Background
Anne Karin Hestnes was born 19 January 1938, in Halsa to farm owner Johan Hestnes (1897–1980) and Jenny Roaldset (1900–1950), but grew up in Valsøyfjord in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway.
Anne Karin Hestnes was born 19 January 1938, in Halsa to farm owner Johan Hestnes (1897–1980) and Jenny Roaldset (1900–1950), but grew up in Valsøyfjord in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway.
She was educated as a teacher from 1959 to 1963, and worked in the profession until 1978, before she dedicated her full-time to writing.
She debuted as an author in 1976 with the novel Folket på Innhaug, which is the first of four novels in a popular series about the people who lived at Innhaug. The other three titles are, and Elstad was also known for her four-part series about.
The first book was titled (1993), and it was followed by Som dine dager er (As are your days) (1995), Lenker (Chains) (1998) and Fri (Free) (2000).
On 17 June 2006, a compilation of the work by Elstad opened in the old schoolhouse at Otnesbukta. Where she herself was present to cut the ribbon for the opening event.
William Nygaard, Tom Kristensen and Mia Bulletin-Gundersen from Aschehoug forlag were also present during the opening to honor Elstad. At the time of her death, she was working on her fourteenth novel, yet untitled, but it is not known how far she had come, and whether or not the book will be published.
Personal life, health and death Elstad was married twice, first to teacher Bjørn Elstad, from whom she took her last name, from 1961 to their divorce in 1978.
In 1986, Elstad suffered her first, albeit minor, stroke. She then suffered yet another stroke in 1992, which rendered her partially paralyzed. She subsequently had to relearn how to walk, talk and write, keeping her away from making new books for almost eight years.
She subsequently became an outspoken critic against estrogen treatment, due to the increased risk of strokes it led to
On 4 April 2012, Elstad died in her home after suffering her third and final stroke.
(Norwegian Edition)
She also served on the Board of Den norske Forfatterforening from 1983 to 1987, and was a board member of the Norsk Forfattersentrum from 1991 to 1997.