17/04/2026
Out of Office
I’ve officially finished my first novel!
Here’s a little teaser: No great story ever started with a guy sitting in an ergonomic office chair sipping fennel tea. Great stories need glowing pistons, the stench of burnt two-stroke oil, and a total willingness to run everything straight into a wall.
Kai Richter is 43, an insurance agent from Kempten, and—as of recently—involuntarily single. So far, his life has been about as exciting as off-white wallpaper. While clearing out the bar of his late best friend, Miguel, he finds the photo: Miguel in 1973, perched on a snow-white Vespa GS150 in the scorching heat of La Mancha. Right there, surrounded by old coasters and the stale air of an empty pub, it hits Kai: he is neck-deep in a midlife crisis.
To honor Miguel, he makes a decision that defies all reason: he’s going to find that exact same Vespa in Spain. The catch? Kai doesn’t have a plan, doesn't know a thing about scooters, and has never even sat on a Vespa in his life. The perfect recipe for total chaos.
Against all odds, he tracks the thing down somewhere in the Spanish hinterlands, but the deal is brutal: no delivery. If he wants it, he has to ride it. All the way home. Across half of Europe, back to the Alps. I mean, what could possibly go wrong?!
What follows is a bizarre road trip from hell. Kai gets scorched by the Spanish sun, loses his wallet, and—periodically—every shred of self-respect. He stumbles from one breakdown to the next, crashing into one weird adventure after another. But somewhere between the oily grease under his fingernails and the relentless rain at the Brenner Pass, he finds more than just an old tin box on wheels. Slowly, he starts to find himself again.
"Out of Office" – A novel based on true experiences about the joy of failing and the freedom you only find when you finally stop planning your entire life in Excel.
This is my second book within a year—if you count the translations, it’s actually my fourth. I’m stoked! I’m just waiting for the upload to finish now. This time, the first edition is in German. Who’s celebrating with me?
If you’re craving some wanderlust, two-stroke oil in your veins, and a bit of (stylish) failure, check it out here:
https://amzn.eu/d/0bPYJ70q
P.S.: This one is also available as an e-book!
Out of Office: A Vespa Midlife Crisis
