New novel spotlights New Madrid in the early 1800s

A new novel puts the spotlight on New Madrid in the early 1800s.

Written by Robert Tomaino, “New Madrid” follows a reluctant lawman named James Ellard in New Madrid. Expelled from the army for his role in a brutal Native American massacre, Ellard has carved out a solitary life as a sheriff in New Madrid but despite his desire to avoid controversy and conflict, he finds just that when a young girl named Abigail Duncan goes missing.

Tomaino came up with the idea for his book when his writing group proposed that everyone write an alternate history short story with the intent of putting together an anthology. He liked the story that he began and fleshed it out into a short novel.

“I was inspired to write a story of a U.S. in which the Salem witch trials did not end, but rather spread across the country,” Tomaino said. “I’ve always believed that the spirit of those trials never left the ethos of this country and we are too often bogged down by inflexible opinions and rushes to judgement, often without any evidence. It is this outdated, combative mode of thinking that contributes to a lot of the country’s problems today.”

Tomaino resides in Connecticut and has no connections to New Madrid but found the earthquake of 1811 interesting.

“I chose New Madrid because while researching another book I came across the earthquake of 1811 and the strange and bizarre events of that year, which to some degree, parallel our weird recent years,” said Tomaino. “I was unfamiliar with New Madrid before writing the book, but found the history of the town and the region fascinating.”

Due to the pandemic, Tomaino wasn’t able to visit New Madrid while writing the book.

“I would very much like to visit, however,” Tomaino said. “I do believe visiting the town would have helped make the book even better, but we’ve all had to adjust over the past two years.”

Tomaino said the events of 1811 should get more attention in the country, not only the New Madrid earthquake, but the comet and pending war with the British as well.

“The earthquake and the first-hand witness accounts I read are a remarkable way to travel back in time,” Tomaino said. “The original town of New Madrid and what the people that built it hoped to achieve there is fascinating as well. I hope my book captures a bit of the spirit of independence and hope that surrounded the founding of New Madrid.”

Tomaino began the book about three years ago but put the project aside. He picked it up again when he entered a contest called “When Words Count Retreat.” He then finished, edited and finalized the novel over about four months and won the contest. The book was published by a small press in Norwalk, Connecticut called Woodhall Press.

The book is available online through many different vendors, including Amazon and Barnes & Noble and many others.

“People should be able to purchase through the websites of local bookstores as well, which I believe is important,” Tomaino added.