Ep 153 - Two Moms, One Book, Endless Ambition with Meredith Lavender and Kendall Shores

Sometimes the most powerful Reinventions don’t start with a plan, but with two people realizing their different strengths belong in the same story.

In this episode, I chat with the wonderful Meredith Lavender and Kendall Shores, the dynamic co-authors of the sizzling debut novel Happy Wife. Happy Wife has captured national attention as a "Read with Jenna Book Club Pick," a SheReads Must-Read, and a Paste.com Most Anticipated Thriller. The novel has earned widespread praise, including Jenna Bush Hager’s “delicious, fun summer book” endorsement, along with acclaim from Booklist and Red Carpet Crash.

But before their success, Meredith spent decades shaping stories in Hollywood, show running The Flight Attendant and developing new series with Netflix, Showtime and Paramount+, while Kendall built her career in communications, beginning with grant writing at the Orlando Science Center before moving into strategy roles at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and Mailchimp.

Their journeys took a turn when Kendall turned 40 and chose to stop telling herself the story that she couldn’t write a novel, just as Meredith was navigating the writers’ strike and searching for a new creative outlet beyond television.

Together, they represent two sides of the same coin, and show what happens when you put different strengths together. As two working moms, they blended carpools with Zooms, powered through their first draft in a single summer with a fail-fast mentality, and showed that momentum outweighs perfection. More than anything, it’s about the courage to say your dream out loud, the power of creating with others, and the reminder that reinvention is possible—and exhilarating—at any stage of life.

Key Takeaways 

• Embrace a fail fast mentality - experiment quickly, learn, and keep moving forward.

• It’s okay not to grind at the desk every day - sometimes the best creativity comes from stepping away, sitting on the couch, or just taking a breather.

• Saying your dream out loud invites accountability and energy - when others hear it, they often help you bring it to life.

• When your hobby becomes your job - build new rituals and outlets so your passion doesn’t get lost in deadlines.

• Confidence often comes after action - momentum builds belief faster than waiting to “feel ready.”

Link to their book: https://www.amazon.com/Happy-Wife-Novel-Meredith-Lavender/dp/0593974379https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/771523/happy-wife-a-read-with-jenna-pick-by-meredith-lavender-and-kendall-shores/

Learn More about the Authors: https://www.meredithandkendall.com/

Kathi Sharpe-Ross and all things RE:INVENTION:

IG: https://www.instagram.com/kathisr_chief_reinventor/

FB: https://www.facebook.com/kathi.sharpeross/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathisharpeross    

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ReinventionExch

THE RE:INVENTION EXCHANGE - for more Inspired Content, Blogs, Podcasts, RE:INVENTION Virtual Chats, or to buy a copy of my book RE:INVENT YOUR LIFE! WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? by Kathi Sharpe-Ross, visit https://www.thereinventionexchange.com