Authors

Along with my autobiography, the book features contributions from my mother, Sisko-Margit Syväoja, a trained specialist in Psychiatry, who tells her own version of my coming of age, as well as the deaf professional photographer Jussi Rinta-Hoiska, whose pictorial story accompanies my written account.

There are also illustrative explanations of sign language. The book’s layout was done by another deaf professional, Tiina Särkkä. We wanted the deaf perspective, the visual aspects of sign language and its other advantages to be evident not only in the text but in the book as a whole.

The original Finnish work was translated into English by Eva Malkki and revised by advance reader Gavin Lilley.

Others who have supported my book project are mentioned in the book’s acknowledgements. I want to thank all those involved, as well as the sign language community at large.