Are you part of a fanatic fandom that follows one of the mega-hits in books, television, or movies? Or do you get sick of seeing uber-enthusiastic fans fill your social media feeds with things you have no interest in? This week, we discuss many of the mega-fandoms and whether their followings come from a genuine interest in the material or a need to belong and know what's going on. Is it pop culture or great stories that make people tune in for more, share memes and quizzes, and dress up as their favorite characters?

We are both Marvel fans, and this week we discuss the latest MCU release, Captain Marvel. We dish on Brie Larson's acting chops, what we liked about the movie, the theme of friendship and female empowerment, and the firsts this film can claim. We also talk about superheroes in general--why we love them, and how we see their qualities in ordinary humans every day if we look hard enough.

One of us loves to cook and thinks recipes are loose guidelines. The other loathes cooking and is somewhat obsessive about exact measurements. This week, we discuss who does the cooking and what they get out of it. Does the job usually fall onto the person who enjoys it the most? Or is gender a factor? And how do social bonding and pop culture affect our views of cooking?

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.