“In our special interview series, where we host a special guest every month, this month we spoke with Ayşe Kulin, a cherished author of Turkish literature whose books we read with great excitement and bated breath. Kulin, whose every book holds a special place in readers’ hearts, has seen her autobiography—published in a series over the past few years—rank among the bestsellers. We discussed the year 2020, which was marked by the pandemic, her relationship with pen and paper, and her projects. Kulin shared the good news that she had started writing again during the COVID-19 pandemic and also delivered a special message to women in the stationery sector, where female employment is quite high…”
Your writing journey, which began with your short story collection published in 1984 and reached a wide audience with *Adı: Aylin*, continues today with the same enthusiasm and interest. While writing is a profession for some, you’ve noted in interviews that it’s a labor of love for you. What has excited you and driven your progress as you’ve written dozens of works?
Every book has its own reason for being written. My autobiographical books—the Veda/Hope/Life-Sorrow and Imagination series—were written because every author has a desire to unburden themselves, while Ayin and Füreya were written because of their fascinating lives. As for Türkan Saylan, I wrote about her because I believe she is someone every person living in our region should know, learn from, and take as an example. As a writer, I’ve also written novels aimed at raising awareness in society: Sevdalinka, Köprü, Bir Gün, Gizli Anların Yolcusu, Bora’nın Kitabı, Tutsak Güneş, and Her Yerde Kan var. I wrote Kördüğüm and Son, which have a detective novel feel, to test my skills in that genre. But regardless of my purpose in writing, writing is the most enjoyable thing in the world for me, and since I’m able to earn a living doing what I enjoy most in life, I consider myself very lucky.
The audience your books have reached—from your first book to the present day—has changed in terms of its habits, perceptions, and lifestyle. Yet your books remain on every era’s must-read list. What is the secret behind this?
This is a question my readers should answer. As for me, I’d say it’s the sincerity in my books. All my characters are extremely authentic. As a writer, to achieve this, I constantly mingle with the people; I prefer the subway and minibuses over taxis, and intercity buses over planes, so that I can live side by side with people rushing through the chaos of daily life, listen to their concerns, learn the words they use (since language is alive, it’s always changing), and observe their clothing and appearance. A writer who wants to touch the reader’s heart must not sit in an ivory tower.
You have served as a UNICEF Turkey Goodwill Ambassador since 2007. Could you tell us about the work you have done in the field of education in this capacity?
When I was selected as a Goodwill Ambassador in 2007, the first thing I did was write a children’s book titled *Sit Nene’s Fairy Tales* and donate the proceeds to UNICEF. That same year, in the Kızıldere district of Mardin, we opened the first kindergarten for children under five and provided everything from carpets to toys. On another occasion, we transported the bamboo earthquake-resistant houses—which had been used in the Kocaeli earthquake but were now abandoned—to Southeastern Anatolia to create the first school classrooms. Thanks to the donors we connected with, we were able to provide many eastern towns without schools with their first elementary schools. We met the clean water needs of underprivileged children, raised funds during holidays to bring joy to underprivileged children with festive shoes and clothes, and organized vaccination campaigns.
These days, people are increasingly turning to technological devices, but what’s the one thing you can’t do without on your desk?
My notebook and the ballpoint pens I use at book signings are absolute essentials for me.
Do you have any stationery items with sentimental value? Could you briefly share their story?
I had a silver fountain pen that was a gift from my father. It was stolen by the thief who broke into my apartment in Nişantaşı. He took many valuable items, but what I missed the most were that pen—a memento of my father, whom I had recently lost—and the old-fashioned camera he had left me. It was old, of course I wasn’t using it, but my father had taken all my childhood photos with that camera. Do you enjoy spending time in stationery stores? What do you pay the most attention to when you visit stationery stores? Until the 1980s, whenever I traveled abroad, the stores where I spent the most time were stationery stores. For a long time now, we’ve been able to find everything we want in our country, so I no longer shop abroad, but advancing technology is driving a wedge between me and stationery. For example, erasers have become a thing of the past for me. If I’m not writing letters, I don’t use a fountain pen either. However, since I started writing, I’ve built up a large collection of fountain pens that have been gifted to me.
Have you been working on any projects recently?
Right now, I’m writing *Hüsran*, the sequel to *Hayal*—which I began writing during the pandemic—and the final book in that autobiographical series.
Finally, in your work, we always see strong, independent women who fight for equality and freedom. Would you like to share a message with the women in the stationery industry, where female employment is quite high?
The woman who ensures the continuation of the human race is, by virtue of this role, a source of endless positive energy and inspiration—self-sacrificing, hardworking, loving, and creative. Had they not lived in a world dominated by men, they would have created marvels in both literature and the visual arts centuries ago. Stationery stores would have been the places they visited most frequently. Just as some were brainwashed at a young age to believe that men are superior, others were brainwashed so that certain industries could make a lot of money, becoming slaves to fashion. However, women who fight for freedom and know how to stand on their own two feet are also the women who appreciate the value of stationers who sell the tools that enrich the world of ideas!
Ayşe KULİN