Meet the Duo Behind Reading With Robin

How did you decide to start teaming up for projects, and what roles do you each take on? 

The unofficial start of our partnership was when my mom would pull me out of school to help with events such as Jennifer Weiner and Claire Cook. But we formalized our collaboration with The Cardigan Connection in 2016, which we used to run on a monthly basis and are looking to bring back in pop-up form! My mom is undoubtedly "the talent," but we work together on every decision that we make. 

Your events focus heavily on community, bringing big names to our little state and by doing so putting RI on the literary map. What character/role does the Ocean State play in your figurative novel? 

The Ocean State offers so much and is a character in its own right. From flower fields in Exeter to waterfront restaurants in Newport, every corner of the state has something special to offer, and we always enjoy highlighting these places at our events. 

You typically bring in local charities, organizations, and venues for your events and collaborations; how do you choose who to work with and highlight? 

Giving back has always been an important part of our family values, so when we pick organizations, they either represent a cause that touches us or is in some way connected to the book and its author. Regarding our event locations, we like to keep things interesting. We love highlighting the businesses that we frequent in our own lives and bringing people to them that might not otherwise know about them. Bonus points if they have good parking!

Now that it’s wintertime in RI, where are some of your favorite local spots to cozy up with a book and/or do your book shopping? 

We absolutely love cozying up at Curiosity & Co. in Jamestown, with either a glass of wine or spiked Springline coffee. InkFish Books in Warren is also one of our favorite places to shop because you never know what goodies owner Lisa Valentino is going to have. For sitting down with a book in the city, we also enjoy Coffee Exchange and Custom House. Learn more at RobinKall.com/Reading-With-Robin