Kreetta Onkeli facts for kids

Kreetta Onkeli (born in 1970 in Jyväskylä, Finland) is a Finnish writer. She is known for her novels and children's books.

Her first big success was the novel Ilonen talo (which means A Happy House), published in 1996. This book was very well received and won the Kalevi Jäntti award. After this, she took a break from publishing books for seven years.

Her Writing Journey

After her break, Kreetta Onkeli continued to write. She published many different types of works, including short stories and articles for newspapers or magazines (called columns). She also wrote three more novels for adults.

Since 2013, she has also written two books specifically for children. One of these children's books was honored with the Finlandia Junior Award, which is a very important award for children's literature in Finland.

Education and Career Choices

Before she became a published author, Kreetta Onkeli studied dramaturgy at the Helsinki Theatre Academy. Dramaturgy is the study of how plays are written and put together. However, she decided to leave her studies early to focus on becoming a freelance writer. This means she worked for herself, writing for different publishers and publications.

Later, in 2016, she decided to go back to school and enrolled in nursing school. This shows her interest in different fields and helping others.

About Her First Novel

Kreetta Onkeli's first novel, Ilonen talo, is partly based on her own life experiences. It tells a story that includes details about her mother.