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From cult leaders to con artists and undercover FBI agents, PRETEND exposes those pretending to be someone they're not.
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Criminal Conduct is an investigative true-crime podcast series hosted by John Taylor and Javier Leiva. Season 1: The hosts look into the death of Michelle O'Connell, picking up the investigation where the murdered sleuth, Eli Washtock, left off. Season 2: The investigation of a rogue constable in Kentucky who is accused of planting drugs, stealing money, and shaking people down. Season 3: An American Serial Killer in Paradise: The story of serial killer William Holbert, aka "Wild Bill," and ...
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Writers talking about writing. Writers talking about publishing. Writers talking about life. Authors Terry Mixon, Paul E Cooley, and Veronica Giguerre interview, babble, and usually cover a number of disassociated topics.
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Can you really fake being insane—and get away with it? In this episode of PRETEND, host Javier Leiva sits down with forensic psychologist Dr. Tristin Engels to pull back the curtain on the high-stakes world of mental health evaluations in the criminal justice system. We explore how some criminals try to game the system, what psychologists look for …
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Chat asks what indies can learn from traditional publishers and vice versa. Prepare for opinions... Our links: Paul's store: https://payhip.com/paulecooley Paul's site: https://shadowpublications.com Terry's site: https://www.terrymixon.com/ Veronica: http://www.voicesbyveronica.com/ DRS Discord: https://discord.gg/pgmQxaVbGP Enjoy the show? Consid…
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Is there a difference between a plot and a sidequest? How do you know which one you're telling? And can an entire book be a sidequest? Terry wants to know. Our links: Paul's store: https://payhip.com/paulecooley Paul's site: https://shadowpublications.com Terry's site: https://www.terrymixon.com/ Veronica: http://www.voicesbyveronica.com/ DRS Disco…
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Interview with a man convicted of a Ponzi scheme. Bill Livolsi says he was just trying to help his wife, Linda—the ringleader of a multi-million dollar investment scam. In this episode of PRETEND, Bill opens up about how he got roped into the scheme, ignored every red flag, and ultimately landed in prison. He describes fake hedge funds, imaginary e…
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Trigger warning: This episode contains graphic discussions of emotional, financial, sexual, and physical abuse. Listener discretion is strongly advised. When Lindsay first met him, he was charming, successful, and convincing—a financial advisor with all the right answers. What started as a storybook marriage quickly spiraled into a nightmare of man…
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2012: I Married a Narcissist part 2 Listener Reactions
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After publishing the story of a woman trapped in a marriage with a narcissist, I wasn't sure how it would land. It wasn’t flashy. It didn’t end in violence or arrest. But the response was overwhelming. Listeners wrote in to say, “That was me.” Some still carry the trauma years later. Others are just now realizing what they went through was abuse. I…
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What are some of the pros and cons of using real-life events in your work? Do they make good backdrops or should you avoid them? Our links: Paul's store: https://payhip.com/paulecooley Paul's site: https://shadowpublications.com Terry's site: https://www.terrymixon.com/ Veronica: http://www.voicesbyveronica.com/ DRS Discord: https://discord.gg/pgmQ…
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In this episode of PRETEND, we meet “Ashley”—not her real name—who recorded hours of arguments with her husband in an effort to understand what was happening inside her marriage. From the outside, it looked like petty spats over groceries or laundry. But when you hear the audio, you realize this was something darker. Ashley’s husband was emotionall…
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It started with a missing breast milk keepsake. But when Cheyna Lee joined an online group of frustrated customers, she uncovered something much bigger—hundreds of victims, stolen mementos, and a scam artist hiding in plain sight. This is the story of Destiny Magoon, a small business owner who promised sentimental jewelry made from ashes, hair, and…
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What can writers learn from role-playing game design? Do role-playing games help writers grasp character and universe? The DRS Crew discusses. Chat will bring their dice. Our links: Paul's store: https://payhip.com/paulecooley Paul's site: https://shadowpublications.com Terry's site: https://www.terrymixon.com/ Veronica: http://www.voicesbyveronica…
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Episode Summary: While working on the new season of Pretend, I wanted to bring back an episode from 2018 that’s worth another listen. It’s the story of Art Schlichter, a former Ohio State football star whose gambling addiction wrecked his life—and the lives of others. One of those people was Anita Barney, the widow of a Wendy’s CEO, who lost everyt…
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Binge Writing, Recovery, and Creativity
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What is "binge writing?" How do you get into the zone? More importantly, are there any 12 step programs to help you recover? Creativity isn't stagnant. It comes and goes, no matter how skilled you are. Are there any strategies for conjuring it? Chat will recommend coffee. Our links: Paul's store: https://payhip.com/paulecooley Paul's site: https://…
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Amazon Shenanigans -- We Own Nothing
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Amazon is removing the ability to download books you purchase to your computer, making all your ebooks ephemeral except via their app or their hardware. What do the DRS crew think about this change? Chat will bring their old USB cables. Our links: Paul's store: https://payhip.com/paulecooley Paul's site: https://shadowpublications.com Terry's site:…
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Provocateur Writing and Attraction Marketing
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Terry wonders about provocative writing, and V questions whether authenticity makes good marketing. Paul, meanwhile, thinks about the Antarctic as a setting for stories. Chat will bring their crayons. Our links: Paul's store: https://payhip.com/paulecooley Paul's site: https://shadowpublications.com Terry's site: https://www.terrymixon.com/ Veronic…
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n part two of Licensed to Kill, we continue the shocking investigation into doctors who exploit their patients for profit. This episode follows Patty Hester, a fitness instructor who was misdiagnosed with a rare blood cancer and nearly subjected to years of unnecessary chemotherapy—all at the hands of Dr. Farid Fata, a Michigan oncologist who built…
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What if your doctor wasn’t trying to save you, but trying to cash in on you? In this episode of Pretend, we uncover the shocking case of Dr. Thomas Weiner, an oncologist accused of prescribing years of brutal chemotherapy treatments to patients who may not have even had cancer. We follow the story of Scott Warwick, a man who was told he had stage 4…
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As Criminal Conduct Season 5 comes to a close, we examine the unanswered questions surrounding Buffalo Jim Barrier’s death. From the missing Rolls Royce to contradictory toxicology reports and Lisa’s elusive story, this episode leaves no stone unturned. Could his death have been staged to look like an accident? Or were key clues deliberately ignore…
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A group of women, all with eerily similar stories, say they were deceived—emotionally and financially—by the same man: William Sullivan. But instead of staying silent, they took matters into their own hands. They formed Operation Cock Block, a coordinated effort to expose what they claim were Sullivan’s deceptive tactics and warn others before they…
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Are you making money off your art? Or are you spending money to make art? When do you invest in yourself? Boundaries are important, especially if you have a subscriber service (Patreon, BMAC, Substack, etc). You can't always be the dancing monkey. Our links: Paul's store: https://payhip.com/paulecooley Paul's site: https://shadowpublications.com Te…
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Lisa was the last person to see Buffalo Jim alive, but her police interview only raised more questions than answers. From inconsistencies about their relationship to her murky account of what happened in the Motel 6 that night, her testimony leaves a trail of red flags. Could Lisa hold the key to solving the mystery of Buffalo Jim’s death? Or is sh…
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Facilitated Communication is marketed as a miraculous tool for non-speaking autistic children. But what happens when this controversial method leads to devastating consequences? In this episode, we hear from Kevin Plantin, a father who was falsely accused of assault based solely on messages typed with the help of a facilitator. Despite the evidence…
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When Buffalo Jim Barrier was found dead in a Motel 6, the scene raised more questions than answers. A mysterious phone call announced his death hours before it was confirmed, his Rolls Royce went missing and reappeared, and the woman last seen with him vanished. In this episode of Criminal Conduct, we piece together the events leading up to his unt…
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A mother kills her autistic son. Why? Because he asked her to. The mother claims he used facilitated communication to ask her to help him die. This case is just one of many tied to the controversial method that claims to give a voice to non-speaking autistic individuals. But what if the voice wasn’t theirs at all? Share Your Thoughts: Have you list…
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Social Muckery, Recycling, And Fluffy
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Our links: Paul's store: https://payhip.com/paulecooley Paul's site: https://shadowpublications.com Terry's site: https://www.terrymixon.com/ Veronica: http://www.voicesbyveronica.com/ DRS Discord: https://discord.gg/pgmQxaVbGP Enjoy the show? Consider becoming a Patreon or Buy Me A Coffee supporter and for as little as $1 a month, you can help kee…
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Our links: Paul's store: https://payhip.com/paulecooley Paul's site: https://shadowpublications.com Terry's site: https://www.terrymixon.com/ Veronica: http://www.voicesbyveronica.com/ DRS Discord: https://discord.gg/pgmQxaVbGP Enjoy the show? Consider becoming a Patreon or Buy Me A Coffee supporter and for as little as $1 a month, you can help kee…
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When Buffalo Jim Barrier checked into Room 105 of a Motel 6 on Boulder Highway, it marked the start of a series of unanswered questions and troubling discoveries. Days after his longtime rival Rick Rizzolo’s release from house arrest, the larger-than-life Las Vegas icon was found dead. A clean room, missing cash, suspicious substances, and strange …
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