She studied biology and environmental science and has conducted research and presented lectures at universities in Turkey, Norway, the United States, and Finland.
Her first novel, "İki Yeşil Susamuru, Anneleri, Babaları, Sevgilileri ve Diğerleri" (Two Green Otters, Mothers, Fathers, Lovers and All the Others; 1991) reached its 50th edition in 2013 and has sold over one million copies.
[3][4] She has referred to Turkish Writers Attilâ İlhan and Sevgi Soysal, as well as Miguel de Cervantes, Fyodor Dostoevsky, and Doris Lessing, as major influences on her work.
The publisher states that the author:[8] "takes us into the memories and dreams of children and adults, and explores shared history, love and attachments – to family, lovers and places."
Whilst a review in Writing in Education concludes that the author, "in The Other Twin notably, is subtle, penetrating about human nature, and well able to project a powerful maxim or a sarcastic image.