Tag: #inspiration

  • 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…

  • Paralian Finished Printing!

    *** EXCITING NEWS *** Just heard from my publisher TODAY that Paralian has finished printing and a few copies are on their way to me!!! In about 2 weeks I’ll hold the real-life copy of my very first book in my hands. What a fabulous adventure!       

  • 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…

  • Another Quote…

    … this one a bit cheesy I know 😉 but true nonetheless 😀 Here some more words of wisdom by yours truly, “hot off the tweet” from my publisher:       

  • 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…

  • 1st Quote

    Ha! Got to post what my publisher just tweeted. First time ever I get to share a meaningful picture quote by……… myself. And in case you’re wondering, I’m chuckling happily while I’m hitting “enter”.       

  • 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,…

  • An Homage to Books, Cats, and Matt Haig

    For as long as I can remember I’ve devoured books of almost all genres. I still easily read three a week, taking every chance I get to immerse myself in someone else’s thoughts and imagination. Recently, through writing my own first book ‘Paralian’ I’ve redoubled my efforts and have even caught myself reading whilst walking…

  • The Legacy of Adoption

    A press release from Literally PR concerning my memoirs ‘Paralian’ (launching soon!). This release focussing on the adoption side of things…       

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • Transgender Day of Remembrance

    https://tdor.info If you have a moment, take a look at this list of transgender individuals who have been murdered so far in 2015. How can this gruesome list still be so long in our day and age? I am not much of a politician, and never will be, but I hope with all my heart…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • On my way to LBF

    It’s 5 a.m. … and here I am, at Luqa International airport in Malta. In just an hour I’ll be heading to Heathrow and on to the London Book Fair. I must admit I have no concrete plans. So far, all info is quite disheartening. Agents and publishers are not interested in spontaneous talks with…

  • Frozen

    Pheeew, exciting times. Three days ago my laptop began to freeze continuously. I managed to reboot it one more time, copied all the latest files for my book onto a thumb drive and, five minutes later, the machine was as unresponsive as a brick wall. With lots of coaxing I was finally able to reboot…

  • Diving in Deep

    All my life, I have not done things by halves. For as long as I can remember, I have given my very heart and soul to every single work project, no matter who for, no matter how small or big. I latch on like a bulldog to a juicy bone and don’t let go until…

  • The Progress of “The Fortunate Nomad”

    Let me tell you a little about the progress of “The Fortunate Nomad”… my manuscript is, for the moment, as ready as it is going to get. After 14 months of intensive writing and two rounds of editing with the very talented, professional editor Monica Meneghetti, the 8th draft is finished. My story has 35…

  • Truly Fortunate

    On 23rd of January 2015 my incomparable lady and I got married. I have tried to write a longer text to go with this picture but, honestly, words are not enough right now. In time, I may write a whole book about us. We have been through a lot together already and we will continue…

  • Let’s Dream Big

    I am going to the London Book Fair in April! And I am so excited! Receiving my eBadge, I felt like a little kid catching a glimpse of a bag full of colorful marbles… and soon I’ll go and play. This is going to sound very nerdy but all my life I have dreamed of…

  • To Publish It Well

    Time is flying right now. So much is happening. I changed countries again. I changed jobs. And while trying to find my feet here on this beautiful rock called Malta, I am at the same time trying to find the time to write some excellent letters to dozens of agents and publishers. More than anything,…

  • Two Suitcases

    Behind the red hammock you see the door to “B5”, my tiny staff quarters on the Maldivian island of Kuredu. They consisted of a room just big enough for a queen size bed and a wardrobe, and a tiny bathroom with a view of the equatorial sky. I loved this little home. Especially sitting on…

  • The Three Ma’s

    The last 10 years of nomadic life have brought me to three places starting with “Ma”: the Maldives, Macau, and now Malta. These names have sort of blurred together in my mind. You will find me sitting in a Maltese restaurant, asking the waitress, “So, what are your Maldivian specialties today?” Or I’ll take a…

  • The Magic World of Books

    Books have always meant the world to me. From as early as six years old, I used to read three to five books a week. And I’ve never stopped. Back in the early days, my grandma would laugh and say, “Slow down child, you’re devouring them, not reading them!” This passion of mine has always…

  • So Much Has Changed

    In the fall of 1995 I was still two years away from my gender alignment surgeries. I hid my boobs as well as I could. I practiced looking grim and – I thought – manly. I wore my hiking boots wherever I went. Looking back, I am surprised I didn’t wear them to bed as…

  • There Is No Life Without Art

    I can’t imagine a life without art – be it reading a book, going to an exhibition, watching ballet, dance, opera, theater, a movie, or listening to music… Then there is the joy of writing, photographing, drawing, painting and sculpting the odd piece myself. My entire spirit lifts whenever I invest myself fully in these…

  • A Magic Circle

    In 1985, I went to a summer camp organized by a German environmentalist group. I met many Maltese youths there and one of them became a friend for life. I was fourteen at the time and, all of a sudden, the world wasn’t just a small disk anymore. My friend and I visited back and…

  • Hello Malta!

    Today was the day: first day at work on the island of Malta for this ‘Fortunate Nomad’. Everything had happened so fast… one day interview on the phone in Germany… only three days later already in Malta… I was full of doubts when I went to my new place of work, hadn’t slept all night…

  • Dancing Stars

    On New Year’s Eve in 2014, I celebrated with my Spanish friends in Macau, delighting in their tradition of eating a grape per second in sync with the midnight countdown. We entered into 2014 with the taste of sweet, mashed up grapes filling our mouths, accompanied by our heartfelt laughter and the hope that only…

  • First Snow

    Yesterday, it started snowing in Southern Germany. Lots of snow. I haven’t seen this much since childhood. When I woke up, the world around our lake was covered in a blanket of fresh snow. It was fantastic to walk through this winter-wonderland. I must admit, it got too cold pretty fast and I escaped indoors.…

  • Merry Christmas

    Just in time for the festive season, I have finished the remaining small corrections to my manuscript today. It is now truly ready to be sent out to agents and publishers around the planet. As for life in general, my partner and I are enjoying the magic of a Central European Christmas. Just two days…

  • Red Nose

    “I’m going to run off to an aquatic show in Macau, China!” I told my teammates in the Maldives in 2009 with a bright smile on my face. The next day, my staff picture in the dive center was lovingly decorated with this charming red clown’s nose. It’s been a hell of a ride since…

  • Oceanic Bliss

    Exploring the Indian Ocean as a snorkel guide in 2005, I was happy. I still remember the soft sand, like a flowing, velvet carpet under the soles of my feet; the bright equatorial sun; the crisp, clean, salty air; and the many hues of turquoise and blue. Hermit crabs scuttled everywhere. Manta rays glided by…

  • It is done!

    It is done! As of tonight, my 5th draft is finished. All that remains for now is to read through the entire book one more time, do some minor cosmetics and check transitions between chapters. Then, just in time for Christmas, after fourteen months of continuous writing, my manuscript will be ready to be sent…

  • Only Days

    I am only days away from finishing my 5th draft. For the moment, I am keeping my working title, ‘The Fortunate Nomad’. But I am seriously thinking of something more metaphorically connected to my story. I want my readers to envision aquatic environments rather than camels and desert. ‘The Blue Line’ seems a good option.…

  • The Origin of Strength

    Two days ago, I was “on stage” for the first podiums discussion of my life. It was a very good, fascinating experience. Best of all, it moved something within me and gave me pause. Amidst differing opinions, I recognized my own stubbornness and realized my discussion partners and I all wanted the same, even had…

  • Respect and Understanding

    Just yesterday, I talked with another transgender man from Zurich, Switzerland. He asked me: Do you seek out other transgender people wherever you travel? And he proceeded to explain to me how much is wrong with the world; how we trans people are not understood as who we are; how society needs to change and…

  • Sharing and Growth

    A few days ago I passed by this beautiful old farmhouse. It was my very first home in Switzerland. I shared our half of the house with five amazing people who showed me what family and friendship are all about. We inspired each other, and were there for each other. Even though I stayed for…

  • Super 8

    I spent the last few days visiting family. it’s funny how we react to extremes. My dad grew up surrounded by family as far as the eye could see – parents, uncles, aunts, cousins… Since then, what he craves most is simply to be alone. I grew up having hardly any family at all. I…

  • Writing in the Sun

    This is my workspace for today, and all while visiting treasured friends in Zug, Switzerland. I am now working parallel on my 4th and 5th draft. Lots of revision to be done. I am still amazed by how crap my 3rd draft was… My lecturers at the art academy taught me well many years ago:…

  • James Bond

    This picture was taken only days after I came out at my workplace and announced, “I am actually a man and would like to be called Liam from now on.” Everyone embraced who I was. My employer gracefully ignored my big boobs and sent me to the tailor to get my very first tailor-made suit.…

  • Oma

    This is my oma (German for grandma) with her best friend. Oma left us on 26th December 1996. Today, she would have turned 105 years old. Whatever happens, she will always live on in my memories – and in all of yours, I hope. My book will be dedicated to her. Everything you will read…

  • Why Don’t You Send Your Wife

    For a while, I was male in body but still female on paper. If I had to apply for any kind of official documents, people would usually look at me and say, “Why don’t you send your wife?” I would turn red like a tomato, stammer, and would hate every second of our exchange. A…

  • Dhiddhu

    Nature is where I find myself and where I find balance. I can think of nothing more enlivening than my toes playing with the tender blades of fresh grass, or my feet sinking slowly into velvety, warm sand. This photo was taken during my time as a guide in the Maldives, eating lunch on a…

  • Emerging

    Once more, re-writing my chapters is taking much longer than I thought it would. I realize, I need to be patient, no matter how urgently I should be finished and start looking for work. I will keep dedicating my time, and let this (for now) final draft take however long it needs to take. Much…

  • Not all those who wander…

    Surrounded by turquoise oceans teeming with life, I often pondered one of my favorite quotes from J.R.R. Tolkien, “Not all those who wander are lost.” I had sometimes been lost before I had wandered. Ever since I had started exploring the world and myself in the process, I was definitely far from lost.       

  • Enough

    Adolescence was difficult to say the least. I tried to fit in. But I wasn’t girl enough to be able to connect with other girls and I wasn’t boy enough to be accepted by other boys. So I decided early on to try and find virtue in being a loner. I immersed myself in books,…

  • Significant

    As an adolescent, I was convinced that everything is important. Every move I made, every decision I pondered, every breath I took had to count for something and be a positive or at least a very profound statement. Naturally, I also expected the same from everyone else. Looking back, I can’t help but chuckle and…

  • The Quintessential Meaning of Life

    Home is all about the people you meet on your journey. It’s the quintessential meaning of life. Additionally to relationships and friendships lasting a lifetime, I am humbled and awed by many encounters along my way. I remember a friend from Bangladesh who still works on the same island in the Maldives he has worked…

  • Towards Uncertainty

    I am very happy to announce I just finished the 3rd draft of my book! Just in time too, since today my bags are packed and I am moving back to Europe. Germany and Switzerland at first, then who knows… September will be spent working very hard on the 4th draft. In October, the search…

  • Eleven Months

    Beginning of October 2013 I took a chance, left a very unsatisfying job in Hong Kong and decided to go after the dream of a lifetime: writing my memoirs. It’s been a very tough year. Against all odds – no luck with jobs and no income – my partner and I decided to stick it…

  • Pinocchio

    Frogfish. They are amazing: camouflaging themselves as sponges, striking at lightning speed by extending their jaws with one of the fastest muscle reflexes in nature, and last but not least, they are breathing through gills in their legs. We named this little man Pinocchio. He was a clumsy little fellow. Needing a base to hold…

  • Frida

    My dear grandma Frida. In the picture, I am sixteen and Grandma is seventy-four. She was the steady rock of my childhood. Frida survived two world wars. The love of her life got run over by a train, shortly after they married each other and had a child. In the very conservative Germany of the…

  • It’s for Life

    Very early on, I started writing short stories and poems. It seems, I have started writing my first book at precisely the right moment… and in the process am finding meaning. I love how writing makes me happy, while at the same time enabling me to give something back to the world. It’s for life.…

  • Gliding through the Depths

    The ocean – vast, energetic, calming, countless shades of turquoise and blue, salty, invigorating, and simply enchanting. For many years, I had been less than beautiful whenever I immersed myself, looking much like a drowning poodle. When I finally became an Advanced Open Water diver, something clicked. In a matter of days, I went from…

  • The Bright Red Sweater

    Sometimes we meet people for only moments, and they inspire us our whole lives. In 2004, I met the gentleman in the red sweater at a birthday party. He was the retired dad of the birthday girl, and had just hit seventy years of age. Being a true Swiss mountain boy, he had never left…