Category: Memoirs

  • Remembering Oma

    Remembering my dear oma, who was born on this day in 1909 and passed away on 26th of December, 1996. What would I have done without you? “Frida carried herself with dignity. She was delicate, and small, but very strong. When she made spaetzle, a Southern German pasta delicacy, the recipe called for her to…

  • Bookmuse Review of Paralian

    Wonderful review of Paralian by Bookmuse. Take a timeout from whatever you’re doing right now and read it here 🙂 Heartfelt thanks to Bookmuse and reviewer JJ Marsh!       

  • Bucket List

    What will the future bring … ? I don’t care much about amassing material wealth but, oh wow, my head is spinning just thinking of all the points on my bucket list… The seven most important ones have been fulfilled already: – travel the world and live abroad – become a professional scuba diver –…

  • Looking for Adam!

    Hello, I’m looking for Adam. He wrote me a beautiful message to my private Liam Klenk FB page about 2 weeks ago. He mentioned he’s from Denmark, currently living in London, and that he received my book Paralian as a gift. Adam: if and when you see this, please get in touch once more!! Or…

  • Salt on my Skin

    One week since I got back from the Red Sea… I still feel the gentle swaying of the boat under my feet, salt on my lips and skin. Need to get back to the ocean soon!       

  • Bedouin Brothers

    I’d never been to Egypt before and wasn’t quite sure what I’d find. One thing was sure though: after thirteen months of working full time while at the same time publishing my book ‘Paralian’ I was more than ready for a bit of adventure as well as relaxation. Arriving at Lahami Bay resort three weeks…

  • Conquering those Mountains…

    “As a teenager, I started to feel like a dwindling army, spread over too many fronts. Slowly but surely, I spiraled into a deep depression. My parents were in no position to help me. Apart from me witnessing their arguments, their involvement in my daily life was minimal. They were too deeply entangled with their…

  • Reading bits from Paralian

    Reading bits from Paralian during yet another successful book presentation in Dusseldorf last Friday. A big thank you to BCG for giving me the opportunity! I love presenting and treasure direct contact to my readers. First London, then San Francisco, now Dusseldorf… next up is a keynote speech at a book meet in Southampton on…

  • Close Encounters of the Ocean Kind

    Another small excerpt from Paralian… a once-in-a-lifetime moment… experiencing my first close encounter with a sea turtle in the Maldives: “The Green Sea Turtle rose slowly to the surface. I floated, staying completely still… Her head softly broke the surface only fifteen feet away from me. She took a deep breath, which sounded almost like…

  • Thank you!

    Just want to share this great review with you that fellow author Daisy White wrote about ‪Paralian‬ the other day. Slowly but surely reviews are trickling in. I am humbled by some of them and immensely grateful for all of them. If you’ve finished reading the book already, it’ll be absolutely fantastic if you can leave a…

  • Adoption

    “For years, I had puzzled over being the only dark-haired, darker-complexioned person in our family. My emotional make-up and character didn’t quite seem to fit with the rest of my family either. I had kept searching for similarities between my parents and me, as every child does, and had found none. But my mom Hildegard…

  • Extraordinary Summer Reading!

    We are nearing 3‘000 followers on this page which is truly amazing. My heartfelt thanks to all of you for your dedicated interest and support!! It means A LOT 🙂 I’ll keep sharing anecdotes, memories, and thoughts with you and I’ll keep updating you on what’s happening in Paralian’s world. As a sunny summer “thank…

  • Turbulent Seas

    Another short excerpt for you from Paralian. I was only days away from saying goodbye to my Indian Ocean home when a group of experienced divers and I were out on a full-day boat trip to a neighboring atoll. Then a storm hit us full force: “… We clambered back onboard, which was no small…

  • Indian Ocean Mementos

    Just yesterday, I re-discovered this picture from 2008. It used to be posted on the staff board of the Maldivian dive center where I spent four profoundly inspiring years. Consequently, today, I am feeling even more nostalgic than usual about those turquoise years. Let me share another little tidbit from my book with you from…

  • An article about the transgender part of my life journey…

    Rosie Hopegood, journalist with the Sunday Mirror, and I had a 2-hour chat a few weeks ago under the twinkling London Eye. Today the result of our spirited, genuine conversation has been published: an article about the transgender part of my life journey. As a good friend of mine pointed out “Rosie’s article portrays someone…

  • Home Within

    This was 1995, roughly a year before my gender reassignment surgeries. My clothes couldn’t be baggy enough and my coats couldn’t be long enough so as to hide my traitorous body. Alien female curves and boobs as big as gene-manipulated water melons disappeared behind these thick layers of tent-like clothing. By covering what shouldn’t be…

  • Presenting in San Francisco

    Arriving in San Francisco today after 11 years of absence was surprisingly like stepping into a pair of well worn, comfortable shoes. All senses were flooded with familiar yet deliciously foreign sensations. I inhaled the city scents, basked in the Californian evening sun and headed straight into a strong Pacific evening breeze during a brief…

  • My Awesome Interview with Radio FUBAR

    This was a wonderful interview. Greatest, charming host, lively conversation… 30 powerful minutes you won’t regret listening to! Fubar radio interview (Episode 29) – Access All Areas – Lizzie Cundy in conversation with author Liam Klenk  On the website, scroll down to ‘previous episodes’. Select Episode 29. The interview with me begins at -31min and…

  • In Conversation: Liam Klenk  

    Diversity, change, and fluidity are a gift, a privilege, not a threat. Susan Platt talks identity and borders with author Liam Klenk. Source: In Conversation: Liam Klenk         

  • This Week’s Eclectic Media Buffet

    What an eclectic mix on my interview menu in London this week! On Tuesday, I had a lovely chat with Rosie Hopgood from the Sunday Mirror. We met at the London Aquarium, enchanted by the many sharks and stingrays circling us lazily while we talked. Wednesday morning started out with a pre-recording for the “Global…

  • Underneath the Wings of Stingrays

    Having a fresh mint tea – a well deserved treat after heroically queuing for an hour in the rain to get tickets for the London aquarium. In a little while I’ll head over there for the next treat: a chat with a journalist about Paralian underneath the gently undulating wings of stingrays…       

  • Paralian: Not Just Transgender – Book Release Week – Author Interview Opportunities

    BOOK LAUNCH RELEASE WEEK Paralian: Not just transgender By Liam Klenk Author interview opportunities: Liam Klenk is currently flying into London from Zurich and will be in the UK as part of his book launch press tour and available for face-to-face, telephone and in-studio interviews this week (30th May to 3rd June).… Read full press…

  • Syndicated Interview With Liam Klenk

    Author of Paralian: Not Just Transgender (Memoir, Paperback, 28th May 2016) When did you first sit down to write your memoir? In my head I’ve been writing for more than 10 years. Resting in bed, on public transportation, whenever I had a minute to reflect I’d catch myself writing paragraphs for my book. I actually sat…

  • Ch-Ch-Changes

    I’ve always been a big fan of CSI Las Vegas (well mostly the “Gil Grissom era”). I love the humanity, the thoughtfulness, and careful development of characters. The gentle fallibility, the dry yet always respectful and kind humor and, more than anything, I adore the always non-judgmental approach no matter which little corner of human…

  • 3 more days to launch!!!

    Only 3 more days to launch!!! And yes, I do feel as pumped and ready for adventure as I did all those years ago when I created castles and sand cakes in my little sandbox. As if the book odyssey isn’t exciting enough yet, something fantastic happened two days ago: A Book Awards Committee from…

  • Only 7 More Days

    Hellooo, good morning, and a resounding whoop from the geographical center of Europe! Only 7 more days until the official launch of Paralian. Just sayin’ 😀       

  • A Captivating, Powerful Story

    “This is a fascinating and inspiring memoir from a man who has faced life head on and lived it to the full. Liam Klenk was adopted, had an unconventional childhood and as he became an adult, his differences made him search for answers. Klenk describes himself as being born into a female body, yet this…

  • Countdown and Another Excerpt…

    In exactly 14 more days Paralian will be launching! Nothing earth-shattering will happen when it does… Our planet won’t stop spinning. The sun will rise and set just like on any other day. I won’t get a phone call from Robert Redford or Ang Lee that they’d love to turn my book into a movie.…

  • Never Just Transgender

    Liam Klenk, author of Paralian: Not just transgender, examines the public’s view of transgender people in the wake of the toilet debate in America… (Thanks to Vada Magazine!)  ‘I was Liam, and something inside my soul knew with absolute certainty he was who I had been all my life. More than ever, I was confident to…

  • Immersed

    “I finally reached the shore, out of breath and delighted, longing for more and feeling intensely alive. I had glimpsed boundless strength and passion within myself. For just an instant out there, in the arms of the Atlantic Ocean, I had felt beautiful.” (Excerpt from Paralian, Chapter 7) I remember seeing the ocean for the…

  • A Maldivian Evening

    Here another little taste of Paralian, just for you… only 20 more days until official launch! “It was a glorious evening. Everyone was touched. Captain Ismail had whittled a beautiful scale-model dhoni for me, so I would never forget my life on the remodeled Maldivian fishing boats. Anecdotes were exchanged, most rather unfavorable of me…

  • Paralian is Book of the Month

    Paralian has been chosen by Bookbag.co.uk as one of their books of the month! Amazing! I’m so honoured and, of course, immensely happy to see people are experiencing my book the way I hoped with all my heart they would. You can click on the link below, or here is what the Bookbag team wrote:…

  • Paralian is just a click away…

    Thanks so much for all the beautiful messages I am receiving lately! More and more people are getting in touch, asking, “Where can I order Paralian?” Let me answer this question here for all of you who can’t wait to get your own copy and dive into the story. Paralian is available for pre-order in…

  • Intensely Alive

    “Balanced on top of a pile of baggage, wind and dust whipping into our faces, we held on for dear life as our bus plummeted along rarely-traveled mountain roads and on through countless valleys. Never before had my ass had to endure such a continuous beating. Even low hanging branches and power lines became a…

  • I am Liam

    “As for the lingering psychological femininity, the successful surgeries had strengthened my resolve even further to embrace the person I had started out being. I would integrate my female side into the male adult I was becoming. I was Liam, and something inside my soul knew with absolute certainty he was who I had been…

  • Great 1st Reading

    Last week in London… I had the best audience I could wish for. Thanks so much to the Boston Consulting Group team for the warm welcome and genuine support! If this is how every book presentation will be then I want to give a whole flood of them 🙂       

  • First Reader Comments and The Bookbag Review

    Like a magic literary carpet, Paralian has traveled around the world and found its first one hundred readers. So far I am being showered with positive feedback. Many say, “I’m staying up ’till 2am each day ever since I started reading. Just can’t put it down.” (which really is the best compliment a writer could…

  • London and Hogwarts

    When my wife and I arrived in London one week ago, we hit the ground running. As soon as we touched down, we sprinted to the studios of Talk Radio London for my first radio interview ever. I was all nerves but adapted quickly. We then spent a lovely weekend with old friends, exploring corners…

  • A Brief Visit

    I did briefly stop by at this year’s London Book Fair. Just as last year though, it was rather disheartening. How paradoxical to feel more unwanted as an author here in this haven of books than anywhere else on the planet… Nevertheless, as a passionate book lover it felt great to be there for just…

  • My Interview on The Arts Show, Radio BBC Ulster

    Yesterday I had the honour to become an active part of the respected BBC Radio Ulster Arts Show. Marie-Louise Muir and I had an inspiring, in-depth chat. Her questions were informed, smart, compassionate, and to the point. It was a real pleasure and I’m delighted to be able to share the link to the interview…

  • Interview with Yasmeen Khan, Talk Radio London

    A friend of mine – in Berlin no less – alerted me to the link through which you can re-visit the radio interview I gave on Friday for Talk Radio London. Just click on 18:00-18:30, then fast-forward a little. A few minutes in you’ll find me talking to Yasmeen Khan. Turn up the volume. I…

  • My 1st Radio Interview Tonight!

    Heading to London for an adventurous week of interviews, book promos, and – of course – the London Book Fair. TONIGHT, I’ve got my very first radio interview (ever) with Talk Radio London! Tune in from 6pm (BST – British Summer Time) to hear me discussing Paralian on “Drive Time” with Yasmeen Khan while hopefully…

  • A Lesson From Mr. Bojangles

    A little taste from Chapter 7, ‘Atlantic Ocean’: As I turned with Cinnebar to walk her out of the paddock, Mr. Bojangles closed the distance between us in a few powerful strides. Shocked, I turned towards him. He reared up and kicked me in the stomach with the full force of both his hind legs.…

  • An Over-The-Moon Author

    The enchanted moment when I saw my book for the very first time… with a touch of Twilight Zone due to having multiple copies of myself staring right back at me in high resolution 😉       

  • Postal Marathon

    This last week was a high-speed marathon involving serious family team work (and a pinch of drama): The first 100 copies of Paralian arrived at my dad’s place in Germany beginning of the week. Dad managed to organize stamps and boxes after battling rigid German postal authorities. I spent hours (days really) soothing my slightly…

  • Don’t Wait…

    I’m a regular fountain of wisdom 😉         

  • Arrival in Paradise

    A little taste of ‘Paralian’ from my time in the Maldives… Arrival in paradise… “The staff accommodation set up was very amusing. I was reminded of Alcatraz as Judith showed me A-Block, B-Block, and C-Block as each small accumulation of staff rooms was called. My solitary confinement dwelling was located in C-Block, a long L-shaped…

  • Pirouetting Dolphins

    Here I am, drawing an island while working on the island. One of my many passions in turquoise paradise was guiding boats. On our way to wherever we were heading that day, I would draw each dive site briefing on a little chalk board while the fellow ocean enthusiasts I was guiding would watch my…

  • Come visit me on Goodreads!

    Come visit my author profile on Goodreads! Maybe put Paralian on your virtual “want to read” shelf (only 2 1/2 more months and you’ll be able to put it on the physical one in your living room). Goodreads also has a designated space where you can ask questions (you can always ask me anything, here…

  • Nothing Held Back

    How I loved this job! Coaching performers, keeping them safe during the show, being a stage hand and stage manager underwater in one of the most visionary projects of all time. The best times were when I could prepare performers for their aquatic environment. I loved seeing them work during our training sessions. Their focus,…

  • Paralian: Not Just Transgender Author Heads To UK For Book Launch Press Tour – Interview Dates Available

          

  • Independence

    My dad always highlighted the importance of independence. His version of it was to amass as many savings as possible, thus being financially secure and free to move or buy at a moment’s notice. Years later, during art school in Zurich, one of my professors pointed out how true independence can only be achieved by…

  • The Rainbow Colours of Childhood

    Look at this rainbow of first grade kids from 1978. Can you find me? Who was Liam (then still Stefanie) at 7 years old? I’m curious. Give me your best guess! I’ll wait a little while to see if someone guesses right, and then I’ll reveal in a few days which one of these colour…

  • Paralian now available for pre-order!

    Yay! Paralian is now available for pre-order on waterstones.com and amazon.co.uk (the other ‘Amazons’ and WHSmith following soon). How amazing is that! Honestly, it feels quite surreal. I hope I’ll stay this excited and enthusiastic every time one of my books comes out (since I am planning to write many many more). https://www.waterstones.com/book/paralian/liam-klenk/9781785891205         

  • Paralian launching May 28th, 2016

    Only four more months to go until launch (I’m so excited!!)… and here a little taste of what’s to come: “Marcello felt a delightful wave of heat and energy rushing through his body just as the fifth car reached its final destination – Sandra’s bedroom wall. It impacted in a cacophony of noise and falling…

  • The Moment

    Have you ever read “The Hours” or seen the movie? It’s one of my all-time favorites, making me cry — with sadness as much as happiness — every time. One scene in particular always stays with me: In a very intimate moment towards the end of the movie, Clarissa says to her daughter, ”I remember…

  • King for a Day

    One thing I’ve always loved about living and traveling abroad is that you pick up a lot of quirky little customs from each place you’ve been to. Today is “Holy Three Kings” day here in Zurich. On this day, bakeries make a special “Kings” cake, consisting of usually nine individual little sweet breads, joined together…

  • Island Life

    https://www.banffcentre.org/centrepiece/2013/02/living-on-this-island-we-call-banff/ In 2013, I spent a few weeks enjoying a theatre management internship at the Banff Centre in Alberta, Canada. Those were magical weeks in which I learned about team work and creativity on a different kind of island – one surrounded by mountain ranges instead of a deep blue sea. Here is an article…

  • Paralian Teaser

    [wpvideo VlINKbTs] Many special thanks to my friend Axel for putting together this teaser for ‘Paralian’ as early as spring 2014 (Back then my book still had the working title ‘The Fortunate Nomad’ and we thought it would be published a lot sooner as you can see from the projected launch date at the end…

  • “There’s such a lot of world to see…”

    I am sitting at home on the couch with my two cats today, relaxing, enjoying the surprisingly warm rays of winter-sunshine and marvelling at the mighty alps spanning the horizon. At the same time, my mind is wandering and I am amazed by the rich life I’ve been privileged to lead so far. There were…

  • Enjoy the Bubbles!

    Whether in the ocean or just in your glass of champagne, enjoy the bubbles and celebrate a blissful holiday season! Paralian, Santa and a Manta are wishing you a Merry Christmas! ‪#‎Paralian‬ ‪#‎LiamKlenk‬ ‪#‎notjusttrans‬ ‪#‎merrychristmas‬ ‪#‎underwaterbliss‬       

  • Liam

    Last week, one of you asked how I came to choose the name ‘Liam’ for myself… For a long time, even before beginning hormone therapy, I wondered about the right name. My first thoughts were along the lines of carrying on family traditions and maybe pick ‘Karl’ in honour of my late grandfather and my…

  • Not just transgender

    After many weeks of pondering the right subtitle for my book, we decided on “Not just transgender”. Being trans has in many ways impacted my life and also shaped me as an individual. I came into this world as a little boy, trapped in the body of a girl. Until the age of 23 people…

  • Cat Hairs and Words

    The last two weeks have been very busy for my two cats and me. Each day after my day job, we worked hard on proofreading ‘Paralian’ together one final time. While Pushka, the Persian, distributed as many hairs to my manuscript as she could, I marked the odd spelling mistake in red, trying to get…

  • Come Visit

    After some intensive weeks of teamwork with web publisher Dan Norris, my website https://www.liamklenk.com is now online! Come and visit 🙂 ‪#‎Paralian‬ ‪#‎LiamKlenk‬ ‪#‎memoirs‬ ‪#‎lifejourney‬ ‪#‎notjusttrans‬ ‪#‎stepbystep‬‪ #‎inspirational‬ ‪#‎book‬       

  • Traveling in Time

    I spent four days in Budapest last week. It’s a beautiful old town with breath-taking historical buildings and a romantic river, meandering through the heart of the city. As I soaked in the sights and smells all around me, I found myself traveling to places I had never expected. The steaming hot lentil stew and…

  • One More Round

    Here we go… final typeset for ‘Paralian’ is done. I’ll spend the next days going through it all once more to look for any remaining typos and grammatical errors. Right after that we’ll be ready to shoot for the stars and the production of my memoirs will begin in earnest! ‪#‎Paralian‬ ‪#‎memoirs‬ ‪#‎LiamKlenk‬ ‪#‎LGBT‬ ‪#‎notjusttrans‬ ‪#‎transgender‬‪#‎ilovewriting‬ ‪#‎nevergiveup‬       

  • It runs in the family

    The cats of a writer… in our family we all love bookshelves 🙂       

  • Under Pressure

    Here I am, working as a hyperbaric chamber operator in the Maldives. Running the chamber from the outside was great. I loved being able to help and make a real difference. Tending to the patient on the inside, however, wasn’t so groovy. Being stuck together in a space smaller than a broom closet for up…

  • Already listed on Amazon!

    Amazing, a friend just brought it to my attention that ‪#‎Paralian‬ is already listed worldwide on Amazon!       

  • A Healthy Level of Caution

    Most days being trans isn’t a big deal. I go about my business just like everyone else, dealing with all the usual problems and insecurities of everyday life. Then, there are other days… The media coverage you see every now and then about transgender people being badly harassed or even beaten to death aren’t just…

  • 1st press coverage for ‘Paralian’

    We’ve taken a major leap forward: 1st press coverage ever for my book ‘Paralian’ in one of Britains largest free newspapers ‘Metro’. Click on the link below to access the huge article journalist Deni Kirkova wrote about my story. How I escaped the prison of my female form: One man’s journey to finding his true…

  • Those Precious Moments

    Leisurely hovering side-by-side a big Napoleon Wrasse in Micronesia, its slowly rotating eye following my every move while silently enquiring “Who are you biped? Should I be worried about you?”… Feeling the wingtip of a Manta Ray, brushing against me light as a feather, while the giant creature continues sailing over my head as gracefully…

  • Final Draft of Paralian’s Cover

    Here is the final draft of the book cover we hope will catch your eye in bookstores on- and offline starting May 28, 2016. My awesome wife Hanna came up with the cover design as well as the book’s final title. The portrait has been taken by my good friend and photographer Susanne Stauss. You…

  • Two years of hard work and tenacity condensed in one page…

    Lots to learn for me while publishing ‪#‎Paralian‬. Here is the AI – the Advanced Information Sheet, written by my amazing PR company ‪#‎LiterallyPR‬. Thanks so much Sam and Helen! It’s a first glimpse for potentially interested media smile emoticon I’ll share it with you too, because, quite frankly Sam did such a fabulous job summing up my…

  • One who lives by the Sea

    ‘Paralian’ comes from the ancient greek and means ‘one who lives by the sea’. I could never imagine being without bodies of water, be it to be immersed in them or to just let my eyes wander over rippling, myriad shades of blue… Where there were none, I created them (as you can see in…

  • It’s time for PR…

    My PR company, LiterallyPR is fantastic. I am so happy to have found this team of competent specialists who truly care beyond just making money. Check out my book’s page on their website: https://www.literallypr.com/public_relations/file/liam_klenk-Paralian.php       

  • Be Brave

    After I had an epiphany and understood fully “I am transgender”, there was only one way: forward. Continuing in the wrong body was never an option. I was scared but determined. Then, I began telling people about my situation: “I’m actually a man stuck in a female body. I’ve started hormone therapy, so you’ll see…

  • Changed Forever

    Ten years ago to date I left my home in Zurich and moved to turquoise heaven: Kuredu, a tiny island in the mesmerisingly beautiful Lhaviyani Atoll and its surrounding Indian Ocean. Here I am, the little guy on the right, with the other two members of our Kuredu snorkel guide team in 2005. And what…

  • My book and I are now on Goodreads!

    My book “Paralian” is now listed on Goodreads (publication date will be 28th of May, 2016) and I have my very own author page. Come check it out and if you are on Goodreads, why not add me as a friend there :). https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14425961.Liam_Klenk       

  • Here we go…

    Nervous and excited, like a dad letting his kid go through the schoolyard gate on the first day of school, I just emailed my signed contract to my publisher in the UK. Beautifully timed, a former professor of mine finished reading my manuscript and told me last night that he loved the book and couldn’t…

  • A Pivotal Moment

    As a child, I never quite fit in. Reading opened up the world for me and books became my most treasured sanctuary. Writing was a natural progression and became a passion. I dabbled in short stories and poems. Then, during my high school years, I signed up for the odd writing contest. In 1988, I…

  • Hops, Leaps, and Life

    When my mom and I met for the first time, she was already shaped by a life that hadn’t been kind to her. Born in Germany in 1941, she began experiencing life amidst the terrifying thunder of falling bombs. Her father went missing in Stalingrad and her mother was torn apart by never learning the…

  • Double Dip and Double Up

    My very first book… curious fact is that the process of writing it has been just as much of an odyssey than my life story up until now. New, intense experiences shaped the writing process every step of the way, while an amazing number of people supported my efforts. During the fourteen months of writing,…

  • Vibrations

    Truly Magical Moments. I am not even a techno fan… and I don’t like crowds… but I absolutely love the intensity of Zurich’s annual Streetparade. People of all ages and nationalities are dancing and letting go together. Even 80-year old couples are joining into the party. Old ladies are wearing Hawaiian Leis, their eyes lighting…

  • Zugspitze

    When I was sixteen, my dad brought me along for a trip to Berchtesgaden with his lover. During one of our days there, they wanted to have some time to themselves. I welcomed having a day to explore on my own and decided to hike all the way to the top of Zugspitze. I didn’t…

  • Dad

    As a child I adored my dad. Come adolescence, he began to seem old to me, a stranger, far removed from my own world. In my eyes he was unable to truly comprehend what happened in my life. Many years later, when I turned forty, I noticed with astonishment that deep inside I hadn’t changed…

  • New Beginnings

    My apologies for keeping you waiting with my weekly post. Our move from Malta to Zurich has brought all else to a standstill. After weeks of planning, searching and moving from apartment to hotel room to Airbnb, we have found our new home. We have unearthed long forgotten mementos from the bottom of dusty boxes…

  • Confidence

    In 2002, a friend took this photograph. I felt very confident at the time, like a forgotten orchid suddenly receiving the right amount of sunshine, water, nutrients, and inner strength to bloom into an amazing being. Still though, at that point, I found it hard to take off my shirt, because I was worried far…

  • He to She

    When we first arrived in Gzira, Malta, I couldn’t help but notice this cute sign. I would pass it every day, chuckling to myself as I imagined this tiny space to be a secret clinic for gender transitions. Of course, Gzira’s “He to She” is only a small neighborhood barber shop. Being a transgender male who…

  • Meant To Be

    I’ve always believed in signs. If I hadn’t, then this last month surely would have changed my mind… It all started with me writing an old buddy in Zurich, asking, “Hey, if you guys ever have an opening in your team, could you let me know?” Five minutes later, I get an email, “What a…

  • It is so ordered.

    “The first gay couple was just married in Dallas today. An 82 yr old and an 85 yr old man finally got to be recognized as legally married in the city they call home. The world just became a little bit brighter in our corner of North Texas.” As I read through my various online…

  • Behind the Scenes

    Beautiful backstage video of the show I dedicated four years of my life to. I was just one little cog in the giant mechanism of this masterpiece, staying with it as an underwater coach and show diver from training and formation through creation through to operation. I ended up working more than one thousand shows…

  • Thank you Mr. King

    I read something this morning that lifted my spirits, a quote by Stephen King: “The only mortal sin is giving up.” Thank you Mr. King, I needed this today. The last four weeks have been hard. I am waiting for a decision. It’s nothing earth-shattering. I applied for a job. Still, a “yes” will be…

  • ‘The Fortunate Nomad’ becomes ‘Paralian’

    Writing my first book was an intensive experience and finding a publisher proves to be quite challenging as well. However, the hardest part so far was finding the right title. Now, we found it: “The Fortunate Nomad” will henceforth be “Paralian.” Paralian – it is a word from the greek language, meaning “one who lives…

  • To sail or not to sail …

    Maybe this little sailor will soon be homeward bound. Or maybe not. Everything else pales at the moment while awaiting possibly life-changing decisions. One thing’s for sure though, I am truly ready to sail on home, my amazing wife and cats in tow.       

  • Searching far and wide…

    The last few days, well actually the last few years, I have thought a lot about the meaning of home. Many years ago a good friend moved to Africa, then Paris and then back to Zurich. I remember asking him curiously, “Why did you move back? Why didn’t you stay out there and explore more?”…

  • Patience and Tenacity

    It’s time for another update on the publishing progress of ‘The Fortunate Nomad’. The keyword in all of this for me is PATIENCE as well as a very large dose of tenacity. So far I have sent manuscript submissions to 75 literary agents and publishing houses in the UK, USA, Australia, Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, etc.…

  • A Toast Across The Sea

    Every now and then I remember my birth dad who is somewhere out there and who I’ve never seen. I first heard about him when I was around twenty-three years old. At the time, I was both shaken as well as happy to find out about being half Southern Italian. (I guess that’s where all…

  • Azure Window

    The last few months have felt a lot like climbing a larger-than-life Everest, with the hope that, at some time, the clouds will lift and there will be a sunny peak on which to rest my weary feet while enjoying the vista spreading out in all directions around me. Most days, I believe in my…