Episode Details

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

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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/

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