THE BOOK ABOUT HILJA
THE GIRL WITH A NAME TAG: A Finnish War Child in Sweden tells the story of Hilja, a 12-year-old girl who arrives with her little brother in Vesene, a small Swedish village. After three days of travelling and two weeks in quarantine, the siblings are separated and Hilja finds herself in a family with a dark secret. Set between 1944 and 1946, THE GIRL WITH A NAME TAG is the independent sequel to IT CAME TO ME ON A WHIM.
The main character in THE GIRL WITH A NAME TAG was inspired by Hilja Nordner, née Kouhia (1944–2024). Maria first met Hilja at the book launch of IT CAME TO ME ON A WHIM at Gäsene Courthouse on December 8, 2018. They became friends, and three years later, on March 19, 2022, the second book in the Vesene series was released. The Finnish translation was published in 2024.
During the spring of 2026, Maria will be a writer in residence at the University of Michigan. While in Ann Arbor, she will also teach Swedish literature and creative writing. THE GIRL WITH THE NAME TAG will be required reading for her course.