Shows
First Dates & Soulmates12: Peppermint Bark, No Bite with Author Bailey SeabornIn this week’s episode of First Dates & Soulmates, Nikki is interviewing soon-to-be-famous author, Bailey Seaborn.Bailey Seaborn (Meg Casebolt’s pen name) is the author of the romance novel you may have heard the first handful of chapters of on this podcast, Peppermint Bark, No Bite.And she’s here to answer all of your questions about herself as a romance novelist, author, and entrepreneur.She talks about:* Where the pen name Bailey Seaborn originated* How she went about plotting the novel, Peppermint Bark, No Bite* Inspir...2024-07-241h 11
First Dates & Soulmates11: Peppermint Bark, No Bite: Chapters 4 & 5Get a sneak peek of Meg Casebolt's (written under the pen name, Bailey Seaborn) debut romance novel, Peppermint Bark, No Bite, a witty heartwarming, romantic comedy about a woman who recruits the grinchiest man alive to be her stand-in for Santa, and then she melts his frosty facade.The novel will be released on July 25th in celebration of Christmas in July. Pre-order your copy so it'll go right to your inbox when it's released: https://amzn.to/4dJlnjeThis episode includes Chapters 4 and 5. Chapters 1-3 are also available right here on the podcast! Follow the show on...2024-07-1726 min
First Dates & Soulmates10: Love, Actually: Film ReviewWhen Love, Actually came out in November of 2003, so many critics hated it. Meg and Nikki are here today, continuing with Christmas in July to talk about the Love, Actually, which many people consider a Christmas movie.Although there were many iffy parts to this film, it did spark a cultural phenomenon. In this episode, Meg and Nikki discuss their favorite and least favorite romantic storylines, couples, tropes, and WTF moments from the film. Some of the couples they hate, some they love, and some are just kinda… meh. Tune in if you love romance mo...2024-07-101h 00
First Dates & Soulmates09: Christmas in July: Holiday RomancesMeg and Nikki are kicking off the month by celebrating Christmas in July.In this week’s episode of First Dates & soulmates, Meg and Nikki talk about holiday romance novels as they discuss their favorite Christmas tropes and the ones they think lack originality. This episode is packed with lots of great holiday book recommendations, as well as holiday microtropes they LOVE, and the four ways Christmas can be built into a novel. If you’re a holiday romance lover, this episode is for you. And if you’re NOT, then this episode might just make y...2024-07-0355 min
First Dates & Soulmates08: Bridgerton Season 3 RecapSeason 3 of Bridgerton is out and Meg and Nikki have THOUGHTS. In this week’s episode of First Dates & Soulmates, Meg and Nikki discuss their favorite moments from Season 3, as well as some of their biggest disappointments.If you’re not caught up with parts 1 and 2, beware - there ARE spoilers in this episode.You can also expect from this episode:* Meg and Nikki’s thoughts on the way the season was released; Should they have released it weekly instead?* Queer representation in the season* The most import...2024-06-261h 00
First Dates & Soulmates05: Their Last Resort by R.S. GreyMeg and Nikki sure do, but in the case of Their Last Resort by R.S. Grey, they were left a little disappointed with the execution of some of these tropes. In this week's episode of First Dates & Soulmates, Meg and Nikki discuss the things they liked in this novel and the things they think could've been implemented differently. You can also expect to hear:* Is this REALLY an "enemies to lovers" novel?* The development of Paige and Cole's relationship and the pacing of the overall storyline* Perceived conflict versus actual conflict2024-06-0545 min
First Dates & Soulmates05: Their Last Resort by R.S. GreyWho doesn't love a good enemies to lovers, forced proximity romance?! Meg and Nikki sure do, but in the case of Their Last Resort by R.S. Grey, they were left a little disappointed with the execution of some of these tropes. In this week's episode of First Dates & Soulmates, Meg and Nikki discuss the things they liked in this novel and the things they think could've been implemented differently. You can also expect to hear:Is this REALLY an "enemies to lovers" novel?The development of Paige and Cole's relationship and the pacing of the o...2024-06-0545 min
First Dates & Soulmates04: The Bridgerton Prosaic UniverseIn this week's episode of First Dates & Soulmates, Meg and Nikki are diving into the Bridgerton universe. Written by Julia Quinn and brought to T.V. by Shonda Rhimes, The Bridgerton series is an epic Regency romance tale, set throughout eight novels. In this episode, you can expect:* Meg and Nikki's experience with Bridgerton and why they love Regency romance* How the show differs from the books, as well as what they liked and didn't like* The differentiation between the Regency time period and other historical time periods in terms of the number...2024-05-291h 12First Dates & Soulmates04: The Bridgerton Prosaic UniverseIn this week's episode of First Dates & Soulmates, Meg and Nikki are diving into the Bridgerton universe. Written by Julia Quinn and brought to T.V. by Shonda Rhimes, The Bridgerton series is an epic Regency romance tale, set throughout eight novels. In this episode, you can expect:Meg and Nikki's experience with Bridgerton and why they love Regency romanceHow the show differs from the books, as well as what they liked and didn't likeThe differentiation between the Regency time period and other historical time periods in terms of the number of books soldWho are the readers of...2024-05-291h 12
First Dates & Soulmates03: Peppermint Bark, No Bite sneak preview: Chapters 1-2Get a sneak peek of Meg Casebolt's (written under the pen name, Bailey Seaborn) debut romance novel, Peppermint Bark, No Bite, a witty heartwarming, romantic comedy about a woman who recruits the grinchiest man alive to be her stand-in for Santa, and then she melts his frosty facade.The novel will be released on July 25th in celebration of Christmas in July. Pre-order your copy so it'll go right to your inbox when it's released: https://amzn.to/4dJlnjeThis episode includes Chapters 1 and 2 of the novel. Come back next month for Chapter 3!...2024-05-2026 min
First Dates & Soulmates02: My First Read: Born in IceCan you remember the very first romance novel you've ever read? For Nikki, it was Born In Ice by Nora Roberts. And in this episode of First Dates & Soulmates, Meg and Nikki are going all in on their favorite tropes, the clashing of plots, some romance "no-no's", and more from Born In Ice. And don't worry - if you've never read this novel, Nikki and Meg give a very short overview of the plot before diving into the discussion.Follow the show on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/firstdatesandsoulmates/ Follow the show...2024-05-191h 05
First Dates & Soulmates01: Why We Love Romance So Much That We Can’t Shut Up About ItIn the first official episode of First Dates & Soulmates, Meg and Nikki talk about where their love for romance and reading began and why they're making it into a passion project. You'll also hear about Meg and Nikki's favorite genres (there may be some controversy here), the genres they tend to stay away from, what you can expect to hear in episodes going forward, and, as Nikki puts it, "discussion, giggles, and what the fuckery".Follow the show on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/firstdatesandsoulmates/ Follow the show on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@firstdatesandsoulmates2024-05-1522 min
First Dates & SoulmatesTEASER: First Dates & SoulmatesPremieres Wednesday, May 22nd, 2024. Join Meg Casebolt and Nikki Mcknight for their weekly conversations on their latest romance reads. Each week, listen in to get Meg and Nikki's takes on their favorite (and most cringey) romance stories. Plus, hear from authors and get sneak peeks of Meg's upcoming releases.Follow the show on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/firstdatesandsoulmates/ Follow the show on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@firstdatesandsoulmates View the full show notes on our Substack https://firstdatesandsoulmates.substack.com/ Pre-Order Meg’s debut novel, Peppermint Bark, No Bite (affiliate li...2024-05-1301 min
Think Big with Dan & QasimThe Cozy Tangerine: Weaving Threads of Inspiration with Jocelyn Koury | Think Big with Dan and QasimIn this episode of "Think Big with Dan and Qasim," we dive into the world of crochet creativity with Jocelyn Koury, the talented business owner behind The Cozy Tangerine. Join us as we explore the inspirational journey of an entrepreneur who turned her passion for crochet into a successful one-woman business.Discover how Jocelyn Koury transformed her love for crafting with yarn into a thriving venture that offers crochet apparel, accessories, decor, and more. Her story is a testament to the power of creativity, dedication, and the entrepreneurial spirit.If you're looking for insights into...2024-05-0920 min
Social Slowdown: sustainable digital marketing for entrepreneursEp. 60: Sunsetting Your Social Media With Jocelyn KouryAs of January 2023, we're archiving all of our Instagram posts and shifting to a 9-grid strategy.In this episode, Jocelyn Koury (our Content Marketing Coordinator) and I talk about some of the changes we're making in 2023, how we've decreased our dependence on social media over the past year, and how you can participate in a challenge we're running from January 23-27. This episode will give you insight into:A "behind-the-scenes" of what Love At First Search is doing to decrease our dependence on social mediaHow you can make better use of your time on s...2023-01-1132 min