Welcome, Tim!

Tim Meyer dwells in a dark cave near the Jersey Shore. He’s written and published over fifteen novels and novellas, including Malignant Summer, The Switch House, Dead Daughters, Limbs, and many other titles. He exists on coffee and IPAs.

His latest Weird West novel, Pteranodon Canyon, just released this month. Learn more about him at timmeyerwrites.com or on Twitter at @timmmeyer11.

About Pteranodon Canyon

It’s 1874 and Pteranodon poaching has just been made illegal, but that doesn’t stop some outlaws from profiting off the killing. Rumor has it the infamous bandit, Francis Burner, previously presumed dead, is running an operation out near western Wyoming, which has some folks mighty flustered.

Esteemed bounty hunter Charlie Archer isn’t looking for that one last majestic ride into the sunset. He’d much prefer to spend his days hitting the bars and blackjack tables, and his evenings mourning the loss of his family. But when a representative from the United States government comes knocking on the door with an opportunity too good to turn down, well….looks like Charlie will be jumping into that saddle for one last hunt – track down the bastard Francis Burner, murderer of his wife and child.

Charlie gathers up a posse and sets off on a bloody and brutal adventure across the Old American West, territories populated by carnivorous dinosaurs and human scoundrels aplenty.

So, saddle up. It’s high noon and the day is hungry.

Interview with TIM MEYER

Tell us about yourself – what is something readers would be surprised to find out?

I was born and raised on the Jersey Shore; so far, I haven’t been able to escape. My wife and I have a son, and his name is Jack. He’s autistic and the coolest dude I know. Published my first novel in 2012. Since then, I’ve written and published over fifteen books. Something that would surprise you, oh gosh—I once ate a whole pizza for a free T-shirt and almost died. Good times! 

What is it about the Weird West genre that draws you to it? What are your favorite aspects or examples of this often-underappreciated genre?  

Getting weird is the best way to keep things fresh, and the Old West was borderline weird anyway, such a wild and crazy piece of American history, full of interesting stories and characters. Mashing the two together allows writers to come up with fun scenarios to unleash on our readers, and it’s always interesting to get different takes on classic storylines. The West was a time that gave birth to legends and tall tales, so infusing that period with a bit of the bizarre is somewhat magical in my opinion. 

What inspired you to write this story?

Man, I love dinosaurs. It’s one of those childhood obsessions I never grew out of. I’d previously written a dino novel and a few short stories involving prehistoric creatures, but I wanted to do something a little different, and I thought—what better than to set the story in the Old West? So, I created a world that has that classic western aesthetic but where dinosaurs never went extinct. Our gunslingers must co-exist with these magnificent creatures. It was just a lot of fun to write and explore. I hope people dig it. 

If you were living in the Weird West, what kind of character would you be? 

Definitely the kind who’s always at the bar, ordering ales and ducking under tables when the crazy shit goes down. 

What is your Favorite weird west movie/book/comic/ETC. and why?

I’m gonna go with Preacher by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon. It’s not your traditional western per se, but it’s got all the vibes and feels, and there are a few arcs that do take us back to the Old West. And weird? It’s got a ton of weird in it. So much weird. But a good weird. The very best kind. It’s quite possibly my favorite graphic novel series ever written. I love how it blends so many different genres together so beautifully, while giving us unforgettable characters we will carry with us forever. The Magic Wagon by Joe R. Lansdale is right up there though.