sons who have all now grown and left to live in other small towns. Wife Marian retired in 2007 after having worked at Wyoming Indian School for thirty-three years as a speech pathologist, and Bart retired in 2011. Bart and Marian still live in Riverton, Wyoming where they are both active in their church and community and they still heat their house with wood.

Why did you want to write a book?

While their stories are worth telling, first responders, whether they be law enforcement, EMS or firefighters, are a close-knit group and most are reluctant to share their experiences with outsiders. After nearly forty years in law enforcement, I had, as have all other first responders, acquired a fair amount of experiences which were worth passing on. Many of the officers, dispatchers and EMT’s that I worked with and mentioned in my book have read and commented favorably on it. I consider this to be the highest form of compliment. If anyone else reads the book and likes it, well, that’s just that much more gravy…

Why did you choose to self-publish?

The self-publishing route seemed to have less obstacles and hoops to jump through. It also appeared to be a much faster process.

Would you self-publish again?

Absolutely!

As a writer, what is your schedule? How do you get the job done?

I am a night owl by nature and have found that my most productive time comes in the wee hours of the morning – usually between midnight and three AM. Things are quiet then and the creative juices seem to flow. After a productive writing session, I usually sleep very well and, being retired, a ten AM wake up is not an issue. My wife has learned to tolerate me, bless her heart.

How do you deal with writer’s block?

In a word: Poorly. When confronted with writer’s block I am often frustrated at first. What works best for me in such situations is to just back off and do something else for a while. Trying too hard only makes matters worse. I may write about something unrelated for a while or do some reading or research or I may just go fishing. I know from experience that such things will pass.

Tell us about the genre you wrote in, and why you chose to write this sort of book.

First of all it was a topic I am familiar with. Secondly, it is something that holds a wide and general interest for many people. Thirdly: It is anecdotal and therefore fairly easy to write about as I already know exactly what happened and have only to get it down on paper in a presentable and interesting manner.

Who are your biggest writing inspirations and why?

I really like to look at what’s going on around me and then ferret out interesting angles and options and then weave them together into something that will not only satisfy me but interest others as well.

How do your friends and family get involved with your writing? What do they think of your book?

Without the help, support and assistance of my friends and family this book would not exist. I have several very candid friends whom I use as a sounding board for my work. The wife has learned to sleep through my midnight to dawn writing rampages and my son took my work and organized it and then submitted it for publication. So far, the book seems to have been very well received and I am currently basking in the limelight as a local celebrity. It is both exhilarating and humbling.

What are your plans now your book is published?

I have talked with a number of the folks I worked with, the folks in the book, and have given them the following proposition: Think of your five or six most memorable experiences and sit down with me and tell my your story. I will take notes, write it up and then run it back past you for final approval. Then perhaps with luck and patience we can publish “More Routine Patrol” at a later time.