Robert Tieken

Robert Tieken was born in Den Haag and grew up in Amstelveen and Prinsenbeek. After completing MAVO, he served 18 months with the Korps Mariniers, including nine months stationed in Curaçao, where he first discovered his interest in logistics while working in the barracks warehouse.

After his military service, Robert built a long career in logistics. He worked with automotive parts, later served as a seasonal swimming pool supervisor, and went on to become a manager at a large computer distribution centre. Over the years he also held roles as warehouse chief and logistics administrator, continuing in this field until his retirement in 2025.

When Robert returned home after retiring, he reconnected with a creative passion that had quietly been with him for years. In 2012 he had already begun writing an autofiction story but was never able to complete it, and that manuscript remains unfinished. A new idea had been developing over time, however, under the working title Verre Neven.

Determined to finish what he started, Robert committed to writing for at least an hour and a half every day for nine months. He succeeded in completing the manuscript, though the next challenge was finding a publisher willing to take it on. Out of four publishers he approached, APEX Book Publishing said yes. The book is planned for release in June 2026, the month Robert turns 68. A new manuscript is already in progress under the working title Tims Herinnering.

Robert lives happily in the Netherlands with his partner of 33 years. In his free time he enjoys long walks through the Dutch countryside, cooking, and spending time with family and close friends, who form the chosen family that inspired much of his writing.

“I believe every family has a story waiting to be told, a connection waiting to be discovered. I wrote this book because some journeys are simply too important not to share.”

— Robert Tieken