Frequently Asked Questions
What is TINY about?
TINY is a middle-grade science fiction adventure about a one-foot-tall squid-like beach toy who starts life as an innocent plaything on the ocean world of Papako. When his young companion Jeref is kidnapped, Tiny’s capabilities are augmented, and he rescues the baby boy. Years later, Jeref and Tiny's mission grows into an epic interstellar war against a mind-controlling AI empire that weaponizes stories. It’s a story full of heart, courage, and wonder.
Who is TINY for?
Primarily written for ages 8–12 (middle-grade), but it has a strong crossover appeal for teens and adults. If you or your child loved Harry Potter and Ender’s Game, you’ll likely enjoy TINY.
What are the main themes of TINY?
The story explores effort, loneliness and grief, the courage to belong, friendship, and the power and danger of artificial intelligence in shaping who we are. At its core, it’s about staying true to yourself even when the world tries to rewrite you.
How does it handle loneliness, grief, and the need to belong?
The story explores these universal struggles through a fantastical lens: a one-foot-tall squid-like beach toy hero embarks on an interstellar rescue that becomes a war against a mind-controlling AI empire. Readers get to process grief and loneliness vicariously, wrapped in courage, friendship, and hope. It provides emotional depth without real-world trauma, showing the courage it takes to belong while staying true to yourself.
Where did the line "Your spirit is ALL fuel" come from?
It arrives early, in the quiet of Tiny’s first real solitude on Earth. Tiny is underground in the cave he carved for himself. Shelly shows him a focus card written the night before everything changed. The words appear in shimmering turquoise airtext on the wall:
Your mind is an engine. Your body is a chassis. Your spirit is ALL fuel. I heard the All. I gave my All. This is All.
In the world of TINY, the greatest power is not size, strength, or numbers. It is the quiet, stubborn light that remains. That light does not need permission. It does not wait for better conditions. It simply continues.
I wrote fifty-two drafts of this book. Through all of them, "Your spirit is ALL fuel" kept returning. It felt less like something I invented and more like something the story insisted on saying. For anyone who has ever felt small, overlooked, or excluded, I hope the ALL reminds you of the power that was never missing.
What kind of heroic fantasy does Tiny offer?
It’s the ultimate “small hero saves a big world” story. Tiny starts as an innocent beach toy companion and grows into a stubborn, determined protagonist who proves size (or seeming insignificance) doesn’t limit impact. Key lines like “Effort is non-negotiable” "Be determined. Be always determined" and “My mind is my stronghold” give readers tools for resilience and inspiration that feel empowering rather than preachy.
How does it provide escapism and wonder?
Through cinematic sci-fi adventure on ocean worlds and across the stars, featuring elements like StoryBro and battles against story-weaponizing forces. It delivers adrenaline, whimsy, found family, and clear moral victories — the thrill of resistance against manipulative powers (a timely metaphor for AI and external influences shaping identity).
Why is this valuable for middle-grade (and older) readers?
In real life, kids and adults often feel powerless against loss, isolation, or big systems. TINY gives them agency, catharsis, and optimism: a complete, heartfelt stand-alone tale (with series potential) that blends Harry Potter-style wonder with Ender’s Game stakes. It turns personal inspirations (beaches, loss, belonging) into universal hope.
What inspired the story?
The beach and ocean settings draw heavily from my life growing up in San Diego and Miami Beach. I lived in Los Angeles and Manhattan for 35 years. Many emotional moments come from real experiences with loss, family, and finding your place in a big world.