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Susan Z. Ritz

Goodreads Author

Born

Des Moines, IA, The United States

Twitter

@szritz

Member Since

May 2008

URL

https://www.goodreads.com/szritz

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Susan Ritz grew up in Minnesota, but she left home to become a wandering scholar; she lived, studied, and worked as a social worker in Kenya, Japan, Singapore, and Indonesia in the 1970s. She worked as a human rights lobbyist in Washington, DC, during the Carter Administration before moving to Dachau, Germany, the setting for her memoir in progress, On the Edge of Dachau. For the past thirty years she has lived with her husband and three children in Montpelier, Vermont, where she has worked as a fund raiser, events coordinator, and philanthropic advisor for a wide range of nonprofit organizations, especially those promoting economic equality for women. Writing, however, has always been her passion, and after receiving an MFA in creative non ...more

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Average rating: 3.12 · 177 ratings · 69 reviews · 1 distinct work • Similar authors

A Dream to Die For: A Novel

3.12 avg rating — 177 ratings — published 2019 — 5 editions

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Susan Z. Ritz's Blog

How to Write About Dreams

How to Write About Dreams

We all like to talk about our dreams, but few people want to hear about them. Our own dreams are revelatory, scary, confusing, funny, and weird; other people’s dreams are just plain boring. That’s why so many writing teachers and editors warn us not to throw dreams into our stories if we want to keep our readers turning pages.
When I sat down to write my mystery, A Dream Read more of this blog post »

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Published on August 09, 2019 11:16 • Tags: craft, dreams

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Susan is Currently Reading

Susan Ritz is currently reading

The Keeper (Cal Hooper, #3)

by Tana French (Goodreads Author)

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Jul 15, 2026 11:16AM

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Susan’s Recent Updates

Susan Ritz entered a giveaway The Museum of Lost Dreams by Christine Nolfi (Goodreads Author) 10 copies available, ends on August 03, 2026 Enter to win »
14 hours, 30 min ago · like · see giveaway · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Museum of Lost Dreams by Christine Nolfi. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Museum of Lost Dreams by Christine Nolfi <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Susan Ritz wants to read I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jul 15, 2026 11:17AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Susan Ritz is currently reading The Keeper (Cal Hooper, #3) by Tana French (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jul 15, 2026 11:16AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Keeper by Tana French. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Keeper by Tana French <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Susan Ritz wants to read The Bright Years by Sarah Damoff (Goodreads Author) Goodreads Choice Awards Nominee in Readers' Favorite Historical Fiction, Readers' Favorite Debut Novel	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jul 15, 2026 11:16AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Bright Years by Sarah Damoff. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Bright Years by Sarah Damoff <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Susan Ritz finished reading 10 Step Plan to Promote Your Book: Online Book Marketing on Any Budget by Scott Hughes (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jul 15, 2026 11:15AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of 10 Step Plan to Promote Your Book by Scott Hughes. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — 10 Step Plan to Promote Your Book by Scott Hughes <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Susan Ritz did not finish Confessions of a Pagan Nun by Kate Horsley (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jul 15, 2026 11:15AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Confessions of a Pagan Nun by Kate Horsley. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Confessions of a Pagan Nun by Kate Horsley <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Susan Ritz rated a book it was ok Creation Lake by Rachel Kushner (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Why did Kushner choose to narrate this book? It ruined the whole thing for me.
Jul 14, 2026 07:22AM · 1 like · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Creation Lake by Rachel Kushner. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Creation Lake by Rachel Kushner <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Susan Ritz liked Shelagh's review of Book of Lives: A Memoir of Sorts: "Loved this incredible memoir by one of my favorite authors. (Who knew the history of Canadian publishing was so complex, fascinating, even cut throat!) I listened, which made the experience all the more immediate. Atwood's voice conveys every spark a" Read more of this review »
Jul 12, 2026 04:50PM · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Book of Lives by Margaret Atwood. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Book of Lives by Margaret Atwood <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Susan Ritz wants to read Long Wave by Daisy Johnson (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
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Susan Ritz wants to read When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jul 08, 2026 10:32AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">

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Susan’s Quotes

“All shall be well, and all shall be well and all manner of thing shall be well.”
― Julian of Norwich

tags: hope-springs-eternal

668 likes

“I can never read all the books I want; I can never be all the people I want and live all the lives I want. I can never train myself in all the skills I want. And why do I want? I want to live and feel all the shades, tones and variations of mental and physical experience possible in my life. And I am horribly limited.”
― Sylvia Plath, The Unabridged Journals of Sylvia Plath

tags: books, life, limits

20458 likes

“You are not the oil, you are not the air—merely the point of combustion, the flash-point where the light is born. You are merely the lens in the beam. You can only receive, give, and possess the light as the lens does. If you seek yourself, you rob the lens of its transparency. You will know life and be acknowledged by it according to your degree of transparency—your capacity, that is, to vanish as an end and remain purely as a means.”
― Dag Hammarskjöld, Markings: Spiritual Poems and Meditations

tags: 1964, light, selflessness, transparency

4 likes

“Never, for the sake of peace and quiet, deny your own experience or convictions”
― Dag Hammarskjold

92 likes

“Never look down to test the ground before taking your next step; only he who keeps his eye fixed on the far horizon will find the right road. ”
― Dag Hammarskjold

22 likes

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Susan’s Year In Books

Susan Z. Ritz’s Followers (35)

Susan’s Bookshelves

Susan’s Friends (123)

2026 Reading Challenge

Susan Z. Ritz

Goodreads Author

Learn more
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Popular Answered Questions

Combine Editions
Susan Z. Ritz’s books

2 posts
Susan Z. Ritz's Blog

How to Write About Dreams

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Susan’s Recent Updates

See a Problem?

Preview — The Museum of Lost Dreams by Christine Nolfi

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Preview — I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman

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Preview — The Keeper by Tana French

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Preview — The Bright Years by Sarah Damoff

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Susan Z. Ritz’s Followers (35)

Susan Z. Ritz

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See a Problem?

Preview — The Museum of Lost Dreams by Christine Nolfi

See a Problem?

Preview — I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman

See a Problem?

Preview — The Keeper by Tana French

See a Problem?

Preview — The Bright Years by Sarah Damoff

See a Problem?

Preview — 10 Step Plan to Promote Your Book by Scott Hughes

See a Problem?

Preview — Confessions of a Pagan Nun by Kate Horsley

See a Problem?

Preview — Creation Lake by Rachel Kushner

See a Problem?

Preview — Book of Lives by Margaret Atwood

See a Problem?

Preview — When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill

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