Tiina Pihlajamäki

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Litterature
Interview : Tiina Pihlajamäki

Do you remember when you first decided to become a writer? Was it an easy choice to make?
I didn't actually decide to become a writer. Some news from the Bosnian war just put into my mind a subject that had to be handled someway. Writing was the best way to do that. I'm not a full-time writer, I make my living as a school teacher.

What writers did have a major influence in your work / life?
I can't say that any specific writer would have had a significant influence in my work. I read all kinds of books.

What are the positive and negative aspects of being a writer in Finland?
I have only written one book this far, so I haven't got much experience on that yet. In Finland people are very interested in litterature and they really read books, which gives a meaning to this work. A negative aspect is that there are only five million Finnish-speaking people in the world and it is expensive to produce books to the needs of that small a nation's needs.
That means that books are expensive to buy.

What are the themes that you like to explore in your books?
Human relationships, especially problems that you meet in untypical situations. Things that happen to people around us behind the scenes. Some unbelievable situations that you have to meet and live through even though you have tried nothing but to live a normal life.

How could you define your style?
I wish it couldn't be defined with only a few words. But, I think I really have something to say to the readers. I want my text to be realistic, and to have a thrilling plot.

Have you ever considered the possibilty to totally change your style?
I'm in the beginning of my writing career. I don't believe I have found my style in it's all aspects yet. I'm eager to make experiments with language and style.

How do you write? Do you try to follow some strict rules or do you only write "when it comes"?
I don't believe in strict rules. I think writing gives me the most satisfaction when I don't know what there is ahead. I want to leave doors open to many directions and make even radical changes during the process, if it happens to please me.

When you're working on a book, what is the stage / moment that you prefer?
I have small kids and I have learned to write whenever I have a minimum of two-three hours of solitude. But the best stage might be when I have already written one version and it is still possible to change everything. It feels natural to me to write the text a few times and make new findings during the process.

What books or authors have you read recently?
During the writing process of my first book I didn't read much, because I didn't want anything to have influence on my own text. Now I've been trying to fix that a little by making a personal review of the most recent Finnish littelature. Here are some examples:

Markku Pääskynen: Ellington
Riku Korhonen : Kahden ja yhden yön tarinoita.
Leena Lander: Käsky
Anja Snellman: Lyhytsiipiset
Kjell Westö: Lang
Reko Lundan: Ilman suuria suruja

If there is one...what is your favorite book? For what reasons?
It might be Pat Conroy's "The Prince of Tides". I was about twenty years old when I read it and it made a strong influence on me. But I haven't read it after that. The book contained many things I expected a book to contain: it was exciting, serious but amusing, unbelievable and still deep. And I had close feelings with the children of the family in the book.

How do you consider Internet as an author?
I have needed Internet very much in my writing. It makes it unbelievably easy to search for information about something immediately, during your writing.

Do you think that Internet could somehow change the traditional publication process?
It's possible. But I myself think that book as a physical object is beautiful, a peace of art in itself, and it's easy to handle and take with you anywhere. I wouldn't like to read a book sitting in front of my computer screen.

What are your actual and future projects?
I'm now beginning with a story about different children and their families. About situations, thoughts and feelings that you don't confront very often with normal children.
Interview by Vincent Lefrançois - 2004