Richard Varr

Location: Houston, TX, United States

Member Since: 25 May 2001

Professional Associations

 Travelwriters.com

 Society of American Travel Writers

Introduction

Richard Varr is a well-rounded freelance writer with more than 20 years writing experience. A member of the Society of American Travel Writers (SATW), he specializes in travel and feature writing, and is the author (main contributor) of the Dorling Kindersley EYEWITNESS TRAVEL GUIDE TO PHILADELPHIA AND THE PENNSYLVANIA DUTCH COUNTRY, now in bookstores worldwide. His first novel, WARMING UP TO MURDER, is available online through Xlibris.com or BarnesandNoble.com.

Richard also writes frequently for PORTHOLE Cruise Magazine and for magazines found on board cruise ships of several cruise lines including Carnival, Holland America, Radisson Seven Seas, Princess, Cunard, Seabourn, P&O, Costa and others. His work has also been published in THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR, THE SYDNEY (AUSTRALIA) MORNING HERALD, THE ROTARIAN, HEARTLAND USA, GERMAN LIFE Magazine, FRENCH MAGAZINE (UK), NATIONAL MOTORIST (CA), GRIT, COAST TO COAST, HIGHWAYS, HOUSTON WOMAN MAGAZINE, LONGWEEKENDS, CAMPING TODAY, INTERNATIONAL RAILWAY TRAVELER, NEW JERSEY MONTHLY, THE NEW ORLEANS TIMES-PICAYUNE, THE (Tucson) ARIZONA DAILY STAR, THE WORCESTER (MA) SUNDAY TELEGRAM, THE LOWELL (MA) SUN, MAIN LINE (Philadelphia) LIFE, and a host of Internet travel websites, including the trip-planning website HOME AND ABROAD (www.homeandabroad.com), where he is noted as the Philadelphia city expert. He has traveled extensively throughout North America and Europe, and has taken trips to Africa, South America, Asia and the Caribbean.

Richard's other specialty is business writing and copywriting. He has researched and ghostwritten corporate history books on two prominent Philadelphia area companies -- Commerce Bancorp, Inc. and Day & Zimmermann, Inc. His client list also includes Arthur Andersen Consulting, GlaxoSmithKline, Mercy Health System, Pep Boys Auto, as well as advertising and public relations agencies. He has been published in THE PHILADELPHIA BUSINESS JOURNAL.

Drawing from his extensive television background, Richard freelanced as a special projects producer and news writer for two local Philadelphia television stations -- NBC-owned WCAU-TV and Tribune-owned WPHL-TV. Formerly a television and newspaper reporter, Richard reported five and a half years for KRIV-TV, Houston's Fox-owned television station; more than six years for KTBC-TV in Austin, Texas; and at stations in Waco, Texas and Elmira, New York. For three years, Richard taught reporting and news writing to students at the Connecticut School of Broadcasting in Cherry Hill, New Jersey.

Richard began his journalism career by working three years as a reporter for the suburban Boston daily, THE MIDDLESEX NEWS. That was his first journalism job after graduating from Boston University with a M.S. degree in Broadcast Journalism.

Experience & Expertise

Richard Varr is a well-rounded freelance writer with more than 25 years writing experience. A member of the Society of American Travel Writers (SATW), he specializes in travel and feature writing, and is the author (main contributor) of the Dorling Kindersley EYEWITNESS TRAVEL GUIDE TO PHILADELPHIA AND THE PENNSYLVANIA DUTCH COUNTRY. His first novel, WARMING UP TO MURDER, is available online through Xlibris.com or BarnesandNoble.com. He has traveled extensively throughout North America and Europe, and has taken trips to Africa, South America, Asia and the Caribbean.

Publishing Credentials

PORTHOLE Cruise Magazine and for magazines found onboard ships of several cruise lines including Carnival, Holland America, Radisson Seven Seas, Princess, Cunard, Seabourn, P&O, Costa, Windstar and others. His work has also been published in THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR, THE SYDNEY (AUSTRALIA) MORNING HERALD, THE ROTARIAN, HEARTLAND USA, GERMAN LIFE Magazine, FRENCH MAGAZINE (UK), NATIONAL MOTORIST (CA), GRIT, COAST TO COAST, HIGHWAYS, HOUSTON WOMAN MAGAZINE, LONGWEEKENDS, CAMPING TODAY, INTERNATIONAL RAILWAY TRAVELER, NEW JERSEY MONTHLY, THE NEW ORLEANS TIMES-PICAYUNE, THE (Tucson) ARIZONA DAILY STAR, THE WORCESTER (MA) SUNDAY TELEGRAM, THE LOWELL (MA) SUN, MAIN LINE (Philadelphia) LIFE, and a host of Internet travel websites, including the trip-planning website HOME AND ABROAD (www.homeandabroad.com), where he is noted as the Philadelphia city expert.

Awards Received

SATW Central States Chapter Writing Contest, 2008: First Place for best magazine Article on foreign travel.

Clips & Samples (View All 27)

 Chile's Northern Patagonia: A Land of Rainbows, GoWorldTravel.com

 Pouring Apple Cider, GRIT

 Lucerne: History Water Under the Bridge, Sydney (Australia) Morning Herald

 Quebec City: The New France Festival, www.GoWorldTravel.com; The Lowell Sun

 To follow in Mozart's footsteps, let his music lead the way, The Christian Science Monitor