Kata Karkkainen Biography

This Finnish model turned author is the perfect blend of beauty and brains. A former Playmate of the Month, she is also a member of Mensa and has an IQ of at least 148. Jack Nicholson, Meryl Streep, and Marilyn Munroe are among her favorite movie stars, and she counts the musical stylings of Prince and The Cure among her favorite tunes.Minna Katariina Karkkainen (usually just known as Kata) was born on October 27, 1968, in Helsinki, Finland. During her high school years, she was an exchange student at Stevens High School in Rapid City, South Dakota.She first gained fame as a model, and was chosen as by Playboy magazine as the Playmate of the Month for December of 1988. Other playmates of 1988 to hold the distinction include Kimberly Conrad, the wife of the notorious ladies man Hugh Hefner; Susie Owens; and Laura Richmond. In addition to being chosen as the top girl of December, her amazing body and face, with her signature blue eyes, were frequently featured on the cover of the publication. She also appeared in several of the magazine's special editions, including Playboy's International Playmates, Playboy's Wet and Wild Women and Playboy's Book of Lingerie.After her modeling career ended, Kata began to pursue a career in writing. She worked developing television scripts, and then went on to write her own books. Her first, Mina ja Morrison, was released in 2001. Since that time, she has released three more titles. Her latest, Jumalasta seuraava, was released in 2006. Although the Finnish literary community was originally skeptical of her talents as a writer, they have gradually granted her writing respect and acclaim. In addition to writing, she has also appeared as an actress in several Finnish productions.In 1991, Kata married Finnish actor Johnny Lee Michaels. They had one child during their marriage, which ended in divorce in 1996. Her subsequent relationship was with Marcello Gentile. She gave birth to daughter Kiana Elina Aurora during this time. Since 2005, Kata has been married to Janne Janhonen. The couple is currently married but do not have any children together.These days, Kata is concentrating on her growing literary career. Once a Playboy playmate, she is now a successful author gaining respect in the literary community of her home country. In addition to being a sex symbol and an intellectual, she is also a wife and mother, proving that some women really can have it all.