Aila Johanna Sinisalo is a Finnish science fiction and fantasy writer. She studied comparative literature and drama, amongst other subjects, at the University of Tampere. Professionally she worked in the advertising business, rising to the level of marketing designer. An important figure in the Finnish science fiction scene in the late 1980s and early '90s (winning a rare back-to-back collection of Atorox Awards for short fiction in the genre), she was also the first Finnish science fiction writer to make a mainstream breakthrough by breaking genre barriers. Fiction Sinisalo was awarded the Finlandia Prize for literature in 2000 for her first novel, Ennen päivänlaskua ei voi (translated as Not Before Sundown in 2003 and again as Troll — A Love Story in 2004 for the American market). The novel has been translated into several languages. Movie rights were acquired by Carter Smith in 2006. An English translation of Linnunaivot was published in 2010 by Peter Owen Publishers under the title Birdbrain (translated by David Hackston). She has named the 1967 novel Friday, or, The Other Island by French writer Michel Tournier as a major influence on her career. Screenwriting She is also the screenwriter of Energia Productions Iron Sky movie, a sci-fi comedy set in 2018. Awards Sinisalo was awarded the Finlandia Prize for literature in 2000 for Ennen päivänlaskua ei voi (Not Before Sundown, also known as Troll — A Love Story). The novel was also awarded The James Tiptree Jr. award in 2004. She was nominated for a Nebula Award in 2009 for the short story "Baby Doll". She has won the Atorox Award for best Finnish science fiction short story in 1986, 1989, 1993, 1994, 1997, and 2001 The Core of the Sun won the 2017 Prometheus Award for Best Novel. Pro Finlandia medal, Order of the Lion of Finland, 2022 Bibliography Novels Ennen päivänlaskua ei voi, (Tammi, 2000) British Edition Not Before Sundown (Peter Owen Publishers, 2003); American edition Troll — A Love Story (Grove Atlantic, 2004) Sankarit, (Tammi 2003) Kädettömät kuninkaat ja muita häiritseviä tarinoita, (Teos 2005), short story collection Lasisilmä, (Teos 2006) Linnunaivot, (Teos 2008) In English as Birdbrain (Peter Owen Publishers, 2011) Möbiuksen maa, (Teos 2010) Enkelten verta, (Teos 2011). In English as The Blood of Angels (Peter Owen Publishers 2014; ) Auringon ydin, (Teos 2013) In English as The Core of the Sun (Grove Atlantic 2016, ). Vieraat, (Karisto 2020). Short fiction