Reader’s Companion
Tiny Little EarthquakesWhat I Hope This Book Offers Readers
Every author hopes a book gives the reader something—a feeling, a new experience, or a momentary connection to a story that echoes their own. Books are a love language between strangers.
I write not to remain isolated, but to find connection. Dear readers, I hope you find your people among my characters, a laugh in my words, and, above all, time well spent being entertained. As I like to say: write the drama, don’t be the drama.
Tiny Little Earthquakes is a love letter to Gen X—especially those who didn’t have the greatest childhood. Our parents’ generation often did the best they could with limited guidance from their own parents.
Were many of us left to raise ourselves? Sure. Did we experience outrageous and sometimes traumatic moments without wanting pity for them? Absolutely. Did we swallow our anger and move forward? Of course—but eventually it catches up.
This is a story about recognizing the fault lines in family, the tremors that push us in one direction or another, and how we held on long enough to make it out. It’s about letting go of what no longer serves you and finding compassion for our parents—and even for ourselves.
— Hays Blinckmann
Downloadable Resources
Deepen your reading experience with these exclusive materials, designed for book clubs, educators, and devoted readers.
Reader's Guide
Ten thought-provoking discussion questions exploring family dysfunction, generational trauma, survival mechanisms, and the humor in heartbreak. Perfect for book clubs.
- 10 Discussion Questions
- Includes “A Note from Hays”
Author Q&A
Hays answers ten revealing questions about the inspiration behind the novel, the 95% autobiographical nature of the story, balancing dark humor with trauma, and the book’s ultimate message of survival.
- 10 In-Depth Answers
- Behind the Scenes Insights”
Book Excerpt
Read the opening chapters of Tiny Little Earthquakes. Experience Elliot’s world from the very first page—the privilege, the chaos, and the tiny fractures that threaten to split everything open.
- First Three Chapters
- Sneak Peek Edition
The Soundtrack
"Imagine movie maker John Hughes popping a gummy and making a set list. From Bob Dylan to Yaz—there you go."
Music is the time machine of the 80s. This curated playlist captures the cultural markers of Elliot's childhood—the songs that defined a generation of Gen Xers navigating broken homes with mixtapes and moxie.