Human Interest

After a devastating fire ripped through Stowe, Vermont’s iconic Percy farm dairy barn,

friends, family, and strangers reach out to help. Click here for full story

Award: In May 2023, this article won a First Place Award in the New England Newspaper and Press Association's (NENPA) Human Interest Feature Story category. Click here for info.

Artist Profile

Click here for the full article

After a lifetime of laughter, Ed left us....happier and wiser. Thanks, Ed (obit)

Photographer Profile

©Stephen Wilkes
Click here for my profile of "Day to Night" photographer Stephen Wilkes

Reader's Digest's 100th Anniversary

Reader's Digest has published this note in many of its 40-plus editions around the world

as part of its 100th Anniversary (1922-2022) celebrations

Behind The Lines (At Work)

Click here for this article and here for the polar bear article

To report this profile of Anthony Hopkins, I spent a day with him in London, walking through the city, having lunch, and visiting his Knightsbridge home. A month later I spent another day with him in his native Wales.
Click here for the full article

Human Interest

To read, click here

Profile

Meet Bambi; see why everyone who does, loves her! Full story here

This article won a first place in NENPA's 2021 Human Interest category. The judges said, "Robert Kiener’s take on Vermont sheep farmer Bambi Freeman showcases the best writing in the human interest feature category, head and shoulders above other entries. Young reporters could learn much here. It’s clear that Kiener is not only a superb writer, but a keen observer as well – with details that jump off the page and bring this feisty octogenarian to life. He is particularly skilled in employing quotes – with restraint, yet always positioned for maximum effect..."

Feature Interview

Click here for my recent interview with Johannes and Sam von Trapp

in the London Sunday Times Magazine

Profile

Click here for my article on the wonderful still life photographer Paulette Tavormina

Profile

My article on this most remarkable woman has run internationally and can be read here.

(Carmen has recently had some serious medical issues. For more information and if you wish to donate to help her defray new medical/living expenses, click here.)

Big news: Carmen's latest development in August 2020: click here

Personality Profile

For my recent article on
Johannes Von Trapp
(of "The Sound of Music" fame), click here

International Travel Article

Click here for my article on Rio de Janeiro's Copacabana

Photographer Profiles

Click here for my profile of
London-based photographer
David Bailey
and here for my profile of Harry Benson (right)

Drama in Real Life

Click here for full article which has been published in the December 2021 edition of

Reader's Digest (USA) as well as more than 20 of its international editions

such as the French edition here

Sports Profile

To write this profile of former Major League pitcher Bill Lee, I interviewed him at his Craftsbury, Vermont home and watched him pitch in several Vermont Senior League games (He won both.)
Click here for the article and here for an article about the awards it received and here for a piece on his recent "brush with death."

Dramatic Rescue

Click here for article (Reader's Digest October 2022)

Human Interest

Click here to read how this retired military veteran

helps fellow veterans battle PTSD

Nature Article

Click here for full article

Artist Profile

For profile of photographer Jim Westphalen click here

Profile

Meet Michael Yamashita, one of the world's best photographers; click here

Nature Article

Click here for article

International Feature Story

Click here for this story that is running around the world in Reader's Digest's 40+ international editions, such as the Indian edition here.

Nature Article

I spent a week in the Amazon to report this nature piece about piranhas for Reader's Digest.

Full article here
Brazilian edition version here

Profile

Photo: Glen Callahan

Meet George Woodard; you'll like him. Everyone does.

Click here for article.

Drama In Real Life

Click here for full article

Profile

Click here for my profile of photographer Andrew Moore

Artist Profile

Click here for full article and here for another profile of Doug David

Profile: "Confessions of a Surf Fisherman"

Read full article here

Artist Profile

Click here for my profile of photographer Roman Loranc

(photo copyrighted by Roman Loranc)

Artist Profile

Click here for my profile of world-famous photographer Michael Kenna

Profile

A LIFETIME’S WORK

THE WIT OF ELLIOTT ERWITT

Click here for my profile of Elliott Erwitt

Feature Article

For this story on my neighbors, the von Trapp family, which recently ran in the international editions of Reader's Digest, 49 editions in 21 languages, click here

International Feature

I traveled aboard one of the world's largest container ships as it entered the port of Rotterdam to report this story on a Maersk EEE. The story has run in most of Reader's Digest's international editions.

Click here for the article.
French version here.

Artist Profile

Photographer Michael Eastman is as cool as he is talented. Click here to read about him and his work.

And more here.

Human Interest Article

Click here for article

Profile

Click here for full article.

My article on Joel Meyerowitz for Professional Photographer Magazine won a First Place award in a "Best Magazine Profile" category (Associations/Non-Profit) in Folio Magazine's 2019 Eddie Awards. Details here.

For Joel's remembrances of his 9/11 photography click here

Wildlife Article

The Fisher, one of the nation's most misunderstood animals. Click here for article.

International Profile

Click here for full article

Magazine Feature Article

Click here for full article

Profile

Full article here

International Reporting

Full story here

Medical Investigation

Click here for full article

Travel Story

Travel story on Nashville published in Reader's
Digest.

Click here for full story.

Profile

The world is a vastly better place thanks to people like my longtime friend, Reg Green. For the full story, click here and for an earlier article here

Reg and Maggie Green recently went to Italy to commemorate the 25th anniversary of their son's passing and their decision to donate his organs. Click here for details.

Sports Profile

For my profile of Olympic champion skier Billy Kidd click here
This piece won a first place "Personality Profile" award in the 2020 New England
Newspaper & Press Association's (NENPA) annual newspaper competition.
Click here for info.

2021 New England Newspaper and Press Association (NENPA) Awards

I won two first place awards in the "Human Interest Feature Story" and "Local Personality Profile" categories in the April, 2021 NENPA competition. Regarding the first award, the judges said: "Robert Kiener’s take on Vermont sheep farmer Bambi Freeman showcases the best writing in the human interest feature category, head and shoulders above other entries. Young reporters could learn much here. It’s clear that Kiener is not only a superb writer, but a keen observer as well – with details that jump off the page and bring this feisty octogenarian to life. He is particularly skilled in employing quotes – with restraint, yet always positioned for maximum effect..."

My profile of Olympic champion skier Billy Kidd won a first place award in the 2020 New England Newspaper and Press Association's (NENPA) annual contest. The judges said, “Bright writing and skillful juxtaposition of Billy Kidd in his heyday and today make this a can’t-put-down profile — even if you’ve never strapped on skis.”

Congressional Quarterly Press Contributing Writer

As a Contributing Writer for Washington DC-based Congressional Quarterly Press, I have written more than a dozen 10,000-word reports on a variety of international issues. Subjects I have covered include: North Korea, Pakistan, Honor Killings, Children at Risk, Wildlife Smuggling, Gendercide and more. Some of these reports have been reprinted as chapters in the Sage Publications book series, “Selections From CQ Researcher.” (Click on the above book for an example of one of my CQ reports.)

What My Clients Are Saying

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--W.C., Marketing VP

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--S.D., Corporate CEO