Robin Kall & Emily Homonoff, Founders of THE CARDIGAN CONNECTION.

One could easily refer to the dynamic mother-daughter duo of Robin Kall and Emily Homonoff as inventors. Together, they imagine and create things that didn’t exist before, like THE CARDIGAN CONNECTION. “It all starts out…” begins Robin – who is quickly joined by daughter Emily to finish the sentence in unison – “as another crazy idea!” For over 20 years, Robin has built a name for herself as Rhode Island’s own literary influencer, inviting authors to the Ocean State while showcasing venues, makers, community partners, and local independent booksellers in the process. Joined by Emily, who is armed with publishing PR know-how and the web design and branding skills that are her livelihood, this team of two are filling niches for book lovers.

Unlike Reading With Robin events that host authors and readers together in various spaces with panel discussions, there is no pre-reading required for The Cardigan Connection. “It’s far from what people think of as a typical author event,” Emily explains. “Instead, it’s an intimate opportunity to connect with authors and hear them tell off-the-page stories when they’re touring a new book.” Robin adds, “we handpick each author that we host because we believe in their work and have vetted them.” A sampling of past authors reads like a Who’s Who with both national names and local bestsellers. A variety of genres is also represented, from thrillers to fiction to cookbooks.

If The Cardigan Connection sounds familiar, it’s because it started in 2016 as the Point Street Reading Series. Named for a shared love of the Cardigan Welsh Corgi dog breed and not simply a devotion to preppie sweaters, the pair started the endeavor as “a way to bring diverse voices to the state when there weren’t very many engaging author events happening,” Robin explains. “We want the series to be a place where strangers could become friends, something that people would look forward to. To us this is far more than an ‘event,’  it is an extension of ourselves,” says Emily.

The Cardigan Connection relaunch took place in December 2024 at the new Gooseneck Vineyards site in North Kingstown. The event featured four authors, food partner Feast & Fettle, and book sales benefitting the Women’s Resource Center. “It was a happy mix of old faces and lots of new ones, and it was a packed house!” says Robin. To attend The Cardigan Connection is akin to an open-mic chat with your favorite rock stars, taking a pause from their publicity tour. The comparison to music isn’t far off as throngs of devoted fans of each author grab tickets quickly and attend these intimate talks with anticipation and excitement. Sell-out crowds demonstrate that Robin and Emily are clearly tapping into something.

“For us, the series is vital,” says Robin of The Cardigan Connection. “We do this because we believe in the power of storytelling and showcasing authors at every point in their careers. We run this series because we believe in bringing the community together and because we like to have a good time.” In 2025 the two will continue to host events on a quarterly basis with other author experiences scattered throughout. “Expect unique pairings to engage with authors,” says Emily. The next pop-up is set for March 11 at Alchemy. “Back where it began in Providence!” they both sing.