Maria Lassén-Seger works at the Åbo Akademi University in Finland. She is specialized in children’s and young adult literature and currently involved in a research project on the rise of children’s literature criticism and research in Finland (2022-2024). Lassén-Seger teaches, gives lectures and writes about children’s and young adult literature in both scientific and educational […]
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Sebastian Johans (1978) grew up in the Åland Islands and lives in Uppsala, Sweden. He works as a culture writer and art critic, writing for publications such as the Swedish daily Dagens Nyheter. Broarna (The Bridges) was nominated for The Nordic Council Literature Prize and is his first novel. Sebastian Johans’ Festival appearance is generously […]
Laura Lindstedt (1976) is a Finnish author. She is a significant reformer of literary fiction and much discussed critical darling. Her first novel Sakset (“Scissors”) was published in 2007 and nominated for the Finlandia Prize, the most prestigious book award for fiction in Finland. Lindstedt’s second novel, Oneiron – A Phantasy about the Seconds after […]
Jessikka Aro is an award-winning reporter with Yle, the Finnish Broadcasting Company, specializing in Russia, extremism and information warfare. In 2014 and 2015, she published a series of articles on pro-Kremlin social media trolls and their influence outside of Russia’s borders. Due to her investigations, Jessikka became the target of a severe and still ongoing international […]
Linda Bondestam is one of the most celebrated illustrators in the Nordic countries. She is the illustrator and author of dozens of children’s books that have been translated into more than ten languages, including Good Night, Earth (2021). She was awarded the Snöbollen for Swedish Picture Book of the Year in 2016 and the Nordic […]
Max Seeck devotes his time to writing professionally. An avid reader of Nordic noir for personal pleasure, he listens to film scores as he writes. His accolades include the Finnish Whodunit Society’s Debut Thriller of the Year Award 2016. Max Seeck has a background in sales and marketing and loves to promote his works, and […]
Antti Tuomainen was an award-winning copywriter when he made his literary debut in 2007. In 2013, the Finnish press crowned Tuomainen the ‘King of Helsinki Noir’ when Dark as My Heart was published. With a piercing and evocative style, Tuomainen was one of the first to challenge the Scandinavian crime genre formula, and his poignant, […]
Juha Kaakinen is an experienced and passionate developer of innovative housing solutions to homeless people and social housing. He is Chief Executive of Y-Foundation, the biggest Finnish NGO providing housing for homeless people and social housing with a housing stock of 17 000 flats. Before, he has worked in public administration of the City of Helsinki and as […]
