March 27, 2015

Author Interview with Kenneth E. Hautala (Pulp Fantasy)

Attention pulp/epic fantasy fans! Today I am bringing you an interview with Kenneth E. Hautala, so he can tell you about his debut novel, Haruffa Tales. Kenneth is a Canadian author and is being hailed for bringing pulp back.

 Check out the promo video for Haruffa Tales:

Please tell us about your current release, Kenneth.

Haruffa Tales is a Retro Pulp Fantasy novel written as a tribute to works like Robert E. Howard’s, Conan-Hour of the Dragon which first appeared in Weird Tales, 1935. 

Title: Haruffa Tales (Book One)
Author: Kenneth E. Hautala
Genre: Pulp Fiction
Length: 352 Pages
Publisher: FriesenPress
Release Date: November 5, 2014

BOOK LINKS:
FriesenPress / Amazon / Barnes & Noble
iTunes / KOBO / Indigo / Google Play
Goodreads


1. What books would you compare to Haruffa Tales?

Edgar Rice Burroughs (Tarzan, John Carter of Mars), Robert E. Howard (Conan), One Thousand and One Nights aka Arabian Nights, John Norman (The Gor series). Classic pulp fantasy.

2. Since I read Haruffa Tales, I can definitely see that. Is this book part of a series?

This is the first book in the series. At this point I have 3 additional books in the hopper.

3. How did you pick the title for your book?

The main character Haruffa got his name from The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad (1958) by Ray Harryhausen.  Harufa (as it was originally spelled) was Sinbad’s first mate and like so many supporting characters died prematurely.

4. I didn't know that! Why did you choose the setting for Haruffa Tales?

In keeping with the Arabian Nights/Sinbad theme I wanted a Middle Eastern/ East Indian setting.

5. Did you do special research for Haruffa Tales?

Hours and hours. Thank god for dogpile.com. Since I was tapping into so many different cultures the research needed was immense. On the plus side, I certainly learned a lot…Like I really want to go to Ireland and India!

6. I've never used dogpile.com. I'll have to check it out. What movies inspired your book?

The works of Ray Harryhausen to be sure.  Sinbad, Jason and the Argonaughts etc. but I have to include the collected works of Ralph Bakshi.  If you’re not familiar, I would encourage you to watch his version of The Lord of the Rings, Fire & Ice and Wizards.  It was mind blowing stuff when it came out decades ago and still holds its own to this day.

7. What would we find in your heroine’s purse if we went snooping?

A shortened life expectancy…

8. Interesting. if you could give your book to anyone in the world to read (dead or alive) who would it be and why?

My grandfather. No person living or dead have I ever had more respect for than my grandfather. He published a few articles but always wanted to write a book about his experiences growing up as an orphan in Finland during the Finnish/Russian conflict.

9. Your advice to new writers.

Never give up.  If it is a passion that burns inside you and you just don’t can’t let go.  Don’t.  Even if you only write for fun, don’t stifle yourself.  It’s not healthy.

10. Tell us about your writing process.

My writing process is pretty fractured.  I figure out where I want to begin and end and then how to get there. I run seemingly endless scenarios in my mind, fine tune them over and over and eventually piece the best of them together like a jigsaw puzzle, all the while immersed in some form of music.  Strange I know but it works for me.


AUTHOR BIO:

From the time he was a young teenager, Kenneth E. Hautala fanned the spark of creative inspiration into flame through his innate love of storytelling. As a carpenter and construction health and safety professional, he has a deep respect for the value of hard work and skill—a characteristic he applies to his life as a writer. An avid fisherman and outdoorsman, he lives in Newmarket, Ontario with his beautiful wife, Linda, his beloved mother-in-law, Vivian, and their St. Bernard, Xuber.

Author Links:
Haruffa Tales / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads


Thank you for chatting with me, Kenneth! Best of luck to you with Haruffa Tales!

Please leave Kenneth pulp love.


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47 comments:

  1. Rachna ChhabriaMarch 27, 2015 at 7:08 AM

    Nice reading the interview with Kenneth. Will put Haruffa Tales in my TBR list.

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    Replies
    1. UnknownMarch 27, 2015 at 10:36 AM

      Thank you very much!
      KH

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    2. Chrys FeyMarch 27, 2015 at 10:42 AM

      Thanks for stopping by, Rachna! And for putting Kenneth's book on your TBR list. :)

      Delete
  2. sageMarch 27, 2015 at 8:17 AM

    Good interview and it sounds like an interesting read. I am curiuos about his grandfather--what a life he must have had.

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    1. UnknownMarch 27, 2015 at 10:38 AM

      Thank you. My grandfather led an interesting life to be sure. He ran away from the orphanage repeatedly until he finally got away at the age of 14. Some older gentlemen felt sorry for him and help him lie about his age so he could get a job.

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    2. Chrys FeyMarch 27, 2015 at 10:44 AM

      Your grandfather's story is fascinating, Ken. You could write a story about his life.

      Delete
  3. Pat HattMarch 27, 2015 at 8:44 AM

    Great interview. First I have heard of dogpile.com too

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    1. UnknownMarch 27, 2015 at 10:40 AM

      Thank you. Dogpile saves time because it uses multiple search engines at once.

      Delete
    2. Chrys FeyMarch 27, 2015 at 10:44 AM

      Thanks for leaving Ken a comment, Pat!

      Delete
  4. nashvillecats2March 27, 2015 at 9:15 AM

    Great interview , most interesting to read.

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    1. UnknownMarch 27, 2015 at 10:43 AM

      Thanks. Being purposefully written as pulp the book maintains a steady pace without wasting precious pages describing non-relevant pieces of furniture...

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    2. Chrys FeyMarch 27, 2015 at 10:45 AM

      Thanks for visiting for Ken's interview, Yvonne!

      Delete
  5. Loni TownsendMarch 27, 2015 at 9:54 AM

    I haven't used dogpile much either, but if it helps with the culture research, it sounds like a pretty useful tool. Great interview!

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    1. Chrys FeyMarch 27, 2015 at 10:45 AM

      Does it? I haven't tried it yet, but I really want to give it a go. :)

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    2. UnknownMarch 27, 2015 at 10:45 AM

      Thank you kindly. I found the cultural aspect of the research quite enjoyable. Next best thing to being there...cheaper too.

      Delete
  6. UnknownMarch 27, 2015 at 10:01 AM

    great interview, and yup, that's basically my writing process too lol

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    1. Chrys FeyMarch 27, 2015 at 10:45 AM

      I bet it's a lot of people's writing process. ;)

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    2. UnknownMarch 27, 2015 at 10:46 AM

      Thanks and it's nice to know I'm not alone.

      Delete
  7. Sarah FosterMarch 27, 2015 at 10:15 AM

    Great interview! I had never heard of dogpile, either. Glad it was a useful tool.

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    1. Chrys FeyMarch 27, 2015 at 10:46 AM

      Thanks for visiting Ken's interview, Sarah! :)

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    2. UnknownMarch 27, 2015 at 10:47 AM

      I think dogpile should throw us a bone for all the promotion...lol

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    3. Chrys FeyMarch 27, 2015 at 11:08 AM

      They should! lol

      Delete
  8. Lisa ThomsonMarch 27, 2015 at 11:28 AM

    Hi Kenneth, your book looks and sounds so interesting! It's not a genre I'm familiar with but I'm thinking I may be missing out. I equate pulp fiction with the movie of the same name and I realize that's not correct. I was immediately curious about the word Haruffa but now I know. Are you on Good Reads? Great interview Chrys!

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    1. UnknownMarch 27, 2015 at 3:22 PM

      I am on goodreads so just send me a friend request. If your not familiar with the genre you are indeed missing out. I wanted to steer clear of Epic Fantasy and go back to a time when fantasy was young and was written with larger than life heroes battling larger than life villains and allowed the reader to escape into a new and exciting world where anything can happen. Cheers!

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    2. Chrys FeyMarch 27, 2015 at 7:34 PM

      Oops. I could've included his Goodreads link. I am friend with him on there. I'll have to fix that. :)

      Delete
    3. Lisa ThomsonMarch 27, 2015 at 9:06 PM

      Thanks, guys! I'll find you on there!

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    4. Chrys FeyMarch 30, 2015 at 11:41 AM

      You're welcome, Lisa. :)

      Delete
  9. AnonymousMarch 27, 2015 at 12:43 PM

    Kenneth's book sounds intriguing. Pulp fiction reminds me of childhood, since I used to buy a lot of used books, and I'd like to read more of it today. I need to check out dogpile.

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    1. UnknownMarch 27, 2015 at 3:28 PM

      There are only a handful of pulp fantasy writers as compared to epic fantasy. The beauty of pulp is that it allows the readers mind to fully engage and paint in their own little details. It's always been a pet peeve of mine when writers take an entire page to describe a table that is basically irrelevant to the story. Check out Piers Anthony (Xanth series) if you want a seriously fun read!

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    2. Chrys FeyMarch 27, 2015 at 7:35 PM

      I think you'd find Haruffa Tales very interesting, Medeia. :)

      Delete
  10. LidyMarch 27, 2015 at 1:24 PM

    Oh this sounds interesting. I've just noticed that I really like destiny themed works. I'm adding Haruffa Tales to my TBR list.

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    1. UnknownMarch 27, 2015 at 3:34 PM

      Thank you so much! Destiny and how much actual control Haruffa has of his own life is one of the underlying questions throughout the book. The Aspects are in place to ensure mankind can choose their own fate but they are also willing to create a weapon like Haruffa..

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    2. Chrys FeyMarch 27, 2015 at 7:36 PM

      Thanks for leaving Ken a comment, Lidy! :)

      Delete
  11. bettyMarch 27, 2015 at 4:28 PM

    Great interview to read! Will look for the book!

    betty

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    1. Chrys FeyMarch 27, 2015 at 7:37 PM

      Thanks for stopping by for Ken's interview, Betty! :)

      Delete
  12. Mary KirklandMarch 27, 2015 at 4:59 PM

    Loved reading this post about a new to me author and book. The book sounds really interesting too. Thanks for the great interview.

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  13. Christine RainsMarch 27, 2015 at 8:08 PM

    Terrific interview and a great introduction to a new-to-me author. :) I'm big on the pulp. And I love the answer to question #7. Good luck to Kenneth!

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  14. New Release BooksMarch 27, 2015 at 9:58 PM

    Congratulations to Kenneth E. Hautala! The interview is terrific!

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    1. UnknownMarch 28, 2015 at 6:17 AM

      Thank you very much! It's been a great experience.

      Delete
  15. Stephanie FarisMarch 28, 2015 at 8:18 AM

    Dogpile.com? I think I remember that from the early days of the Internet as a search engine, right? I didn't know it had extra usefulness in researching...I'm going to have to check that out!

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    1. UnknownMarch 28, 2015 at 12:30 PM

      Dogpile has been around for a long time and I've always felt I got better search results.

      Delete
  16. Yanting GuehApril 2, 2015 at 5:33 AM

    Sounds interesting. I've always been interested in Arabian Nights sort of stories. Nice meeting you, Kenneth!

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    1. Chrys FeyApril 2, 2015 at 9:33 AM

      If you don't mind graphic details, you should definitely give Haruffa Tales a shot. :)

      Delete

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