Tiny Ruins (Radiant Press, Oct 2020) is available in print, ebook and audiobook forms.
Watch the digital launch and find other readings and interviews here!
Cover art by Zachari Logan.
“A novella for a new generation, Tiny Ruins is smart, funny, charming, completely unlike anything else I’ve read. Warm, heartbreaking, perfectly paced. Small moments, deceptive in their simplicity, are loaded with meaning—but as in life, it’s the silences between that split you open. I loved this book.”
—Jacqueline Baker, author of The Broken Hours
Praise for Tiny Ruins
“Nicole Haldoupis is versed in the art of the small verse, the flash, the fast. In Tiny Ruins she moves us through Alana’s journey to independence and discovery one bite-sized chunk at a time. Mimicking the ways we remember, these fragments and snapshots hit the highlights and the painfully human. Short, sweet, and to the point. Nothing tiny about it; brilliant in its final impact.”
—Lisa Bird-Wilson, author of Probably Ruby
“I honestly don’t know how Nicole Haldoupis does it, but she does—the short prose pieces that comprise Tiny Ruins beam a light on everyday life in the contemporary world—a light recognizable, yet startling, funny, poignant. You’ll recognize these characters, and cheer for them. Haldoupis makes private moments resonate widely; she comes at things sideways in these understated, quirky snapshots that feel so real you’ll cringe with recognition – in a good way. Tiny Ruins is a voice-driven trove of stories and above all, addictive reading. This debut is a gift, and far from tiny—it’s a big gulp of fresh air.”
—Jeanette Lynes, author of The Small Things that End the World
“With the authentic, illuminating, and skillfully crafted stories in Tiny Ruins, Nicole Haldoupis offers rewarding and invigorating proof of the power of the tiny and the vitality of ruins. In her hands, the flash, the glimpse, and the fragment capture the complexity and fullness of the pain of betrayal, the hope for connection, and our struggles with epiphany and transformation. In these stories, ruins are not merely the past’s remnants—they are also the present’s terrain, the ground on which a future is halted or fostered and formed.”
—Daniel Scott Tysdal, author of Fauxccasional Poems
“Tiny Ruins, Nicole Haldoupis’ debut collection of linked micro-fictions by Radiant Press, is an absorbing and engaging read. These vignettes of coming-of-age and coming-out reveal intricacies of character in cool, polished, and articulate prose. Tiny Ruins is a gem of a collection and strong evidence of a startling new talent in Saskatchewan literature.”
—Saskatchewan Book Awards: Fiction Award jury
“The jury agreed that this short book of mini fictions reflected the myriad experiences and memories of youth with quirky compassion. In this small delightfully designed book, the self consciousness and pain of being the outsider, the complicated sibling relationship, and the uncomplicated relationship with a cat, are portrayed with telling detail. At times funny, at times heart-breaking, Tiny Ruins is a debut to be celebrated.”
—Saskatchewan Book Awards: Creative Saskatchewan Publishing Award jury
“Tiny Ruins by Nicole Haldoupis is a novella about a young woman growing up and learning to negotiate her own path in the world. Snapshots of brief moments build a funny, lyrical and charming tale. A unique and compelling debut.”
—Saskatchewan Book Awards: Saskatchewan Ministry of Culture, Recreation and Sport First Book Award jury
“Inclusivity in our society is a must if we want to truly embrace acceptance of each other. In Tiny Ruins, moments of comedy, self-conflict and familiarity come out as Alana discovers her dual sexuality. There are concise short stories throughout this volume – it is a treat to read. I will definitely read Tiny Ruins again. Hats off to Nicole Haldoupis!”
—Saskatchewan Book Awards: Regina Public Library Book of the Year Award jury
Where to buy Tiny Ruins
Ask your favourite local independent bookstore!
You can also order online directly through Radiant Press!
Also available through Indigo/Chapters/Coles or Amazon (please share your ratings on these sites!).
Give Tiny Ruins a rating on Goodreads!
Literary Magazines
“Sad Boys and Pigeon Girls” (Riddle Fence, issue 49, 2023)
“People Aren’t Home” and “Flicker” (BAD DOG, issue 1.4, 2020)
“Four Flutes” (Bad Nudes, issue 3.2, 2018)
“Somewhere Near Danforth,” “We All Fall Down,” and “Janie’s Cat” (antilang., issue 1, 2018)
“Black Hole” (The Feathertale Review, issue 20, 2018)
“Dandelion” (The Feathertale Review, issue 19, 2017)
“Tough Pants” (The Feathertale Review, issue 17, 2016)
“Lava Rug River, Wine Mountain” (Sewer Lid, issue 1, 2015)
“Red Velvet Songs” ((parenthetical), issue 6, 2014)
“Pumpkin” (The Quilliad, issue 4, 2014)
Anthologies
“Two Eyes, Shining” (AICW 40th Anniversary Anthology, Guernica Editions, 2025/2026)
“Sad Boys and Pigeon Girls,” “Folded In,” “Fancy Box” (Here & Now Volume 2: An Anthology of Queer Italian-Canadian Writing, Longbridge Books, 2024)
“Like a 90s Boy” (Dispatches from the World, University of Manitoba’s Centre for Creative Writing and Oral Culture, 2022)
“Cool Cool Cool Ranch” (Poetry All Over the Floor, Tonight It’s Poetry, 2017)
“Red Velvet Songs” (Food Works: plums in the icebox, Dogpatch Press chapbook, 2015)