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The Big Tree
In this beautiful and chilling tale, Rick Hautala moves us with a coming of age story like no other. It's 1960. A young boy and his friends spend most of their time in the treehouse they built in The Big Tree in front of Old Lady Wayrenen’s front yard.
But when Hurricane Donna comes, it leaves more than just a trail of property damage. A chain of events pushes the natural and supernatural worlds at odds with one another and a young girl's life hangs in the balance. But is she even real?
Combined with the words and artwork of some of Mr. Hautala's dearest friends: Christopher Golden (Foreword), Thomas F. Monteleone (Afterword), and Glenn Chadbourne (cover art); The Big Tree is one of Rick's most autobiographical and personal stories from the heart.
But when Hurricane Donna comes, it leaves more than just a trail of property damage. A chain of events pushes the natural and supernatural worlds at odds with one another and a young girl's life hangs in the balance. But is she even real?
Combined with the words and artwork of some of Mr. Hautala's dearest friends: Christopher Golden (Foreword), Thomas F. Monteleone (Afterword), and Glenn Chadbourne (cover art); The Big Tree is one of Rick's most autobiographical and personal stories from the heart.
96 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 14, 2014
49 people want to read
About the author
Rick Hautala
137 books129 followersAKA A.J. Matthews
Rick Hautala has more than thirty published books to his credit, including the million copy, international best-seller Nightstone, as well as Twilight Time, Little Brothers, Cold Whisper, Impulse, and The Wildman. He has also published four novels—The White Room, Looking Glass, Unbroken, and Follow—using the pseudonym A. J. Matthews. His more than sixty published short stories have appeared in national and international anthologies and magazines. His short story collection Bedbugs was selected as one of the best horror books of the year in 2003.
A novella titled Reunion was published by PS Publications in December, 2009; and Occasional Demons, a short story collection, is due in 2010 from CD Publications. He wrote the screenplays for several short films, including the multiple award-winning The Ugly Film, based on the short story by Ed Gorman, as well as Peekers, based on a short story by Kealan Patrick Burke, and Dead @ 17, based on the graphic novel by Josh Howard.
A graduate of the University of Maine in Orono with a Master of Art in English Literature (Renaissance and Medieval Literature), Hautala lives in southern Maine with author Holly Newstein. His three sons have all grown up and (mostly) moved out of the house. He served terms as Vice President and Trustee for the Horror Writers Association.
Sadly, Rick died on March 21, 2013.
Rick Hautala has more than thirty published books to his credit, including the million copy, international best-seller Nightstone, as well as Twilight Time, Little Brothers, Cold Whisper, Impulse, and The Wildman. He has also published four novels—The White Room, Looking Glass, Unbroken, and Follow—using the pseudonym A. J. Matthews. His more than sixty published short stories have appeared in national and international anthologies and magazines. His short story collection Bedbugs was selected as one of the best horror books of the year in 2003.
A novella titled Reunion was published by PS Publications in December, 2009; and Occasional Demons, a short story collection, is due in 2010 from CD Publications. He wrote the screenplays for several short films, including the multiple award-winning The Ugly Film, based on the short story by Ed Gorman, as well as Peekers, based on a short story by Kealan Patrick Burke, and Dead @ 17, based on the graphic novel by Josh Howard.
A graduate of the University of Maine in Orono with a Master of Art in English Literature (Renaissance and Medieval Literature), Hautala lives in southern Maine with author Holly Newstein. His three sons have all grown up and (mostly) moved out of the house. He served terms as Vice President and Trustee for the Horror Writers Association.
Sadly, Rick died on March 21, 2013.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
April 25, 2025
The Big Tree is a posthumously published coming-of-age novella set in 1960. It's a little on the sad and somber side, but that's kind of typical for the leaving-the-magic-of-childhood-behind trope. It's very well executed, if a trifle predictable, and has a heartfelt foreword by Christopher Golden and a nice afterword by Thomas F. Monteleone. It doesn't end the way you want it to, but perhaps these things never do. The resolution isn't really clear, but I enjoyed the short journey.
January 4, 2022
Read Big Brother when I was 16. Loved the story so I was happy to find this short novel. I think it's the last book he wrote. It was a good coming of age story.
April 19, 2015
Typical Rick
And I mean that as compliment. No matter how frightening or troubling the story, underneath beats a gentle heart; the hallmark of a Hautala work. I had the honor to spend an afternoon with Rick, and he was as charming, kind and open a human being as I have ever met. The writing world lost a fine writer when Rick died, but the world lost a terrific person. Oh yeah- The Big Tree was great!
And I mean that as compliment. No matter how frightening or troubling the story, underneath beats a gentle heart; the hallmark of a Hautala work. I had the honor to spend an afternoon with Rick, and he was as charming, kind and open a human being as I have ever met. The writing world lost a fine writer when Rick died, but the world lost a terrific person. Oh yeah- The Big Tree was great!
October 14, 2014
REVIEW: THE BIG TREE by Rick Hautala
Compelling, rich, amazing, and fantastical, THE BIG TREE (published posthumously) is an electrifying and mythical coming-of-age story, such that only such an outstanding author could have achieved. The storm giveth and the storm taketh away, and when the storm passes, a young man finds maturity.
Compelling, rich, amazing, and fantastical, THE BIG TREE (published posthumously) is an electrifying and mythical coming-of-age story, such that only such an outstanding author could have achieved. The storm giveth and the storm taketh away, and when the storm passes, a young man finds maturity.
November 1, 2015
Such a beautiful slice of childhood imagination.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews