Marko Hautala, Emmi Itäranta and Kristiina Vuori nominated for the Young Aleksis Kivi Prize 2013 - Elina Ahlback Literary Agency - One of the leading Nordic literary agenciesElina Ahlback Literary Agency – One of the leading Nordic literary agencies

uutinen130913 We are thrilled to report that three of our authors are on the shortlist for the Young Aleksis Kivi Prize 2013 for the most outstanding Finnish work of fiction. The Prize is worth 1500 euros.

Emmi Itäranta has been nominated for her debut work, Memory of Water (Teemestarin kirja, Teos 2012). Memory of Water tells the story of seventeen-year-old Noria, set to become the next tea master in her village. When her father dies, she finds herself alone with the dangerous responsibility of guarding a hidden spring that can save lives – or provoke people to kill. Rights are sold in 12 languages.

Marko Hautala’s nomination is for his novel Seeing Eyes (Unikoira, Tammi 2012). Hautala’s third novel is a multi-leveled psychological thriller in which normal life becomes a horror story.

Kristiina Vuori has been nominated for her novel The Prophet’s Daughter (Näkijän tytär, Tammi 2012). Romance, deception, adventure, conflict and magic in medieval Finland! Eira, the daughter of a robber, has inherited her father’s red hair, but also his gift of prophecy and shamanism.

Johanna Sinisalo received the Young Aleksis Kivi Prize 2012 for her novel The Blood of Angels (Enkelten verta, Teos 2011). Rights are sold in three languages: English (World), French and Polish.

Please ask the Agency for reading materials.

Emmi Itäranta

Emmi Itäranta (b.1976) holds two MA degrees, one in Drama and another in Creative Writing. Her award-winning debut novel Memory of Water (Teemestarin kirja) was published in Finland in 2012 to great accolades, followed by The Weaver (Kudottujen kujien kaupunki) in 2015. Her latest novel The Moonday Letters (Kuunpäivän kirjeet) was published in September 2020.

Itäranta’s writing has been compared to that of Ursula K. Le Guin. Her honours include the Young Aleksis Kivi Prize 2013, the Kalevi Jäntti Literary Prize 2012 and first place in the Teos Fantasy and Sci-Fi Literary Contest 2011.

Memory of Water has sold to over 25 languages to date, and it has also been nominated for the Philip K. Dick Award, the Arthur C. Clarke Award recognizing the best science fiction novel published in the UK in 2014, and the Golden Tentacle award. In addition, Itäranta has been included on the Honor List of the Otherwise Award (formerly James Tiptree, Jr. Award).

Itäranta’s CV is an eclectic mix of writing-related activities, including stints as a columnist, theatre critic, press officer and dramaturge. Her poems, short stories, articles and essays have appeared in anthologies, film magazines and science fiction magazines in the UK and Finland. She now lives in Finland after 14 years in the United Kingdom.

About author

Emmi Itäranta