22. A Jenna’s Book Club Pick: Happy Wife Authors Reveal Winter Park’s Reaction

Betsy sits down with Meredith Lavender and Kendall Shores, authors of the bestselling Winter Park–set thriller The Happy Wife. We dig into what animates their story and how those same skills make you better at business and with AI: curiosity, collaboration, belonging, and choosing creativity over fear.

We talk about:

Turning a sense of place into a page-turner
Writing partners, failure tolerance, and “fun over perfect”
Curiosity as a superpower for better AI prompts
Belonging, imposter feelings, and building welcoming communities
Strong female leads, agency, and making choices you can stand on
Winter Park’s layers — beyond the ultra-wealthy stereotype
A tease of Book 2 in the Happy Wife world

About the book: A Read with Jenna Pick on the TODAY show, The Happy Wife follows Nora, a 28-year-old navigating love, mystery, and identity in Winter Park. No spoilers here — just why it resonates and what it can teach us about life and leadership.

If you’re a builder, leader, or lifelong learner, you’ll leave with practical “curiosity hacks,” belonging cues you can use at work and events, and a reframed view of AI as a tool that amplifies human creativity.

TIME STAMPS

00:00 Welcome and episode setup
01:40 The Happy Wife elevator pitch
04:10 How the authors met and the scavenger hunt story
06:45 Kendall’s writing journey and turning 40
09:05 Why Winter Park and building a sense of place
12:00 Craft cheat codes for writing a place you haven’t been
14:10 Business lens on curiosity and AI prompts
16:40 Partnership rules: fun, fail fast, not precious
19:30 Handling creative disagreements by following passion
21:50 AI in Hollywood and why the human touch matters
24:00 Voice and dialogue choices; empathizing with Nora
27:10 Belonging in Winter Park and wealth dynamics
29:40 Belonging tips: say hello, the Yeti trick, self-belonging\
31:50 Reader reactions and Winter Park’s response
34:10 Key themes and takeaways: choice, agency, growth
36:10 Sequel tease and closing thanks

Don’t forget to subscribe for more conversations with leaders, innovators, and change-makers who are shaping the future of business and community.

Watch now and drop a comment with the one word that describes your B-side.

Subscribe, rate, and share the B Student Podcast—because the B side of your story might just be the best part.

Connect with this week's guests Meredith Lavender and Kendall Shores at: https://www.instagram.com/meredithandkendall/?hl=en

Find the book The Happy Wife at: https://www.meredithandkendall.com/

Connect with Betsy Gardner: https://www.betsygardner.com/

Learn More about Winter Park Chamber of Commerce: https://www.winterpark.org/

--------------------------------
Podcast produced by Hi Hello Labs: https://www.hihellolabs.com/

Published on 1 month ago

Podcast Episode Details

22. A Jenna’s Book Club Pick: Happy Wife Authors Reveal Winter Park’s Reaction