One hundred years ago marked a tumultuous time in Michigan's Copper Country. Copper miners were fed up with dangerous working conditions, long hours and low pay, so they joined the Western Federation and went out on strike in July of 1913. To make matters worse, on Christmas Eve, five months into the strike, an unthinkable tragedy occurred that forever changed the Upper Peninsula. How did the Houghton and Keweenaw counties go from mines filled with hard-working men to daily picketing, confrontation, accidents, and even death?Although I've written many freelance articles over the years, I've never had a novel published. That fault is soon to be corrected! I am self-publishing a work of historical fiction, Copper Empire. With a release date of May 1, 2013, this book has been a labor of love for more than twenty years.
Believe it or not, I first started writing the story when I was 20 years old and fresh out of college. Even with a Bachelor's degree in Journalism, I had no idea what I really wanted to do with my life, but I knew I had a passion for writing. I went on a vacation to the Upper Peninsula with my dad, stepmom and sister and fell in love with the copper country. I was intrigued by its local history and the fact that my grandmother was born and raised in Houghton. I wondered how in the world she ever survived the brutal winters. I was also curious if she knew the copper miners. . .especially the ones that had gone on strike in 1913--100 years ago! My grandmother would only have been ten years old, but I still feel connected to the saga that copper miners endured through her yooper heritage.
Copper Empire is a historical novel based on real events. The story centers around Paul and Marie Weyburn in Calumet, Michigan and how they survive a copper mining strike that threatens financial ruin for their family.
Please visit the book's website: https://sites.google.com/site/copperempire/ Also, stay tuned for blog updates. In the meantime, leave a comment (including your email address) and you will be entered into a book drawing for a copy of the book. Thank you for stopping by!
