“The Norrbotten literary heritage is important to protect”
Her love of literature led Kajsa Kero to study publishing in Lund – and back home this fall. She is now responsible for the Resource Center for Literature, which is part of the Norrbotten Region.
– It was appealing to highlight Norrbotten literature, which has too little place nationally, says Kajsa Kero.
In a literary world where metropolitan perspectives dominate, Kajsa Kero works for Norrbotten literature. The Resource Center for Literature, where Kajsa Kero is the director and the only employee, works for both today's cultural creators and those of the future. The holistic perspective attracted her from her publishing job in Lund.
– I wanted to work for literature and promote it in a holistic way and not focused on a specific publication. To work to ensure that the future literary landscape in Norrbotten is secured and that young authors feel that they can stay and be active in Norrbotten.
Moa Backe Åstot, Jokkmokk, is one of the young writers who has emerged in recent years. Her debut novel Himlabrand was nominated for the August Prize.
The Literature Resource Center is aimed not only at authors but also at translators, publishers, illustrators and other cultural creators within literature in Norrbotten. Kajsa can help with advice on how to navigate the publishing industry, opportunities available in digital publishing, what types of publishers are available or how to finance your writing.
“If there are no readers, there are no creators”
The work also involves developing projects, activities and initiatives to create jobs, further training, and build and create networks.
– It is aimed at professionals, but we need to collaborate on working with writing and reading promotion. If there are no readers, there are no creators, says Kajsa.
"I read whatever comes to mind at the moment. It could be a young adult novel or a detective story. I love true crime and historical accounts. A slightly unusual genre I like is stories about shipwrecks," says Kajsa Kero.
During the years in southern Sweden with studies, an internship at a Bonnierförlag and a job at an educational publishing house, the thought of moving back home to Luleå was always there. The job at the Resource Center for Literature became a reason to take action.
– I wanted to move back closer to my family and nature. Then this job just appeared, my mother found the ad. I just felt that it was obvious that I would work for Norrbotten's literature, that's what I preached about at my publishers. Of course, I was very happy when I got the job.
Kajsa's husband, who is also from Luleå, had previously been hesitant about moving back. But by this point he was on board too. The couple took their moving load 150 kilometres north. Since Kajsa's position has been vacant for a while, she has started to re-apply.
– I want to create a space for cultural creators to participate in deciding what we should do and what needs exist today, so that we work in the right direction, with new technology and the conditions you have as a cultural creator. It is important to make sure that I actually reach the people I will be working for.
Difficult to reach out in the media noise
There is no shortage of challenges. Even though a lot of literature and depictions of Norrbotten have been published in recent years, it is difficult for local literary culture creators, far from the big release parties of Stockholm publishers, to reach a wider audience. The publishers in Norrbotten have different conditions than the large publishers to the south, especially those that publish literature in our national minority languages. Just including the literature in the cultural context is difficult.
– A big challenge is pure visibility, making Norrbotten literature visible in the metropolitan-centered media noise, and the smaller Norrbotten publishers in an industry where the large publishing houses have completely different conditions in many ways.
“Norrbotten has a strong heritage of art and literature,” says Kajsa Kero.
Why is it important to have literature by people who work in Norrbotten?
– The Norrbotten heritage in literature is important to protect. There are minority languages and cultures here that need space and there are perspectives from here that are rarely heard. Voices that need to be heard nationally and internationally, literature easily becomes metropolitan-centric. In Norrbotten we have a strong heritage of art and literature. It is important to protect the literature and cultural creators we have here.
Kajsa Kero gives tips on holiday reading
Why not spice up your holiday with some Norrbotten literature in the hammock or on the beach? Kajsa recommends some fairly new books for all ages.
Children (6–9 years): The underground insect orchestra by Peo Rask, illustrations by Julia Kovaleva.
Best friends in search of answers, musical insects, mystery.
Children's literature (ages 12–15): Butterfly heart by Moa Backe Åstot
Sami identity, loss, right to self-determination.
Youth/adult (15+ years): They take everything away from me by Linda Jones
Outsidership in a dismantled society, hunting (law), rage.
Adult, detective: The Sorrow Sister by Tina N Martin (third part about detective inspector Idun Lind)
Disappearance without a trace, family relationships, betrayal by the adult world.
Adult, novel: The Green Villa by Sofia Rutbäck Eriksson
Pensioners with creative solutions, unexpected friendship, fight for a common goal.
Summer listening:
The border by Majvor Müller (part 1 of 3 about journalist Hanna Storm)
Missing berry pickers, clues, hatred and revenge.
Virus by Daniel Åberg (audiobook series in seven parts)
Epidemic, suspicion, survival in a lost civilization.
Text and image: Sara Stylbäck Vesa
Contact
Kajsa Kero
Director, Resource Center for Literature
kajsa.kero@norrbotten.se
076-139 17 98
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