Rick Hautala facts for kids

Rick Hautala (born February 3, 1949, died March 21, 2013) was an American writer. He was famous for his exciting horror and fantasy stories.

He studied English at the University of Maine. He earned a special degree there in 1974. Rick started writing scary stories in the 1980s. Many of his first books were published by Zebra books.

He wrote more than 90 books and short stories. His books were popular all over the world. They were even translated into other languages. For example, his book Cold Whisper was published in Finland. It was called Haamu there. Later in his career, smaller publishers also released his books. These included Cemetery Dance Publications. His novel The Wildman (2008) was a special limited edition book.

Amazing Books by Rick Hautala

Rick Hautala wrote many popular books. His third novel, Night Stone, came out in 1986. This book was very special. It was one of the first books to have a cool holographic cover.

Night Stone became a huge success. It sold over one million copies around the world. This made it an international best-seller.

Award-Winning Stories

Rick Hautala also wrote many short stories. One of his stories was called "Knocking." This story was part of a book called 999: New Stories of Horror and Suspense. This book won the Bram Stoker Award for Best Anthology in 1999.

His collection of short stories, Bedbugs (1999), was also highly praised. Barnes & Noble, a big bookstore, chose it. They said it was one of the best horror books of the year 2000.

Rick Hautala's Work in Movies

Besides writing books, Rick Hautala also wrote for movies. These are called screenplays. He helped bring stories to the big screen.

Short Films

In 2008, he adapted a story called "Peekers." This story was written by Kealan Patrick Burke. The movie version of "Peekers" was shown at film festivals.

Rick also wrote the screenplay for the short film Dead@17 in 2007. This film was based on a graphic novel series. He also wrote The Ugly File. This movie was directed by Mark Steensland. It was based on a short story by Edward Gorman.

Awards and Recognition

Rick Hautala received a very important award for his writing. The Horror Writers Association honored him.

In 2011, he and another writer, Joe R. Lansdale, received the Bram Stoker Award for Lifetime Achievement. This award celebrates writers who have made a big impact. They received this award at a special banquet in Salt Lake City, Utah, on March 31, 2012.

Later Life

Rick Hautala passed away on March 21, 2013. He died from a heart attack. He left behind a legacy of exciting and popular horror and fantasy stories.