Today, I am delighted to welcome Anna Belfrage to Yarde Book Promotions to discuss A Newfound Land, the fourth novel in her acclaimed Graham Saga. In this interview, Anna reflects on Alex and Matthew's journey from seventeenth-century Scotland to Colonial Maryland, the historical inspirations behind the novel, and the enduring themes of faith, family, resilience, and finding a place to call home.
But first, let's check out A Newfound Land.
Publication Date: 27th May 2017
Publisher: Timelight Press
Page Length: 459 Pages
Genre: Time Travel Romance
It’s 1672, and Matthew Graham and his family have left Scotland. Having taken the drastic decision to leave their homeland due to religious conflicts, Alexandra and Matthew hope for a simpler, if harsher, life in the wilds of the Colony of Maryland.
Unfortunately, things don’t always turn out as you want them to, and the past has a nasty tendency to resurface at the most inappropriate moments. Both Matthew and Alex are forced to cope with the unexpected reappearance of people they had never thought to meet again, and the screw is turned that much tighter when the four rogue Burley brothers enter their lives.
Matters are further complicated by the strained relations between colonists and the Susquehannock Indians.
When Matthew intercedes to stop the Burleys from abducting Indian women into slavery he makes lifelong – and deadly – enemies of them all.
Once again Alex is plunged into an existence where death seems to threaten her man wherever he goes. Will Matthew see himself – and his family – safe in these new circumstances? And will the past finally be laid to rest?
In A Newfound Land, Alex and Matthew make the difficult decision to leave Scotland and begin a new life in Maryland. Did you always know their journey would eventually take them across the Atlantic, or did that aspect of the story develop as the series grew?
Well, if we’re going to be quite correct, they make the decision at the end of the preceding book, The Prodigal Son. Why? Because they don’t believe there is a future for them and their children in a Scotland where Matthew is being constantly persecuted for his faith and, by extension, constantly under suspicion of engaging in treasonous acts. Did I see myself carrying Matthew and Alex over the Atlantic to set down new roots? No. I sort of never expected there to be more than one book, but Alex and Matthew grew into “real” people as I wrote their story, and obviously, there’s no full stop (beyond death) to a real person’s life. That they ended up having to leave Scotland is likely a reflection on my own fascination with all those (very) brave people who tore up families, packed their most treasured belongings into a couple of chests and left everything familiar behind to start a new life, in a new land.
The more I got to know Matthew, the more I realised that this man would find it extremely hard to compromise on issues of faith, and once Charles II was restored and the Covenant Act was a reality, the ground was burning under his feet. Alex, having some knowledge of the tribulations Scotland will live through in the 18th century (she may not be a history nerd, my time travelling Alex, but it is hard to go through school in 20th century Scotland without having heard of Culloden…), just wants her family to find a safe haven.
By the time readers reach Book 4, Alex and Matthew have already survived separation, religious turmoil, and no shortage of personal challenges. How did their experiences in the first three novels shape the people they become in A Newfound Land?
Well, after a decade in this new time of hers, modern-day Alex has had to adapt to a time where life is so much less secure than it is in present-day Europe. My tough computer expert has also developed a relationship with God—a somewhat fraught relationship, but still: agnostic Alex has come to believe in some sort of higher power. If nothing else, because sometimes the only thing she has to hold on to is the hope that God will see them through their trials.
Matthew emerged very scarred from his previous time in the Colonies. To be so stripped of humanity, reduced to nothing but a beast, has further developed his compassion. This is a man who will never hold with slavery. He is also a man longing for some sort of peace—the reason they go to Maryland is that this colony welcomes all Christians, promising a life without persecution due to beliefs. Unfortunately, that peaceful life both Matthew and Alex long for is not exactly round the corner.
One of the recurring themes throughout The Graham Saga is the search for a place to call home. How important is that theme in A Newfound Land, where the Grahams must leave behind everything familiar and start again?
I would say it is very important. For Alex, she wants to set down roots, raise their children in a place they will call home. For Matthew, it is more about accepting that he has lost his beloved home forever, but has the opportunity to build something new here. Never home—no, home lies in Scotland for him—but a good, safe place. I think my characters’ yearning for home springs from my own rootlessness. My childhood was spent in various countries in South America, years in which my parents always spoke of “home” when referring to Sweden. Then we moved back, and this strange cold country was definitely not home—at least not for me and my sister. I have always looked for “home”. I found my safe place back in 1982 when I met hubby, but a place that calls to me, ground that whispers “welcome” I did not find until 2012.
A Newfound Land introduces readers to the realities of life in Colonial Maryland, including the often-tense relationship between settlers and the Susquehannock people. What drew you to this particular period and setting?
When I started writing A Newfound Land, I was sort of stuck from a period perspective. I did, however, choose the colony the Grahams emigrate to with some care. Maryland was, as mentioned above, unique in that it welcomed all Trinitarian faiths. Originally founded by Lord Calvert to allow Catholic settlers to flee persecution (which was rife) in England, it soon drew Presbyterians, Anglicans and all other Christian faiths.
The Susquehannock were the original people in present day Maryland (hence the Susquehanna river) They had welcomed the white explorers like John Smith with food and gifts—something I fear they would come to bitterly regret as wave after wave of European settlers pushed them further and further away from their homelands. Obviously, I needed to include some of this tension in my narrative.
The Burley brothers emerge as a major threat in A Newfound Land and continue to cast a shadow over the Graham family for several books afterwards. Did you always intend them to play such a significant role in the saga?
No. But once Philip Burley walked on stage, followed by his creepy brothers, I was stuck. The Burleys are opportunists, eager to make money whatever way they can, no matter who is hurt or killed. Initially, they abduct Susquehannock women and sell them as wives or slaves. Then they move on to selling all sorts, and when we first meet Philip Burley, he has just laid hands on two young indentured girls whom he plans to sell off further south.
Across nine novels, Alex transforms from a modern woman stranded in seventeenth-century Scotland into the matriarch of an expansive colonial family. Looking back, what aspect of her character arc has been the most rewarding to write?
Alex shows that there is strength in adapting, even if she has moments when she is extremely dissatisfied with the restrictions imposed on her as a woman in the 17th century. But for me, her story is that of a woman who finally finds her place in the world, in this case beside this weird 17th century dude she first suspects may be some sort of anachronistic monk. With Matthew, she forges a partnership that withstands pretty much anything, and depicting how she develops into this strong, resolute and compassionate woman has been a sheer joy.
Matthew's strong sense of loyalty and duty often places him in difficult situations, whether dealing with family, faith, or friends. What is it about his character that has allowed him to remain such a compelling protagonist throughout the series?
Precisely that, I think. Matthew is bad at compromising in general (“Tell me about it! The man is as stubborn as a rock. A huge piece of Scottish granite,” Alex mutters) and about his values in particular. When it comes to his basic beliefs, he remains very much the same throughout the series, albeit experience and being so loved allows him to become more compassionate. He is also fallible—both he and Alex are, but he screws up significantly on a couple of occasions—and that makes him relatable.
The Graham Saga spans multiple countries, decades, and generations while weaving real historical events into the narrative. How do you approach balancing historical accuracy with the demands of storytelling?
The Graham Saga is first and foremost the story of the Graham family. It is that story arc that carries the series, and depending on where we are in what year, the historical setting is woven into the narrative. I love my historical research, and have spent a lot of time in creating a credible geographic setting while peppering the narrative with the real events of the time that would have a direct or indirect impact on my protagonists.
Having written nine books featuring Alex and Matthew, were there any characters who surprised you by taking on a much larger role than you originally intended?
Ian, definitely. This is Matthew’s son from his first marriage who in many ways is the protagonist of the third book. A boy not her own that Alex takes into her heart and loves as fiercely as her own brood—and is loved as fiercely back.
Jacob is another of the Graham children who grew into a protagonist in the fifth and sixth book. I hadn’t expected that from him.
But most of all, I think Mrs Gordon who becomes Mrs Parson. She was not intended to be recurring character, but Alex has never had a real mother, and Mrs Parson is a fount of pithy remarks and a no-nonsense approach to life. Plus, there is the mystery of how she always looks (and smells) so clean when Alex will swear she has never, ever seen the woman take a bath. In Mrs Parson, Alex finds the mother she never really had. In Alex, Mrs Parson finds a daughter, in Matthew a son, a compensation of sorts for all the loved ones she has lost.
Looking back from A Rip in the Veil to There is Always a Tomorrow, what do you hope readers take away from Alex and Matthew's extraordinary journey through love, loss, faith, family, and time itself?
This is primarily a story about love and how love makes us stronger. Yes, it is about the love between man and woman, but just as much about the love between parents and children, about the love that can grow between people with no blood ties whatsoever.
From a personal perspective, The Graham Saga is also a story about faith. Side by side with Alex, I have considered just what my beliefs are and how God fits into the overall scheme of things. Like Alex, I believe that the single most important tenet of the Christian faith is that of compassion. Matthew and Alex don’t hesitate to extend a helping hand to those in need, despite the risks to themselves. I admire them for that.
My thanks to Anna Belfrage for sharing the inspiration behind A Newfound Land and offering such fascinating insights into the world of the Graham family.
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Anna Belfrage
Had Anna been allowed to choose, she'd have become a professional time-traveller. No luck there, so instead she became a financial professional with two absorbing interests; history and writing. These days, Anna combines an exciting day-job with a large family and her writing endeavours. Plus she always finds the time to try out new recipes, chase down obscure rose bushes and initiate a home renovation scheme or two.
Anna has authored the acclaimed time travelling series The Graham Saga , set in 17th century Scotland and Maryland, as well as the equally acclaimed medieval series The King’s Greatest Enemy.
Anna has also published The Wanderer, a fast-paced contemporary romantic suspense trilogy with paranormal and time-slip ingredients. Her September 2020 release, His Castilian Hawk is a story of loyalty and love set against the complications of Edward I’s invasion of Wales in the late 13th century.
Her most recent release, The Whirlpools of Time , is a time travel romance set against the backdrop of brewing rebellion in the Scottish highlands.
All of Anna’s books have been awarded the IndieBRAG Medallion, she has several Historical Novel Society Editor’s Choices, and one of her books won the HNS Indie Award in 2015. She is also the proud recipient of several Reader’s Favorite medals as well as having won various Gold, Silver and Bronze Coffee Pot Book Club awards.
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