Welcome to the Blog Tour for Tales from the Matthewsburg Manse by Kate Tompkins, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours! I’m delighted to welcome Kate to the blog today to chat about her book!
TALES FROM THE MATTHEWSBURG MANSE by Kate Tompkins
GENRE: Rural Short stories/Poetry (Christian)
PUBLISHER: The Matthewsburg Manse
RELEASE DATE: October 26, 2023
PAGES: 314
When city girl Viv’s husband Mark accepts his first pastoral charge in rural Matthewsburg, she wonders what to expect, and what will be expected of her. This collection of connected fiction stories, some humorous, some suspenseful, some even romantic, explores Viv’s new life as she tries to find her place in the community while dealing with local gossip, old rivalries, suspected murder, sabotaged car shows, and more. Who says life in a small town is boring?
“This book entertains us with our own humanity, we laugh at human foibles, nod our heads in the mutual pains of life’s adventures. Interspersed are poems expressing poignant moments. These provide a place to rest, ponder and even smile before we are once again taken on the life journey of being a spouse in a small town parish. I found myself laughing out loud on occasion. This book is a wonderful read and leaves us with the feeling that life is good.” – Nita Kotiuga, retired pastor, Director of Spiritual Formation at Bakke Graduate University.
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Hi Kate! Welcome to the blog!
Kate: Actually, I prefer spring, when everything’s starting to green up again, the sidewalks and roads are no longer icy/slushy, and the sun is warm enough for shirtsleeves, but not so hot I need to retreat to the comfort of the air conditioner.
Carrie: Spring is so refreshing!
Kate: Cats. I like dogs, too, but dogs like everybody. If a cat likes you, it’s special. We found our current cat abandoned at a roadside park when we were on vacation—best souvenir ever!
Carrie: I don’t understand how people can abandon dogs & cats like that – I’m so glad you were there at the right time!
Kate: Board game. Somehow they seem like more fun than playing cards. When I was a kid, a family friend gave my sister and I a board game each Christmas. One of those games still lives in a drawer at my parents and gets pulled out each time we come to visit.
Carrie: we love board games too!
Kate: Definitely ebook. As long as I have my phone with me, I have something to read. No need for more bookshelves in the house. And I can operate it one-handed, while the other hand is petting the cat.
Carrie: I’m sure the cat especially appreciates that haha
Q: Around here I like to say that reading is my superpower. If YOU had a superpower, what would it be?
Kate: Since you already took the good one… the power of not being noticed. It’s very useful for a writer to be able to blend into the background to listen and observe. Sometimes a total stranger’s actions or something they say can spark a story idea.
Carrie: I love that! (And I’ll happily share mine too)
Q: Who is your favorite book character from childhood?
Kate: Merlin, from Mary Stewart’s The Crystal Cave. The idea of being somehow special was very appealing to me since I felt anything but special at the time.
Carrie: the power of a story ♥
Q: If I sneaked a peek in your purse right now (which I would never do, I promise!), what would it tell me about you?
Kate: That I should clean it out more often? Normally there are one or two grocery lists in there, on the back of envelopes because I like to use things more than once before putting them in the recycling. There’s a Simon’s Cat face mask, which tells you I love cats, and Simon’s Cat in particular. My wallet would tell you more, for example, when and who I married, that I can drive, that I’ve been to London, England (I have a transit card for the Tube), my favourite restaurant and where I buy my groceries (loyalty cards), my maiden name, my blood type, and that I like ice cream. I also like chocolate, but I don’t keep that in my purse for obvious reasons.
Carrie: if only chocolate didn’t melt so easily…
Q: If Hollywood wanted to produce Tales from the Matthewsburg Manse as a movie, who would you want to be cast as the lead roles?
Kate: I’ve never pictured it as a movie, but I’d love to see it as a one-woman stage play. Hayley Atwell would be awesome!
Carrie: oh that sounds fun!
Q: Some authors like to hide little things in their stories. Is there anything you have hidden in Tales from the Matthewsburg Manse?
Kate: My dad has a walk-on part in one story, and I’ve used one of my father-in-law’s jokes in another. The brooch Viv describes to Maddie as belonging to her grandmother in Chasing Down the Notes: Finale is actually mine and once belonged to my great grandmother. Those are things only family would pick up on, and I put them in there for them.
Carrie: that’s so special – i love that ♥
Q: What is one of your favorite quotes from the book & why do you love it?
Kate: “’He said he wasn’t going to do my homework for me. He did have to drive me here, though.’ Jacquie smiled for the first time. ‘I told him if he didn’t, I’d have to hitchhike.’” Teenaged Jacquie’s parents have split up and she’s been dragged halfway across the country by her dad. I like this quote because even though she’s miserable and full of unanswered questions, she hasn’t given up and still has her sense of humour.
Carrie: a sense of humor is so important, especially in the miserable times.
Thank you so much for taking time to talk with me! 🙂 Before we say goodbye for today, tell us what‘s coming up next for you.
Kate: I’m currently working on a collection of science fiction/fantasy stories, some of which have been previously published in print publications. Poetry pops into my head at odd times, generally when I can’t write it down. I hope to get back to Matthewsburg and fill in some of the blanks, especially for some of the characters other than Viv and Mark. I’m curious about Maddie’s backstory and Walt’s, and how Emily Woo ended up in Matthewsburg. Maybe if I ask them, they’ll tell me.
Kate Tompkins lives in Montreal’s West Island, where she shares a small house and a big backyard with her husband and the latest in a series of very spoiled cats. She writes short stories, poetry (yes, the non-literary, rhyming kind), and the occasional essay. When not hanging out with her church’s writing group or getting lost down an internet rabbit hole, she can be found trying out recipes from old cookbooks for her cooking blog, Kate’s Virtual Kitchen, or outside keeping the flowerbeds in order.
Connect with Kate by visiting katetompkinsbooks.ca to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.
(1) winner will receive a $20 Amazon gift card!
Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight September 11, 2024 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on September 18, 2024. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US/CAN only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.
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What about you? What makes you want to read Tales from the Matthewsburg Manse by Kate Tompkins?