There's a blue night, the water of the lake, and the three wise men of the East.
There are blue eyes, the sky and the depths of the forest
in the wilderness where to camp (hide).
There are blueberries and an old man, singing the blues.
I was born in Lapland, Finland, In the very far North, in the Meän
language area. My parents were farmers and reindeer breeders. At the age
of 17 I moved to Helsinki. I had miscellaneous jobs and studied
anthropology in the university. I spent my youth (occupying buildings
and) living in squats and communes throughout Europe. I lived in
Kristiania, Copenhagen for four years and spent many summers in Paris.
I also lived in Northern Norway and Island and spent the Breznev era in
Moscow. I wrote the first three of my books in Kristiania as I was
working in a bakery and helping out at a local store. I moved back to
Helsinki, Finland in 1987.
Besides writing books, I've also painted and made shortfilms since 1985.
I've made comicbooks, a colouring book and children's books.
Writing and creating all kinds of art is a way of life for me.
I do all of this because I (simply) enjoy it so much (enormously).