Growing up in the 1980s on a remote horse farm in North Carolina was not easy for 9-year-old Elliot Hase. After her parents’ divorce, she rarely saw her father and was forever chasing her mother’s attention. Smart and shy, Elliot idolized her big sister Poppy, even when she kept making the same mistakes. Together, they navigated their mother’s alcoholism until Poppy began to follow the same destructive path. Elliot felt alone. Television was her constant companion throughout childhood.
We follow Elliot through Connecticut and Martha’s Vineyard as her mother chases fresh starts and flees her troubles. Elliot reinvents herself at boarding school and later at Tufts University, as she continues searching for a way to help her sister and mother, whom she loves with all her heart. This tender story told through a child’s eyes is heartbreaking — and it’s simply impossible not to root for Elliot every step of the way.
Key West author Hays Blinckmann perfectly captures the perspective of a child through an adult voice in a style that’s devastating, funny and nostalgic for a time gone by. She was featured on Good Morning America on Feb. 18 and will sign copies at Books & Books at The Studios of Key West on Wednesday, March 4.
Let’s meet Hays:
The title ‘Tiny Little Earthquakes’ is so memorable. How did you choose it? When I’m writing, there’s always a phrase that lingers. Elliot, the main character, says her life is built on “tiny little earthquakes.” All of her trauma was based on a multitude of smaller events, not one big catastrophe. And every time Elliot got her footing, another calamity would happen – usually caused by an outside force like her mother and sister.
Elliot’s voice is incredibly authentic; she’s observant, funny and wise beyond her years. Was it difficult to write from the perspective of a child navigating adult chaos? The story is largely based on my childhood. So, really, TLE was about going back in time and connecting with my younger self. I did not want to write a young adult novel, so I let Elliot be more mature in her word choices and humor. And basically, I was the same smart-ass back then as I am now.
The 1980s setting feels so vivid, from TV reruns to music and clothes. How much of this came from memory versus research? Memory. I binged TV before binging was a thing. Also, much of Gen X was timestamped by our favorite shows, music and movies. Most of my memories were connected to one of those things. Just a little fact-checking to make sure I got the years right.
In your epilogue, you hint that this story draws from your own life. How did you decide what was safe to fictionalize and what stayed true? At first, I put everything on the page. Then, I am a firm believer in editing. Content editing took months; we stripped out unnecessary anecdotes that didn’t advance the story arc. Fictionalizing allows a bit of flair and a sense of separation between me and the characters, so I had more license with the dialogue.
One of the most striking things about this book is how it balances sensitive subject matter, addiction, grief and family secrets with humor. Was that intentional or did Elliot’s wit surprise you? In life, I have always had to balance how much I share and how I share it, especially when I was a child. I will pepper in a joke at the most somber of events. In the book, when adults pitied Elliot for her home life, humor was her tool for deflecting attention.
Elliot’s relationships are complicated and deeply loving. What do you hope readers take away about family dynamics, especially imperfect ones? Exactly that. Relationships, especially with parents, are imperfect. The message is yes, it’s okay to be angry, but it won’t serve you in the long run. Finding compassion and understanding for those who hurt is more beneficial. You don’t necessarily have to forgive them, but understanding why they are the way they are goes a long way.
You used to work for the Keys Weekly. How did your time as a journalist shape you as a fiction writer? BEST THING EVER. It was like CrossFit for writing; I learned a tremendous amount. Sara Matthis, retired editor of the Weekly, was an amazing teacher/boss/coach. She taught me the value of getting to the point without boring people – and to cut another 100 words, lol.
The Keys have such a rich literary history. Where do you see yourself in that? After 25 years of living here, raising my kids and surviving multiple hurricanes, it’s not always a vacation, but it’s home. I am a Key West writer, not a writer who came to Key West. I want people to know Key West isn’t the end of the road; for some of us, it’s where everything begins.
