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; for information on Paramaribo & Suriname click here and under Related Topics). At the age of nine he was caught stealing old books from the school attic. When asked why, he explained that he had read all the books in the school library. Sentenced to ask his parents for a library card of CCS, the largest library in the country, he spent more time there than in school. He was also not interested in playing soccer (football) or watching it (not even the World Cup).
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 (when he was taking correspondence courses for his high school diploma) as a customs officer in Paramaribo (see first photo).
At the
age of 20 he immigrated to The Netherlands (for information on Holland click here and under Related Topics), where 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?).
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.
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 health care psychologist (Gezondheidszorgpsycholoog) and Family and Relational therapist a few years before 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 writer's workshops, was an important teacher, mentor and coach; she taught him the nitty-gritty of the craft.
Married a couple of times, he 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). His current hobbies are reading, traveling, and playing chess and bridge (against the computer). Because of his interest in people and their cultures he traveled to more than 25 countries and lived on four continents. If his life story or voice sounds familiar it is possible that you have met him or read one of his stories somewhere.
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 is still actively writing, editing, and designing websites. If you have comments or questions, please click: Feedback for Hugo Roberts writer, editor, & webdesigner. In case you need his services or help with writing, editing, and/or website design, please click: Help or services from Hugo Roberts, writer/editor/webdesigner. To read the latest news by or about him, please click: News by or about Hugo Roberts.
Published and (not yet) published prose. 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
LITERARY
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; for details click: News Kwakoe first prize award.
He is listed in Literary Prizes Netherlands of the Museum of Literature (Literaire prijzen Nederland van het Letterkundig Museum); for details click: Writer in Literary Prizes Netherlands. Or you can visit their site; please click: http://www.literaireprijzen.nl/ enter the author’s name Roberts (in the space marked “zoek”) then click “zoek”. Look up by prize: roll down where it says “Kies een prijs”, when you find Kwakoe Literatuurprijs, click it, then click “kies”.
The short story "Rise en Shine in de jungle" won him an honorable mention (“Bijzondere Vermelding”) in the annual Kwakoe Literatuurprijs 2005; for details click: Honorable Mention.
End 2007 his short story “Gita’s Song” won him a finalist status and a “Certificate of Recognition” in the Authors for the Betterment of Children’s Words in Action writing contest; for details click: Hugo Roberts finalist in ABC Words in Action
PUBLISHED* PROSE
(In English or Dutch in the U.K, Suriname, The Netherlands, Nepal, and the U.S.A.): 2007: "Highway Jaywalkers," June 24, 2007 in The Kathmandu Post/Fiction Park, Katmandu, Nepal. To read the story click: http://www.TheKathmanduPost.com (it's on the modelwatch page featuring Nepalese beauties). 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, click: http://www.thepaperjourneypress.html or http://thepaperjourney.com 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); click: http://www.secretattic.html 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 click :http://www.verhalenwedstrijdmijnzwitserlevengevoel.htm and Hugo Roberts in judges' report. 2003: "Moord en doodslag in de trein," in: Openbaar vervoer (ISBN 90-75665-56-3), for details click: http://www.uitslagwedstrijdopenbaarvervoer.htm or http://www.uitgeverijkontrast.nl/OpenbaarVervoerUitslag.html 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. *Publication in an anthology is often based on a competition.
PUBLISHED POETRY
A few of his 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 (South Africa): 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
The web site www.writerhugoroberts.com has the following additional features: links to another writer's resource--some of the author's favorite books (most are on writing), to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ), and new jokes every week. To visit the site click:
Writer Hugo Roberts. You can also visit another Hugo Roberts's site by clicking: http://www.hugoroberts-writer-editor-webdesigner.com. This site is home of the Webmaster and Webdesigner's Tools in addition to other pages, such as: Roberts's Travels with photos, videos, and other images from Asia (including those of the Kolkata (Calcutta) fire). It features the speaking character/virtual employee.
... and 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 also 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://anti-aging-wellness.blogspot.com
Fighting cancer takes energy, but also makes you aware of your body and the importance of prevention. So after my victory over cancer, I’m sharing that experience and inviting you to do the same if you’ve conquered a serious ailment. Visit this blog for information on health and wellness, and share or link to it.
Some of the links are in Dutch and most of these are translated into English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese.
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).
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. I 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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countries (6 continents, click: FAQ).