About The Book, Terror at Tierra de Cobre

Strong women, ancient magic, and the walking dead make for a heady mix. Seven women are called to protect a small mining town in the New Mexico Territory, Tierra De Cobre, against an ancient evil that has killed or stolen the town’s men and is twisting the souls of the townswomen. Maria Garcia, recently widowed and quietly fierce, has the answer: hire women to fight the monster. Taking the classic Western “The Magnificent Seven” as a jumping off point, the town’s defenders are assembled, all women from wildly different backgrounds, united by one mission: to defend the town and defeat the evil. All the odds are against them; the price of failure is death or worse, and all they have is each other.

About the Author

Michael Merriam is the award-winning author of the Weird West and Steampunk series Sixguns & Sorcery. His latest novella in the series is Terror at Tierra de Cobre published by Queen of Swords Press. Michael’s work has appeared in Carina Press, Queen of Swords Press, and Uncanny Magazine, among others. He has published fourteen books and over 100 pieces of short fiction and poetry. His scripts have been produced for stage and radio. Like most artists, he has worked a variety of odd jobs over the years, including short-order cook, late-night radio disc jockey, international freight specialist, and manager of a puppet troupe. He lives in Minneapolis, MN, with his wife, housemate, a quiet dog, and a chonky cat. Visit his website at www.michaelmerriam.com

Author Q&A

What was the inspiration for this book?

Of course, this book is heavily influenced by the Magnificent Seven/Seven Samurai and all their various iterations. I also was researching and came across the mythological creature who would serve as the antagonist, and knew immediately this would be a powerful and intelligent foil to battle a band of heroes. Since the creature has a power similar to a siren, this would force the besieged town to hire women mercenaries to defend their homes and livelihood. 

Are there any fun facts about the book you’d like to share?

I listen to music when I write. The publisher asked me to put together a playlist, which you can listen to here: https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtjpSzpjxXjOHnEPfuofCdapEqAdqRYjn&si=esvPlbjnQx6HaHLJ

Is there anything else you’d like readers to know?

While Terror at Tierra de Cobre is a standalone book, if you are interested in the entire series, you can purchase Charming Mayhem, the omnibus of the four previous novellas along with all new material here.

Read a full Author Q&A with Michael Merriam Here.

Weird West Author Spotlight: Michael Merriam

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