Johanna Sinisalo sells new novel

Via Sinisalo's agent: We are thrilled to announce that the World English rights to Johanna Sinisalo‘s award-winning novel The Blood of Angels (Enkelten verta, Teos 2011) have been sold to Sinisalo’s UK publisher Peter Owen. The French rights of The Blood of Angels are sold to Actes Sud for publication in 2013. Johanna Sinisalo’s first novel, Not Before Sundown (Ennen...

Cheryl Morgan interviews Finnish writer and editor Anne Leinonen

Over at International SF, Cheryl Morgan interviews Anne Leinonen, a Finnish writer and editor: Cheryl: Anne, I know you mainly as a writer of excellent short stories, and also as a tireless promoter of your fellow Finnish writers through the Usva International magazine, but I gather now that you are starting to do very well with your...

Introducing World Comics

World Comics is a Finnish NGO (Non-Governmental Organisation)  working around the world, organising comics workshops, lectures and exhibitions. The concept of grassroots comics A low-tech communication tool for activists – Community activists can use grassroots comics as an inexpensive communication tool to put forward their views. Activists, who have very little or no experience from drawing,...

Original Content: An Interview with Hannu Rajaniemi

Algorithms Alight An Interview with Hannu Rajaniemi By Preston Grassmann   PG: From the beginning of The Quantum Thief, it’s clear that the reader is in the deep end of the SF pool, where the concepts and inventions are initially free of context. The reader, not unlike the detective in the novel, must use inference...

Campbell and Sturgeon Award Nominees

Some international representation on the Campbell and Sturgeon Awards shortlists: The Campbell (for best novel): The Quantum Thief by Hannu Rajaniemi (Finland) and Aurorama by Jean-Christophe Valtat (France). The Sturgeon (for best short story): The Night Train by Lavie Tidhar.

Finnish SF/F Links Round-Up

Jeff Vandermeer has concluded his week-long posting on science fiction and fantasy from Finland - go here for a full link summary! Yes, finally it had to end—the Finnish SF/F coverage on this blog and elsewhere generated by our visit to Finland in April (sponsored by a FILI grant and by gawd one of the...

Jeff VanderMeer on Finnish SF and Fantasy: An Established Community, a Surge of Talent

Over at the Omnivoracious blog, Jeff VanderMeer continues his coverage of Finnish SF and Fantasy, including a video of Jukka Halme. Here's an excerpt: While influence is a two-way exchange, issues of translation are definitely unequal. Many Finns read in English, but most Americans can’t read Finnish. Saara Henriksson’s Moby Doll might have the kind...

Finnish Science Fiction and Fantasy: Johanna Sinisalo, Hannu Rajaniemi, and Moomins

Over at Amazon's Omnivoracious blog, Jeff VanderMeer profiles Johanna Sinisalo, Hannu Rajaniemi, and interviews Jukka Halme. Here's an excerpt: Supported by that community, a number of unique Finnish writers are appearing on the scene—several of whom have been or will soon be translated into English. Two of the most prominent for readers in English this...

Hannu Rajaniemi interviewed by the Guardian

The Guardian has posted a new interview with Finnish writer Hannu Rajaniemi, with a particular focus on writing in English versus Finnish  - fascinating! It seemed natural to start writing in English, Rajaniemi continues, because it was the language he was speaking in his daily life. There was also no question of getting feedback from...

Short Story Club Discusses Singh; Rajaniemi

Over at Torque Control, they've just run their second Short Story Club, discussing, among others, stories by Vandana Singh - Somadeva: A Sky River Sutra (read the story online at Strange Horizons) - and Hannu Rajaniemi - Elegy for a Young Elk (read the story online at Subterranean Online). Check out the discussion on each!