How do authors come up with their story ideas? This week, we discuss the various places we find sparks, and the many ways those sparks change as they morph into full-blown novels. We explain the inspiration behind our existing series, and we also give a sneak peek into some ideas we have brewing for future books!

Famous friendships (like Jennifer Aniston and Courtney Cox) fascinate us, as do the ones we read about in novels and watch on film and TV. But what takes friendship to that deeper level? What makes a relationship go from acquaintance to ride-or-die squad member? This week, we discuss the different friendships we have as stages of life progress, and the things that end friendships, change them, or make them stick like glue. Join us to find out our friendship goals and what we think are qualities all of us want in our friends.

Book Piracy is rampant in this digital age. But many readers are not aware that they're engaging in piracy, and some see nothing wrong with downloading free books from piracy sites . This week, we discuss what piracy is, why people engage in it, why it's wrong, and what steps you can take to get free or discounted books while ensuring you're not being a pirate!

The internet is ablaze with Marie Kondo's system of tidying called KonMari. Some have become devotees of the system and cleaned out their entire household, much to the benefit of thrift shops everywhere. But others criticize her method, and some even find it offensive. In this week's episode, we discuss the parts of KonMari that we think work best and the overall concept of things sparking "joy".

Why are we Americans so fascinated with British royalty? Is it because we don't have our own princes and princesses, or is it because Queen Elizabeth II and her descendants have done an amazing job of staying relevant and keeping our attention? Diana, Princess of Wales, was a big influence on both of us in our youth, and Tawdra even studied the history of the British and their royal lineage in college. Now, she's turned her lifelong obsession into a series of books that explores the complexities of falling in love with a modern-day prince, even as a similar story plays out in the real-life headlines.

In honor of Valentine's week, Violet and Tawdra turn to their romance readers to answer the question--What is Romance? They find that the grand, over-the-top gestures and expensive gifts might be nice, but it's moments of connection and thoughtfulness that often mean the most when it comes to romance. And fair warning: you'll never look at your crock pot or microwave the same way again after listening to this episode!

How do you give up sugar, refined carbs, and Diet Coke when you don't want to give any of that up? The Wilder Way! This week, we discuss Jasinda's Wilder bestselling book You Can Do It, which outlines her years of research on health issues and dieting and lays out a plan to detox from sugar, refined carbs, and chemical-laden foods. Join Tawdra and Violet as we discuss our experiences with the plan, and our effort to recommit and reboot with the Wilder Way.

Having friends and family come over can be great for bonding and connecting, but the stress that comes with cleaning and preparation for a gathering can be overwhelming. This week, we discuss the concept of Scruffy Hospitality mentioned by Robin Shreeves in her blog. What can you let go of in order to embrace having visitors in your home and actually enjoy them being there? Do your visitors need an immaculate house to have a good time?

In this week's episode, we discuss some of the great literary scandals and the plethora of cases involving artists whose real lives are more dramatic than their work. Do writers create drama in their lives because of their creative minds, or do people who live surrounded by drama turn to fantasy to cope? (Or both?) And why do we hold fiction to a higher standard of plausibility than real life? We would never allow characters to get away with the dumb choices real people make every day.

Recent court cases in Europe and the US have highlighted some of the issues that arise when portraying (or alluding to) real-life figures in fictional creations. When does someone's right to create original works infringe upon someone else's right to control their public image and persona? If it's fiction, is anyone open game to portrayed in any manner the artist chooses? How does that apply when the "art form" is digital porn? And where is the line drawn with biopics, docudramas, and autobiographical material?