Background
His father, Keijo Hotakainen, worked as a storekeeper and photographer while his mother, Meeri Ala-Kuusisto, worked as a sales clerk.
journalist playwright writer poet
His father, Keijo Hotakainen, worked as a storekeeper and photographer while his mother, Meeri Ala-Kuusisto, worked as a sales clerk.
Kari Hotakainen passed his matriculation examination in 1976 and graduated from Rautalampi High School the same year.
Hotakainen started his writing career as a reporter in Pori. In 1986, he moved to Helsinki. He became a full-time writer in 1996.
He has also worked as a copywriter and as a columnist for the Helsingin Sanomat.
He has a Bachelor of Arts. Hotakainen kicked off his career as an author in the beginning of the 1980s by writing poetry.
His debut collection Harmittavat takaiskut (Unfortunate setbacks) was published in 1982. From poetry, Hotakainen moved on to writing books for children and young adults and then on to writing novels for adults.
Before he started writing full-time, Hotakainen worked as a news reporter, in the advertising department of WSOY, et cetera
Hotakainen’s breakthrough came when he was nominated for the 1997 Finlandia Prize, for his semi-autobiographical work titled Klassikko (The Classic). Later on, the book was turned into a movie with the same name. Hotakainen has also written children"s plays, radio dramas, newspaper columns and the scripts for a 10-part titled.
Hotakainen was seriously injured in a car accident on 3 March 2012.