What I do

Expertise & Books.

A communications professional with journalistic skills, spokesperson, copy writer and published author.

Crisis communications

Keeping your head cool, making the right decision under difficult circumstances and ensuring that you remain in control? In recent years, as a crisis communications manager and spokesperson, I have faced challenges many times.

Copywriting

How to write complex matters in a simple and understandable way? As a former financial journa list, I was trained in translating incomprehensible (corporate, financial, strategic) matters into understandable language. I am able to step into the shoes of the CEO or director and create blogs, memos, speeches, opinion articles and other texts. 

Media training

Media training is best given when you have sat on both sides of the table. As a journalist and as a spokesperson. As a trainer I teach clients how to tell their story in an understandable and appealing way. How they can formulate clearly and to-the-point and how they can deal with difficult topics.

Press relations

Knowing what journalists want and especially what they don't want is essential in maintaining good press relations. That is why it is important to be able to put yourself in the position of that journalist. As a former journalist I am skilled at recognizing and designing appealing stories for media, pitching these stories to the right media and guiding clients during media appearances.

Spokesperson

A good spokesperson is at the center of the organization, knows what he is talking about and what  he can say. Even when the pressure increases – from the inside or outside – he keeps a cool head. That sounds simple, but how do you do that? In recent years I have gained extensive experience as a spokesperson in many situations.

Books.

I am proud on having written three books: 'Anne, chronicle of a quest', 'The Russian' and 'The minister'. 


‘Anne’ was published in 2019 by Lebowski Publishers. It is a report about the disappearance and murder of my niece Anne Faber. The book made it to the number 1 spot of the Dutch bestsellers list. In 2020, the first thriller in the Van Zandt series was published by House of Books. This book was nominated for the ‘MAX Bronzen Vleermuis’, an award for best thriller debut and the Thrillzone Award for best Dutch thriller debut. The minister, part 2 in the Van Zandt thrillerseries will be published in June 2021. 


The minister

The young politician Jan de Reuver is not afraid of the devil. When a colleague asks him to mediate in the occupation of a pigsty in Markelose Broek, he does not hesitate for a moment and talks to a delegation from Meat is Murder. After his decisive action, the stable is evacuated and the activists are arrested. The media are lyrical about his performance and his career continues to rise.


Vince van Zandt, investigative reporter of the newspaper De Stem, has no real interest in activists, but becomes interested when the body of a young activist is found. Especially when she seems to have been killed by violence ...


Available from June 2021, published by The House of Books.



The Russian

Vince van Zandt, the investigative reporter of the Netherlands, reads in a news report that a Russian man from the Prinsengracht has been drowned. The police assume an accident, but the man's death intrigues Vince. Despite the fact that his editor-in-chief doesn't see the story, Vince investigates. Carla, the healer he visits regularly, even warns him of danger. Danger that comes from both sides. He manages to find out the Russian's identity, but when he realizes what kind of snake pit he has ended up in, he wonders why he was so stubborn.



Published by The House of Books on April 2020, nominated for the ‘MAX Bronzen Vleermuis’, an award for best thriller debuts and the Thrillzone Award for best Dutch thriller debut. 


What the critics say:


“A very good, almost Scandinavian thriller.” – Thrillzone about ‘De Rus’.


“Flows remarkably well.” – NRC Handelsblad about the book ‘De Rus’.



Anne, chronicle of a quest

On Friday, September 29, 2017, Anne Faber disappears during a bicycle ride in the woods near Utrecht. Family and friends set up a large-scale search, together with the police and the army. The disappearance held the whole of the Netherlands in its grip for thirteen days.


This book is the account of that intense search and its aftermath, based on the testimonies of those involved. From the first report of missing persons on that particular Friday evening to the discovery of Anne's coat in the woods a few days later, from the arrest of the perpetrator to the lawsuit that followed.


Anne, chronicle of a quest is a detailed reconstruction of one of the most controversial missing cases ever in the Netherlands. A poignant story about love and togetherness in times of fear, anger and sorrow.


Anne, chronicle of a quest was published by Lebowski Publishers in april 2019 and made the no1 position on the bestsellerslist.


What the critics say:


“Gosh, what an impressive, touching and moving book. Exquisitely written. Mandatory for every police and justice officer” – Peter R. de Vries, Hollands number one crime journalist, about the book ‘Anne’


“A very impressive, but also a positive and optimistic book.” – Jeroen Vullings | News weekend (NPO Radio 1)



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