Out of nowhere, it appeared in the short story collection with the unmistakably northern Swedish title Bli som folk (Be Like People). In no time, Stina Stoor became the darling of the entire Swedish cultural scene. Since her 2015 debut, she’s become an ambassador’s wife in Helsinki, and when we call her up, she’s sitting in a grand room overlooking the sea… longing for Västerbotten.
What’s your relationship with glasses?
Well, okay, we’re diving straight into boobs. I, let’s say, was struck by having large breasts early in my teens, and there was a pretty deep-rooted notion that girls with big boobs were dumb. You were automatically seen as a bimbo. Getting glasses was a way for me to look smart, be respected, and hang out with the cool crowd. But the sad truth is - I see too well. I don’t need glasses. Even today, I sometimes think people might take me more seriously as an intellectual if I wore them.
If you did wear glasses, what kind of frames would you choose?
I’d go for a statement piece - something bold and noticeable, nothing discreet whatsoever.
How do you divide your time between Västerbotten and Helsinki these days?
That’s a really complicated question. I’d like to say it’s fifty-fifty, but honestly, I probably spend more time in Helsinki. Right now, I’m sitting in a room at the ambassador’s residence (designed to resemble the Royal Palace in Stockholm..) with a sea view. But I feel more at home in Västerbotten.
What is it that you long for back home?
Being able to open the front door and go for a walk with the dog in my nightgown and boots - or barefoot, even. You can’t do that here. You step right out onto a square and have to pass through the formal part of the residence, where a reception with lots of prominent guests might be going on. What I really miss is the feeling of belonging somewhere. It gives you this… sense of certainty.
What’s the story behind the quote featured on the Balåliden frames?
It comes from a story about how, as a little girl, I gave away frogs at a birthday party. On a larger scale, it’s about noticing the small things. Sometimes, a little frog or a four-leaf clover can be far more interesting than, say, the massive painting here in the residence depicting a 17th-century Swedish king. That painting is completely uninteresting by comparison.
Why do you think authors from northern Sweden have become so popular?
Well, if we’re going to talk about something specific to two-thirds of Sweden’s landmass, I think it has to do with the revivalist movements and the home preachers. There’s a tradition of storytelling, charismatic speakers would attract huge crowds, even from neighboring villages. And I genuinely think that hunting and fishing stories played a role, too. You know, how the pike or moose has to get bigger every time the story is told. Eventually, you refine the story so much that it really sticks. That’s the long answer. The short one? There’s simply a strong tradition of storytelling in the cabins of the North - probably because there wasn’t much else to do for entertainment.
