Life story
Like his stories, the life of Hugo Roberts can be called anything except boring. It started with his birth during World War II (1942) in a slum of Paramaribo, Suriname (South America). At the age of nine he was caught stealing old books from the school basement. When asked why, he explained that he had read all the books in the school library. He was sentenced to ask his parents for a library card of CCS, the largest library in the country. Since then, he spent more time there than in school.
From the fifth grade on he told his friends made-up stories. They were disappointed (one even got furious) if he ever could not tell them the ending. After eight years of school he started doing odd jobs to support himself and help support his family. A few years later he found steady work: in the jungle and finally as a customs officer in Paramaribo (see first photo).
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At the age of 20 he immigrated to The Netherlands were he worked as a factory worker, a bookkeeper and in the mid-60's as a computer programmer for Philips and ESSO (now EXXON). He started a computer school and service bureau "Systems 2000" in 1970, which was the reason two newspapers (one in Suriname and one in Holland) printed his life story, featuring the photo in uniform. If you can provide the writer with a copy of this article, please click: Do you have a copy for Hugo Roberts writer & editor?
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Computer Consultant/Counselor in New York
After living in Holland for ten years, his business failed and he moved to the United States. As a green card holder living permanently in New York City, he obtained a high school equivalency diploma and B.A. degrees. As part of college classes in English, he wrote a few stories and essays. Soon there was no time for writing since he’d picked up three hobbies: social dancing, traveling, and karate. He worked in computers and later as a counselor.
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Psychologist/Writer in The Hague, The Netherlands
About two decades later, he moved back to The Netherlands where he initially worked as a counselor/social worker. He completed a graduate degree and attained the qualifications for a registered psychologist ("Gezondheidszorgpsycholoog") and Family and Relational therapist a few years before he was eligible for early retirement. In preparation for retirement he decided to finally pick up his lifelong hobby: writing. From the year 2000 on, he attended more than a dozen writing courses and workshops, such as at the Schrijversvakschool ‘t Colofon (now Schrijversschool) in Amsterdam and the correspondence courses Fiction Writing levels 1, 2, and 3 at The University of Iowa. Beatrijs Nolet, renowned Dutch writer of children’s books and teacher of writers’ workshops, was an important teacher, mentor and coach; she taught him the nitty-gritty of the craft.
If you want to read a story by Hugo Roberts...
This story was written in the hope that some Nepali
might become aware of a number of dangerous situations.
He was pleased to notice that his story was chosen
and made available online by The Kathmandu Post/
Fiction Park, please click: "Highway Jaywalkers"
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Writer living in Asia
Because of his interest in people and their cultures he traveled to more than 25 countries and lived on four continents. He was married a couple of times, has four children and three grandchildren. Presently he has a Nepali wife, a stepson and a stepdaughter, and lives mostly in Asia (Nepal, India and Cambodia). While topping off his education in fiction writing at The University of Iowa, he took numerous courses at the Writers Digest School (Writers Online Workshops), and the Writers Village University.
He’s still actively writing, editing, and designing websites. If you have comments or questions, or if you need help, please click: Contact/Feedback for Hugo Roberts. In case you want to engage his services and for a free price estimate on writing, editing, and/or website design, please click: Services/Price Estimate from Hugo Roberts. His current hobbies are reading, traveling, and playing chess and bridge (against the computer). To read the latest news about him, please click: News by or about Hugo Roberts writer & editor.
Award and (final) placements:
His short stories are published (in English or Dutch) in the U.K., Suriname, Nepal, The Netherlands, and the U.S.A. To see a complete list of his prose, please click: Complete list of Prose by Hugo Roberts writer & editor
In 2007 his short story “Gita’s Song” won him a finalist status and a “Certificate of Recognition” in the ABC Words in Action writing contest; for details click: ABC Words in Action's placement for Hugo Roberts writer & editor
The short story "Rise en Shine in de jungle" won him an honorable mention (“Bijzondere Vermelding”) in the annual Kwakoe Literatuurprijs 2005; please click: Honorable Mention for Hugo Roberts writer & editor.
With the short story "Het geheim van de tafel” (“The Secret of the Table”) he won the first prize in the annual Kwakoe Literatuurprijs 2003. First prize awarded to Hugo Roberts writer & editor. He is listed in Literary Prizes Netherlands of the Museum of Literature (Literaire prijzen Nederland van het Letterkundig Museum); for details click: Hugo Roberts writer & editor in Literary Prizes Netherlands. Or you can visit their site; please click: http://www.literaireprijzen.nl Look up by author: fill in the author’s name (Roberts) in the space labeled "zoek" and click "zoek". You can also look up by prize: roll down, select Kwakoe Literatuurprijs, and click "kies".
Published stories:
Placement in an anthology is often based on a competition. 2007: "Highway Jaywalkers," June 24, 2007 in The Kathmandu Post/Fiction Park, Katmandu, Nepal. To read the (edited) story, please click: Kathmandu Post with Hugo Robets writer & editor's "Highway Jaywalkers" . The original story “The Jaywalkers” has been changed by the editor to accommodate the readers in Nepal.
2006: "Bustle in the Bus" in BLINK: Flash Fiction Before You Can Bat an Eye, by Wanda Wade Mukherjee (Editor). Wake Forest, N.C., U.S.A.: The Paper Journey Press; ISBN: 0977315649; for details, please click: Blink with Hugo Roberts writer & editor's "Bustle in the Bus." 2005: "The Rookie Cop and the Thief," September 2005 in: eBook of Secret Attic (chosen as one of the best 20 out of more than 300 stories); for details, please click: Secret Attic with Hugo Roberts writer & editor's "The Rookie Cop..." 2004: "Het geheim van de tafel," January 31, 2004 in: De Ware Tijd/Literair, Paramaribo, Suriname.
2003: "Langszij," in: Het Gevoel (ISBN 90-5974-029-7); for details, please click: Announcing Hugo Roberts writer & editor's "Langszij" a winner and: Hugo Roberts writer & editor in judges' report. 2003: "Moord of doodslag in de trein," in: Openbaar vervoer (ISBN 90-75665-56-3); for details, please click: Openbaar vervoer with Hugo Roberts's writer & editor's "Moord of doodslag..." 2003: "Een kerstcadeau voor de buren," in: Een andere wereld. Gedichten en verhalen, vrije boekenbonus 2003. Amsterdam: Cultureel Centrum de Badcuyp.
2002: "Een bekend gezicht," in: FUGA, verzamelde korte verhalen van Nederlandse en Belgische Auteurs. Roermond: De Vleermuis uitgeverij bv, 2002 (ISBN 90 5757 0335).
2002: "Een kwestie van vertrouwen," in: Poëzie en Proza, Vrije Boekendagen 2002, editie Rotterdam.
Published Poems:
The following poems have been published: 2002: "Strandleven," in: Verzamelde gedichten, Culturele Centrale Boontje 8ste Poëzieprijs 2002. 2002: "Inspiratie," in: Ton Luiting en Helma Michielsen: Vannacht kwam een gedicht voorbij. Hilversum/Brugge/Pretoria: CONCEPT, 2002 (ISBN 90-74398-22-7). 2001: "Spaar Den Haag (Vuurwerk)," broadcasted as poem of the day on February 7, 2001 by Radio West, The Hague, The Netherlands.
Other Web Sites www.hugoroberts.com has the following features: links to writer's resources (publishers, writing contests, courses, tips, etc.) and the possibility to play the national anthems of Suriname, The Netherlands, the United States, and Nepal. There's a list of the author's work, of his namesakes (you can find out about your own names and namesakes), and a link to news by or about him. www.writerhugoroberts.com has the additional features: links to another writer's resource--some of the author's favorite books (most are on writing). Also, every week there is a page with new jokes.
Blogs http://writerhugoroberts.blogspot.com Offers an easy way to post comments/questions or discuss issues and displays a new Inspirational Quote every time you visit. You could read the latest news about computers and internet or look for a gadget, widget, or other program. http://hugoroberts.blogspot.com also offers an easy way to post comments/questions or discuss issues and daily displays a new Notable Shakespeare Quote. I post some of my essays, columns, and articles here. You’ll also find Flight Status (airport arrival, departures, etc.) Personal Travel Agent (book your own low cost flights), and Travel coupon/promo codes. There is more for travelers on the page Hugo Roberts's Travels. http://aboutnamesakes.blogspot.com/ is a blog where you will be entertained and informed about names and namesakes. You’ll find out the meaning, origin, and popularity of your name, Famous Namesakes, statistics, history, etc. The meaning of most names is given, not only of American and Anglo-saxon names, but also of African, Arabic, Chinese, French, Hindi, and Spanish names. You can post questions, comments, or articles or discuss everything about names and namesakes. Feel free to add a link to your site in all comments, essays, columns, and articles posted here or on any of my web sites or blogs. This will increase the popularity of your site (see pagerank, back links, and SEO terms explained); also SEO WORK PAYS OFF).
For writers’ resources make sure you visit The Best of the Web and My Favorite Writers Links by Joan McNulty Pulver, expert writer, editor, and instructor: http://thewriterslife-online.com. If you didn’t find what you were looking for or if you have a question, simply type your questions in the box below. You can also do a search on this site (please click that option):
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