Real Talk about Aging as a Woman
Hot flashes? Unreliable bladders? Neck wrinkles? Nothing is off-limits as authors Violet Howe and Tawdra Kandle tackle their most daunting topic yet: getting old when you're a woman.
Mar 26, 2022•50 min
An Open Dialogue
Authors Tawdra Kandle and Violet Howe share an open dialogue about books, movies, pop culture, families, travel, current events, and anything else that pops up in conversation. Occasionally, they even have guests!
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Episodes
An Open Dialogue Takes on the Olympics!
Join authors Violet Howe and Tawdra Kandle as they discuss the thrills of victory and agonies of defeat that made up the 2022 Winter Olympics!
Feb 25, 2022•41 min•Season 4Ep. 1
The 2021 Pop Culture Wrap Up
Join Violet Howe and Tawdra Kandle as we discuss the highs and lows of music, books, films and television in 2021.
Dec 18, 2021•1 hr 5 min•Season 3Ep. 8
The Fall of Rome and Other Fun Things (or . . . Should We Be Worried?)
Looking at the last years of the Roman Empire, it's impossible to miss certain similarities to our own culture. Could some of those likenesses point to worrisome circumstances for us? Join authors Violet Howe and Tawdra Kandle as we discuss the state of literature, art, music, cinema, and theatre--and decide for yourself. Should we be worried?
Oct 25, 2021•54 min•Season 2Ep. 7
I could NEVER do that! The Jobs We Don't Want (and a few we'd enjoy!)
Join authors Violet Howe and Tawdra Kandle as they chat about careers--those they've given their fictional characters and those they've considered themselves.
Jun 17, 2021•38 min•Season 2Ep. 6
Overwhelm! Why we experience it, can we deal with it, and how to avoid it.
I'm so busy. I'm juggling too much. I don't have enough time to get everything done in my day. Can you relate to any of these statements? Join authors Violet Howe and Tawdra Kandle as they chat about feeling stressed and having too much to do . . . including methods for coping and ways to avoid being overwhelmed.
May 27, 2021•47 min•Season 2Ep. 5
Oscars, Best Pictures and Covid in Fiction!
Join authors Violet Howe and Tawdra Kandle as they discuss current films, the upcoming Academy Awards, and artists' take on viewing the pandemic.
Apr 16, 2021•49 min•Season 2Ep. 4
Doing Your Best for Future You: A Conversation with 5-Star Life Coach Mel Jolly
Join authors Violet Howe and Tawdra Kandle as they chat with life coach Mel Jolly about how you can create the best life possible for Future You! https://www.meljolly.com/
Mar 04, 2021•57 min•Season 2Ep. 3
Romance and Research: Where Work Meets Fun
It's February, the month of romance. Join Violet Howe and Tawdra Kandle as they discuss why the world loves a love story--and the secret joys of author research
Feb 11, 2021•46 min•Season 2Ep. 2
An Open Dialogue Goes Visual!
An Open Dialogue, the podcast featuring best-selling authors Violet Howe and Tawdra Kandle, now offers a video component! Join us as venture into a more visual format . . . and prepare to laugh along with us. A note to our long-time listeners: we will continue to share the audio portion of our conversations, too--so you can continue to listen on your favorite podcast venues!
Jan 08, 2021•1 hr 6 min•Season 3Ep. 1
That's Frightful
Halloween may be pared down in 2020, but that doesn't stop us from discussing the things we find scary. To be honest, this episode was more funny than spooky since we couldn't stop making ourselves laugh, but we did manage to get through some of the most popular scary standards in film and pages. We delved into what makes one person scared and another person not, and we took a closer look at how environment and upbringing can shape what scares you.
Oct 30, 2020•49 min
Midnight Sun: Views from Two Twi-Hards
After years of anticipation, Stephenie Meyer's Midnight Sun has finally been released, and Twilight fans everywhere are weighing in on the novel that gives them Twilight from Edward's point of view. In this week's episodes, Tawdra and Violet discuss their own introduction into the Twilight Universe and their thoughts on Midnight Sun: Edward's angst, the insight into the Cullens (and everyone else) through Edward's mind-reading, and the draw of this series and its impact on the publishing industr...
Sep 15, 2020•1 hr 4 min
Wind, Waves, Sun, & Sand
The sound of crashing waves, the warmth of the sand, the salt in the air--what is it about a trip to the beach that helps us reset, recharge, and relax? Join Tawdra and Violet as they discuss their fondest beach memories, the qualities that make the best beaches for them, the title of most beautiful beach, and the yummiest must-have snacks for a beach day.
Jul 29, 2020•28 min
Surviving the Non-Zombie Apocalypse
When life seems filled with anxiety, fear, and ominous headlines, sometimes we need to take a humorous and light-hearted view of an otherwise dire situation. In this episode, we discuss what we've learned during this global pandemic, what we've missed, and what we wished we knew when it started.
Jun 03, 2020•46 min
Becca Syme Says We Need to Quit
As a career success coach, the host of Quitcast for Writers on YouTube, and author of Dear Writer, You Need to Quit, Becca Syme is an authority on quitting for all the right reasons. This week, we discuss her path to coaching creatives and her best advice for how to find success in the new year by quitting what’s not working for you.
Jan 08, 2020•36 min
Motivated by Non-Fiction
In this week's podcast, authors Tawdra Kandle and Violet Howe discuss the non-fiction books that have had the biggest impact on their lives and discuss their favorite biographies, self-improvement, and career advice books.
Nov 29, 2019•32 min
MK Meredith - Not Your Usual Boob
Romance author MK Meredith has written the book she wish she'd had when she first received her breast cancer diagnosis. Not Your Usual Boob: The Good, The Bad, & The Wonky of Breast Cancer is a guide for what to expect as you or a loved one navigates the breast cancer diagnosis and treatment journey. But it's much more than that. While chocked full of valuable information, this is not a clinical, non-emotional approach. Instead, it's like having a girlfriend talk through the experience with ...
Nov 20, 2019•49 min
MK Meredith -- Not Your Usual Boob
Romance author MK Meredith has written the book she wish she'd had when she first received her breast cancer diagnosis. Not Your Usual Boob: The Good, The Bad, & The Wonky of Breast Cancer is a guide for what to expect as you or a loved one navigates the breast cancer diagnosis and treatment journey. But it's much more than that. While chocked full of valuable information, this is not a clinical, non-emotional approach. Instead, it's like having a girlfriend talk through the experience with ...
Nov 20, 2019•49 min
Check Out Libraries
When is the last time you visited a library? In addition to being a great place to find books, libraries offer a wealth of reference materials and ways to connect with the community. Most these days feature computer stations for internet access, many have DVDS and CDS for check-out, and several host author-reader events where you can find a new read or meet a favorite writer. Did you know libraries also offer e-books you can get without ever having to leave your house? This week, we discuss the ...
Sep 19, 2019•37 min
Funerals -- Bizarre and Bittersweet
Funerals are a somewhat creepy but important part of life. Since Tawdra and Violet both recently said goodbye to family members, it seemed a good time to examine the various rituals and customs associated with these common but never ordinary social occasions. With equal parts humor and respect, they discuss the more bizarre aspects of funerals, as well as the importance of remembrance, grieving, saying goodbye, and connecting with family.
Aug 23, 2019•42 min
Love in a Small Town
What is it that makes small towns such perfect backdrops for romance? In this week's episode, Tawdra and Violet explore their own small town backgrounds as they discuss the benefits and pitfalls of living in a place where everyone knows your name. Then, they reveal how those experiences have shaped the different book series each of them have created set in small towns.
Aug 07, 2019•37 min
The Nostalgia of Stranger Things
As people who remember the 80s fondly from our youth, we're enjoying the trip down memory lane that Stranger Things provides. In this week's podcast, we discuss the explosive popularity of the show, its appeal to our age group (and others), and the enduring charm of the 80s, which seems in some ways more innocent than today and in others, more deadly.
Jul 24, 2019•40 min
Rom Coms--Good or Evil?
We love the rom-com film genre. We can watch our favorites over and over again. But sometimes when we watch an old favorite, we realize that it hasn't held up while over time. Things that were perfectly acceptable way back then can be uncomfortable or cringeworthy in today's world. It's also impossible to ignore that the happily-ever-after we're rooting for often sends unhealthy and/or unrealistic messages about love and romance. But does it matter? After all, it's fiction. It's supposed to be a...
Jul 11, 2019•37 min
Beatlemania
What is the draw that keeps the Beatles so popular long after they disbanded and stopped making music together? In honor of Global Beatles Day (and the upcoming release of a new film featuring their music), we discuss the Beatles--which one is our favorite, which songs we especially enjoy, which of us really isn't that much of a fan, and our take on their enduring impact on the music industry as a whole.
Jun 27, 2019•34 min
A Career Path to Sustainability
Join us as we interview special guest Cate Kandle, a recent graduate of Unity College, America's Environmental College. Learn more about Cate's degree in Sustainable Agriculture, and the educational journey that inspired Tawdra Kandle's character careers in the Anti-Cinderella trilogy. We also discuss attitudes toward sustainability, as well as Cate's real-life, practical suggestions for changes we can implement to make a difference for our environment.
Jun 19, 2019•45 min
Rapid Fire Q and A
We asked our readers to submit questions for us to answer---anything they wanted to ask! And they delivered! This week, we embark upon the question list with not-so-rapid answers. It turns out neither Tawdra nor Violet is good at just giving an answer without a lengthy explanation of WHY that's the answer. But it's all in good fun, and we learned some things about each other!
Jun 12, 2019•32 min
Where Have We Been and Where Are We Headed
After nearly a month away from the podcast, we are back! We have an update on our activities while we were on hiatus--including family trips and new releases, and we also discuss our upcoming plans for the summer. Find out where you can find us for book events, and which stories will be coming soon.
Jun 05, 2019•39 min
That Book Inspired Me
What are the books you can read over and over again? What book spoke to you and gave you a message that stuck with you long after you read it? This week, we discuss the nonfiction and fiction books that have inspired us at different times of our lives--childhood, teenager, and the various stages of adulthood.
May 09, 2019•30 min
Attitude of Gratitude
Some days it's easier than others to be thankful. But does making an effort to have gratitude make you appreciate the people and things around you more? This week, we talk about cultivating an attitude of gratitude and what works (and doesn't work) for putting us in a thankful state of mind.
May 02, 2019•29 min
Being a "Nice" Badass
Is it possible to be nice AND be a badass? It turns out, it is! This week, our guest is Lady Fury, a roller derby phenom and personal trainer who is well on her way to mastering being a badass while at the same time being a thoughtful, considerate, nice human. Fury reveals a few practical tips she employs to keep herself from falling into traps of guilt and insecurities, as well as her path to being empowered to be a badass. Join us for a funny and insightful interview with a very large personal...
Apr 24, 2019•40 min
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