We’re All Lying – Marie Still (INTERVIEW) – Episode 49

The IQ level on this episode rose significantly as the Buddies were joined by Marie Still, author of the newly released psychological thriller, We’re All Lying. The Buddies we’re lucky enough to get an advance copy of the book and ask some pertinent questions surrounding Marie’s debut novel.  They also had the chance to ask questions everyone was wondering like: what it is like to have a hedgehog in the family (RIP), if Marie enjoys a Coffee Vodka (CoVo) on occasion, and if it’s okay to empathize with a deranged psychopath. We’re not lying, come listen as we welcome the first author to join the Buddy Book Club.

Intro: (0:00-1:14)
Interview with Marie Still (1:15-20:42)
Stock Up/Down (20:43-46:32)
Favorite Scene (46:33-49:36)
Favorite Character (49:37-50:51)
Love/Hate (50:52-56:56) 
Conclusion (56:57-58:31)

Next Book: THE THIRD OPTION by VINCE FLYNN
Next Movie: THE SANDLOT

Transcript for SEO purposes 🙂

book club I’m Dylan here with the
co-founder of our company Keith what’s
up buddy co-founder of our company oh
I’m Julie yeah well you could be cats
I’m Victoria if you’re Julie you know
that I mean what are you kidding me
actually no I’m actually more like
Victoria I’m making a nice supper for
everybody yeah yeah
uh well here at the Buddy book club
we’re bringing down some best sellers
and this week we’ll be discussing Marie
Still’s debut novel we’re all lying if
you’d like to recommend a book for us to
read or Regent to us about any past
episodes you can visit our website
buddybillclub.com or sign into our DMS
on Twitter or Instagram buddy book a
podcast you’re going into this on iTunes
Spotify wherever you get your podcast so
please download And subscribe Keith we
had a pretty pretty nice situation with
this one where we were able to actually
sit down and talk to the author about
the book not just two idiots here
blabbing about stuff we don’t know about
we had someone come on that actually
knew what they were talking about the
two idiots were still there but uh yeah
yeah
yeah but it’s nice to talk to a real
author that could write and name what
they’re saying yeah exactly and get some
get some insight into the characters so
uh we’re gonna start off with that
interview here’s Marie still
so I’d like to welcome our very special
guest Marie still her debut novel we’re
all lying is coming out on March 14th
it’s on buzzfeed’s most anticipated
Thrillers of 2023 list and after
receiving an advanced copy I can say it
should be number one on that list Marie
welcome to the Buddy book club hello
thank you for having me it must have
been pretty exciting when you found out
that your debut novel made that list
that was definitely like a bucket list
item and today with my debut
um my soul left my body was it something
that you just found out when you were
scrolling online or did someone send
this to you like holy smokes did you
know so the writer reached out to me on
Instagram and and sent me the link and
was like hey it’s up now
awesome I’m like oh okay I’m gonna play
it cool but very uncool inside right now
so we’re not super familiar with how the
whole publishing process works but how
did they even know like how is it on
their radar so I think she was just an
arc reader
um
about there’s arcs on that Galley and
they go out to influencers and I have a
publicist so I think she got it on
netgalley actually that’s amazing so
people just scroll through that read a
bunch of books and and list their top 20
or so good for them they got the time to
read that much yeah the bookstagram and
really welcoming and a lot of fun
fun posts and hear their reviews before
the book launches it’s been a cool ramp
up to Tuesday’s launch yeah it’s crazy
right around the corner it must be
amazing to you from spending so much
time writing this novel and and more to
then put it out into the world and all
of a sudden you’re just getting tons of
feedback from people probably across the
world yeah it’s it’s definitely it’s
weird but also but very different yeah
so I hear that your mom let you read a
lot of Stephen King at a young age much
respect to her she did yeah what was
your favorite book as a kid maybe not a
Stephen King book like a kids book but I
do want to know the Stephen King one so
that’s kind of a two-parter oh oh as a
kid so for some reason I really remember
reading the Black Pearl I don’t know why
that book sticks out so much maybe it
was like one of the first longer books I
read and then of course I grew up in the
VC Andrews era so I think that’s why
we’re all a little
um off at this age
uh and then like Carrie was definitely I
think my my favorite Stephen King book
still still one of my favorites Keith I
think we have to add that to the list we
haven’t neither of us have read Carrie
really okay maybe because I saw the
movie at such a young my mom was the
same way except with movies so I was
like yeah sure you can rent whatever you
want that was a highly disappointing fun
fact that I just learned about you
so the book itself obviously is
surrounding a lot with marketing and the
marketing agency I wanted to see what
your background in marketing was
specifically just because when I was
reading it and some of the way you
described smoking cigarettes or maybe
having a nice vodka drink I was I kind
of want to go pick up a pack of
cigarettes I don’t smoke but I was ready
to you must have a marketing background
is that correct ew yes so I started
in online advertising at
AOL used to be like a really cool way to
get on the internet oh yeah um
and then uh yeah I’ve been in marketing
PR advertising every ever since well
both Keith and I we actually met we’re
on opposite Coast now but we met both
working at a digital advertising agency
and you definitely captured the vibe I
was like oh this is exactly what it is
like working at an agency so yeah
I’ve lived it for a while so you’ll see
definitely
real life and
life and I will add that Dylan and I
both enjoy a coffee vodka on occasion so
a little hat tip in the book to that
which I really appreciated we actually
call it a Kobo though so for the next
book if you want to throw that in there
feel free to do that a little marketing
you know branding there a little bit
opportunity yeah yeah yeah I thought
cats would know that it rolls off the
tongue
oh my gosh it’s so funny that you
mentioned that because one of the editor
notes was like um ew what
time you could put vodka in everything
don’t hate it till you try it and even
sometimes before we record Keith will
get himself uh
hobo right now
I love that there we go but I told him I
was like let me know when you reach page
60 he’s like wives like just let me know
we’ve talked about it for a long time
but I mean espresso martinis are now hip
but outside of that I’m talking just a
straight coffee vodka never have I seen
it in pop culture so I’m glad that I’m
glad that you’re making it a thing yeah
holding the banner for that for that
trend
the other thing I want to ask too is
when I was reading I was thinking you
obviously have husband kids friends
family parents everything like that the
relationships in this book aren’t really
the the best and put in the best
toxicity yeah and your friends or any
any people that are kind of in your life
reading the book do they take it
personally so it’s it’s funny because
Ethan is terrible and my husband is a
lovely person very nice very amazing
there are from our tips I’ve I stole I
like
so as I’m writing I like read it to him
he’s like oh my God Ash and all of his
buddies are like so this is about you
like I swear it’s not about him but I
just I sometimes steal his like not so
amazing
characteristics but then I do the same
with myself so it’s okay it’s we’re all
even so did you put yourself into Cass
is that what you’re saying
yeah interesting if I was thinking if I
was you know one of your husband’s
friends I’d be like hey buddy you gotta
you gotta treat your wife better like
this is terrible like where’s she coming
up with these ideas
uh no more than that like we’re not
we’re not doing all these terrible
things it’s just like conversations you
know characteristics flaws things like
that yeah of course the book feels real
and I think because like you know you’re
doing such a good job of pulling aspects
from real life and then obviously
creating a novel and story with it real
life tends to be sometimes a book in
itself so if you can just extrapolate on
that you can create something like this
which is amazing yeah no I appreciate
that and I think
well I would never do this and I would
never do that but then you have these
emotions and love and jealousy and
hatred and they get all mixed up and and
people do some like crazy things right
yeah
snap and people are killing their
husbands and their wives and all sorts
of stuff and the neighbors always like I
would never expect it of them yeah my my
wife loves the dateline in 2020 and and
whatnot so I’ve seen all those yeah I’m
familiar this this could fit right in
there be like this and the Murdoch
murders would be all she’d be talking
about oh we would get along great we’d
be best I can already tell also Ethan
needs a couple of cell phones he needs
some hidden cell phones I don’t know
what he’s doing you know one cell phone
come on man figure it out oh my gosh so
you’re aware we’re not going to be
releasing anything until after the
book’s out and we’ll have spoilers free
sections and whatnot because we don’t
want to ruin it for for any readers out
there so yeah it’s hard
ering
interviews and all
like okay how do I answer this without
giving away something yeah exactly
because there’s and there’s so much in
this book in terms of I feel like so
many Thrillers at least the ones that
we’ve read there’s kind of a big payoff
at the end or something along those
lines where this has several payoffs
throughout that all culminate in a big
payoff so you kind of have to avoid
those landmines when you’re doing
interviews I’m sure because there’s so
many like little ones throughout that um
you know you don’t want you don’t want
to give away too soon and that’s what I
love as a reader like if I have to wait
till the whole end for like the one big
twist I prefer those like little hints
those little twists that are woven
within the entire story we’re like oh
okay that was different yeah there’s a
reason there’s appetizers and dessert on
the menu you know you don’t just want a
main course
exactly
so one of my favorite quotes was hate
and love or close you can’t truly hate
something you don’t care about I wanted
to ask more about a little bit outside
the box question where does that
personally apply to you in your life do
they have any pet peeves or areas that
find that for for me just to give me an
example Best Buy it’s wronged me so many
times I used to love that store so I had
this huge hate for it I tell everyone I
scream from the rooftops but is there
anything in your life that’s like that
you could pull from so I think that was
pulled from just relationships if
someone hurts you and you break up with
someone that you didn’t really like
you’re kind of over you didn’t really
love it’s like meh but if you love them
that’s that’ll pull out hate right so
you can’t feel that strongly about
anything
unless there’s this underlying care I’m
gonna use that when when my wife gets
mad at me I’m just gonna be the only
reason why you can be this mad at me is
because you love me so much it’s equal
the amount of anger you’re feeling right
now is equal to the amount of love that
you have that’ll turn around right away
otherwise she wouldn’t care
it’s it’s when they stop getting angry
and annoyed at you that you gotta worry
yeah exactly and you had the opportunity
to listen a sample of some audiobook
narrators correct
um yeah so the audiobook is just
released from Dreamscape out um with
early listeners that’s amazing yeah so
that must have been that’s a real
experience as well to like hear voice
actors reading your words
yes and the the cast is so lovely so I
was so excited to connect with them on
social media and chat with them I’m like
oh my gosh I’m meeting Cass but I’m not
your class yeah they did a fantastic job
and they’re lovely people and so good at
what they do so that was a lot of fun do
you have a preference about how your
work is consumed whether people read the
book or listen listen to the audiobook
no because the weird thing about writing
is once I finish writing it’s no longer
mine right it’s the reverse and they’re
gonna interpret the characters they’re
gonna interpret the story in whatever
way they’re gonna interpret it and it
and that’s Theirs to do with it whatever
they’re gonna do with it right so yeah
it’s not mine anymore it’s the readers
so we often like to do a segment of the
podcast for usually for books that are
yet to be released as movies and fingers
crossed you’ve had so many crazy
experiences so far and the book’s not
even out yet that one day someone will
buy the rights and turn this thing into
a movie are there any actors or
actresses you kind of pictured either
while you’re writing it or afterwards
that you would want to cast if we’re
saying unlimited budget here you know
this is a Steven Spielberg production I
mean of course
purchased it would be yeah
yeah I had Charlize Theron in mind
we love that yeah and then who was Julie
it was Jennifer oh my gosh I’m so bad I
am like really terrible with names I can
barely remember my kids names
in Snow piercer Jennifer oh yeah
Jennifer Connell yeah Jennifer Connell
yes yes so that’s who I pictured as
Julie she’s phenomenal top gun Maverick
and then Nicole Kidman in one of the
roles where she has like big crazy curly
red hair that was Victoria yeah those
are the ones that I remember but yeah I
had like a little mood board for for my
characters and those were some of the
ones that were on there well for one I
just want to say that your
acknowledgment section was wonderful I
read a lot of acknowledgment sections in
book and yours actually felt very
personal and like appreciated from all
around so I’m sure the people mentioned
in there must must have loved that and
got a kick out of it
and it was funny which I like too
normally people’s get through that stuff
and I was like don’t skip don’t skip
through it on this one but I do love it
other than my dad that’s awesome
I do love uh an obscure pet I’m all in
on them outside of snakes I’m a no-go
with snakes but but how does one decide
to add a hedgehog to the family the
Hedgehog’s dead oh my God
Dylan no I it and I get asked about it a
lot and I need to take it out of my bio
but it just feels so final yeah
um but that was my youngest daughter got
obsessed with hedgehogs and begged and
begged and begged for it there was
actually right before it died this I did
not kill it by the way fantastic we know
right before his eyes they were at my
in-laws for the summer and the Hedgehog
got lost so it was this big thing on
social media everyone’s following along
I can’t I’m searching the house I’m
searching everywhere I’m like oh my gosh
I’ve lost the Hedgehog I found it like
the day before she came back but then
it’s perfect
oh well at least you found it and it
wasn’t like we lost we lost Sonic
getting a hedgehog is not easy so this
Hedgehog got flown in I had to go to the
Tampa International Airport to pick it
up it was a whole thing and I’m like I
can’t just replace a hedgehog and
pretend like it’s the same Hedgehog
because it’s a whole production together
so is there is there going to be another
Hedgehog in the future are you saying
that’s it we’ll stick to the pets
they’re really expensive and they don’t
last last very long
snake in college called Mr Kitty
um he was awesome
python
I don’t know what weird pets gonna be
next but right now I have a Rottweiler
and uh mutt okay do you want to ask some
like book related questions or those the
spoiler warning stuff
yeah a little spoiler warning first here
in terms of just your favorite character
or characters in the book for me I was a
kind of team Alice and does that make me
weird I don’t know if that makes me a
little crazy or psychotic but I actually
liked her I liked her character I think
she was
resourceful persistent patient loyal the
ending wasn’t great look for her but you
can take all that out she only had all
those characteristics you know
um am I crazy or is that is that did you
kind of write that in that way she she
was I loved writing her she’s a lot of
fun she’s quirky and different and weird
and definitely worth it
for sure
you’re just describing me I think maybe
that’s a good unlikable character yeah
well I think one of the great things
about this book is that it’s all of the
characters are somewhat unlikable in
their own way but you’re you find
yourself rooting for them at different
points maybe not Ethan so much
like everyone else even when they’re
having their bad moments they come back
and have something redeemable or
something along those lines granted I’m
not sure Ethan and Cass were good
parents
but outside of that
yeah they are maybe we’re a little
selfish and wrapped up in their drama
yeah
and for like some readers love unlikable
characters and they like to they like to
dig deep and find those redeemable uh
characteristics and some people it’s not
their Cuppa but I just I love a I love a
I love an unlikable character that I
love to hate she kind of got the short
end of the stick
so you can understand why she’s a little
angry oh yeah I’d be pissed
I don’t want to be sleeping in a dog
cage no thank you
baking cookies yeah and is
it wasn’t clear
how Alice died there at the end so are
we setting up for a sequel or are you
moving on to other other projects I mean
I never say never but right now I have
my darlings releases in 2024 so that’s
already done my 2025 book I just turned
in so that’s done and I have a work in
progress file with like 17 started books
so I don’t know right I don’t know I
don’t we’ll see good for you I have like
17 pages of books to read but that’s uh
that’s about it for me
and so how does it work when you’re also
doing books under a different name yeah
so I write under Kristen Seeley and her
first book comes out in September
um but essentially Marie still is
thrillers
strictly Thrillers and then Kristen
Steely I play in more of the like book
club women’s fiction but there’s still
there’s darker themes it’s still
exploring human emotions so there’s some
crossover but it’s definitely not the
Thriller suspense genre awesome so you
got two books coming out this year yes
yeah oh that’s great well Marie thanks
for chatting with us we really
appreciate it and to listeners out there
if you’re in St Pete or looking to take
a trip to soak up the sun you know stop
by tombolo books on the 14th of March
this month which will be the day this
comes out so if you’re there get on a
plane there’s a launch party correct yes
sweet that’ll that should be a lot of
fun for you and if you love this book
like we did you can check out Beverly
bonafinch’s dead which is it’s going to
be different under a different name but
you know same great author and that’s
going to be available in September well
thanks again for stopping by it was
great having you and all the best of
luck to you with with this book and all
future endeavors yeah thanks for having
me
what do you got we’re all lying stock up
kovo I have to just call it out right
away we made a nice discussion about it
but I made this is our drink we’ve we’ve
talked about it on multiple episodes
it’s actually in the Zeitgeist we’ve put
it out there in the world yeah it’s
we’ve made it happen like the secret or
whatever you know the idea of you put
these ideas into the world and you speak
them and then all of a sudden they
manifest I think you did that with kova
I think you did that I have my uh what’s
that board you put all your pictures on
and like you’re like uh dream board or
whatever yeah I had that on there they
also describe it in the perfect way she
like takes a sip she’s like oh that’s
not very good and then she’s like dot
dot dot but it’s not also that bad which
is exactly how you get someone into
Cobra they take a step they’re like oh
they’re like wait a minute that’s
actually not bad all right that was the
perfect way to describe it just needed
to Rebrand the name and we’re in
business yeah exactly you know we talked
to Marie about this but she’s dropping
titos out there left and right you can
do a little kovo TM maybe when the
hardcover comes out you know just change
ask the editor change a couple things
you scratch our back we’ll scratch yours
kind of thing
yeah kovo TM in a liquor store near here
soon and question for you I’ve asked you
this before but is kovo always served
hot or is there an iced version I wrote
a Blog on this on the Buddy book club
and on how to uh how to cons how to do
that I don’t remember I don’t remember
what I wrote Because 90 of the blogs are
right I black out I write them and then
I forgot I wrote them so you also check
out the blog okay I’ll do that I prefer
it hot myself so I’m like it hot as I
would say
but I’ve had it both ways when I do
drink it cold I usually do like some
sort of sweetener in it that’s the one
caveat I would say whereas hot I think
you can just go straight up you don’t
taste it yes hot I feel like you
wouldn’t even necessarily taste the
vodka no it’s it’s basically tastes like
a bitter coffee yeah it doesn’t really
taste like vodka though okay yeah well
in line with that my first stock up was
was day drinking and Cass is doing a lot
of day drinking in in this book uh
rightfully so you know she’s under a lot
of stress and what what better time to
Day drink than when you’re stressed or
not stressed but according to Cass day
drinking is fun while you’re doing it
but not so much once the day ends and
I’m gonna disagree wholeheartedly with
that one because I feel like that’s half
the point of day drinking when your
normal night drinking I’m talking like
for a party not just Tuesday night but
you know you kind of drink until you’re
done and then you go home and fall
asleep and then you feel terrible the
next day whereas when you’re day
drinking
you do the same thing but everything’s a
little earlier so one you I feel you
have more of an opportunity to like get
a lot of water down before you go to bed
which is the number one cure for all
hangovers is to just drink a lot of
water before you go to bed and the
number two cure hangover cure is to
sleep longer so if you’re able to fall
asleep earlier because you’re day
drinking you even if you wake up at the
same time you normally do you got more
sleep so day drinking it’s almost like
you can’t get a hangover unless you just
go balls to the wall as they say yeah I
mean the key is you really gotta keep
drinking right up until about like eight
o’clock then you start pounding water
take a long long Paris at like 9 30 and
pass out
uh now that I’ve done this multiple
times but that’s then you sleep through
any sort of Hangover you had you know
and you get that extra sleep like you
said that’s the key yeah I agree that’s
a good stock up and so one I’d
definitely buy especially when it’s like
a nice sunny day out you just don’t it’s
a different drunk you just feel much
better lighter Everything feels brighter
well I feel like when you’re drinking at
night it’s almost like you need to
Sprint to get a buzz on and in order to
to you know be one with the crowd you
know some of us might have a little
social anxiety and we only use that to
drink you know
so but then you overshoot it because
it’s a delayed effect with the liquor
hitting your system so then you just you
go too far and we’re day drinking you
can start on your own time you know
you’d have to start with the crew
because you know you’re going to be
daydreaming anyway so it’s noon crack a
can you know do whatever you need to do
and and then you’re able to kind of pace
Pace it out plus there’s more food
involved you know sometimes when you
drink at night you just kind of forget
about food but during the day you’re not
going to forget about food so you know
it’s just it’s it’s a better experience
it’s just a better experience so all
right recap to you what else you got for
stock up blocking numbers.com you know
we’ve talked about this before I’m a big
fan of this well I’m more like deleting
numbers and sending a message to all my
enemies out there anyone that slighted
me I don’t know a grudge
anyways uh I wrote this dog up before we
found out Cass spoilers was the one
writing her sending her own text
messages
but and Cass kind of loves attention a
little bit and she wants to drama a
little bit I mean obviously what
happened to it was horrible but at the
same time I get the first like a couple
of days I’m right there with Cass but
then it’s like hey now you can take
things into your own hands maybe just
block the number maybe just block that
email I know it’s coming from her but
like you can just avoid a lot of that
stuff that’s gonna affect you it’d be
like someone that like gets like a
toothache the first couple days you’re
like yeah that sucks after a week you’re
like go to the dentist like that’s you
know like just shut the [ __ ] up just go
to the like that’s which he kept on
doing the same [ __ ] and it’s like you
can now fix this you can’t be
complaining anymore it’s over yeah doing
the same [ __ ] and expecting different
results is is probably not a winning
winning recipe there it’s definition of
uh being in the Buddy book club or
Insanity right
yeah additionally I mean I didn’t even
have this stock up but what do they call
it when you get peoples that can’t get
close to you it’s like a court thing
they mentioned it in the book and now a
restraining order the stock up
restraining orders just get one right
away like immediately upon anything
happening because obviously when this
whole thing blows up and Emma shows up
at the event it’s like yeah that’s
terrible but at least now she’s
definitely going to jail because you
have a restraining order against her and
right right exactly but now the only
thing she violated was your husband so
you’re kind of stuck
so yeah restraining orders to try try to
get one
additionally another stock up I had was
going out to eat
so people love to go out to eat why not
they do it for all sorts of things
birthdays anniversaries holidays
not usually when your parents have
decided to cease their relationship or
at least
it’s on the rails because your dad has
been a habitual line stepper and is
cheating on your mom but Cass seems like
she says she’s going to take the kids
out to eat and they’re going to have a
great night and coming from a broken
home myself I just couldn’t quite
imagine the idea that I would have a
great night when my wonderful life is
all of a sudden like shattering down
around me as a 10 year old kid like
where is my mom gonna take me that’s
gonna make me forget that my dad is
cheating on my mom and my life’s about
to end
the Ground Round I don’t know if you’re
familiar with that establishment but I
do remember that is that a train station
I think they did have a trained theme
but it’s like what are they gonna go to
Bennigan’s with all the tchotchkes and
stuff like get a double you’re just
naming all the places that would work
you’re like no yeah that’s what we would
do
yeah I don’t even know like pizza planet
from Toy Story oh yeah I’m just trying
to figure it out like where where would
you go that you think you were in the
worst possible way and someone suggested
this restaurant you’d be like ah that
might make me feel a little better
as a 10 year old yeah I think any sort
of arcade or anything also I’m all for
just burying any emotions or feelings
deep down and we don’t talk about those
yeah so I don’t think it’s yeah so I
think there I was on brand with that I
was like yeah obviously they take them
out get their mind off it because we’re
not going to talk about it and that’s it
that’s the end of the discussion right
okay yeah sure all right yeah
is this a therapy session we’re doing
here with all of us my last one was was
gaslighting and gaslighting is like
super super hip right now uh in you know
people are talking about it all the time
and I’m gonna get one second here did
you say that you hated gaslighting I
told you I read a Blog on how it’s a
fake worm doesn’t mean anything it just
means lying yeah well no it doesn’t mean
lying it’s manipulating people into
making them question their own sanity
sorry there’s a real thing that people
do that on purpose and then there’s what
people use gaslighting as I should say I
saw some posts and I was like is Disney
gaslighting me right now and it was just
like something that was a slight
observation that was off or something
and I was like what yeah what does this
say 100 I think it’s gone too far the
gaslighting thing but it is an actual
thing and if you want to know what it is
then read this book because everyone is
gaslighting Cass in this it’s it’s it’s
pretty insane actually her husband all
this crazy shit’s happening in her
husband’s like Cass you’re going crazy
like what are you talking about but but
it’s actually happening and obviously
she sent her own text messages I’m
saying outside of that but she’s
meticulously organizes her vanity in her
bathroom and she’s like this is not how
I did it there’s a freaking smiley face
drawn onto my mirror and her husband is
actually telling her you did it you must
have done it she’s like I didn’t do it
like what are you talking about I did it
and even the cop when the cop comes by
he’s saying things I can’t remember like
the exact things he sent but he was
basically saying like no you’re crazy
well it’s tough when she also is sending
text messages and emails except when she
is crazy but crazy in a different way so
and they don’t know that at that point
no one knows that right that’s true okay
you’re right it was just fascinating to
me that it worked so like she was she
believed it at the end you know she was
like did I did I kill Emma you know did
I do this stuff because she was like I
don’t know everyone in gasoline are so
heavy you know so yeah maybe maybe it’s
Taco maybe gaslighting’s back especially
when it’s used appropriately maybe it’s
back
friendly greetings.com oh you hate a
good friend that greeting well the first
thing I had a problem with was that Cass
lets Alice call her Miss Mitchell in a
workplace she’s worked there for 10
years she’s not a second grade student
everyone else calls her Cass it’s fine
you force her your assistant to be like
no call me by my first name I don’t
that’s like I don’t want to be oh
because Alice calls her Miss Mitchell
yes I know she’s doing it as like a
reverence thing and like this is not
much immune to me but like as a boss you
can’t let that happen that’s just it
just makes it look demeaning also to
Alice secondly is Cass is out to lunch
with Laura she’s having a nice lunch
she’s like talking with Laura about
cheating because she’s obsessed
obviously you can’t get enough of it
yeah how do you say that name I’m not
good with names it’s fine it’s just part
of your personality it’s cute and quirky
all right
uh yeah anyways her assistant of 10
years Alice walks by and bumps into her
and says hey I thought I saw you over
there what’s the first thing that Cass
says to her not like oh Alice good to
see you what brings you up here she goes
right away with why are you here you
live in Tampa yeah that’s the only thing
she says to her and she’s like oh
there’s like a farmer’s market down the
road and then doesn’t say anything else
doesn’t introduce her friend Lara to her
and then she’s like well have a good one
I’ll see you later and then Laura can
proceeds to say like that person’s weird
it’s like yeah that was so mean that was
the meanest thing ever like that’s why I
was saying like I was team Alice because
like she’s getting treated like absolute
her and then the end’s like oh you’re
family it’s like get the [ __ ] out of
here like you’ve been so mean during
this whole time well I was gonna get
into this in my love hate section really
in the hate for Cass I’m overcast she
was terrible to Allison in several
situations she’s doesn’t seem to
understand simple things like at one
point she heard Ethan go out to dinner
and she’s like I’m unable to think of a
good excuse to get out of dinner with
Ethan it’s like uh girl I can think of
at least one which is where he cheated
on you like two days ago so just just
don’t do it and I’m not trying to blame
the victim here but there’s so many
other aspects of her personality
specifically this Alice thing
and her being a terrible mother and not
paying attention to her children that I
was like you know what I’m out I don’t
sympathize with you I’m sorry that you
know this happened to you it’s terrible
for sure no one should have to go
through that but I mean all of it the
whole work stuff too but at the same
time I don’t really feel bad for you and
I have to apologize to the author
Murray’s still here because she said
that you know Cass was kind of her and
the way she wrote her obviously an
extreme version and she said you know
that she was going into these kind of
like what if situations and you know
what would you do kind of thing but to
the max so I don’t actually think that
the author is is Cass but she also said
that after she writes it that it’s it’s
in the reader’s hands and they can
interpret it as they want so hey that’s
how I’m interpreting I’m I’m out I’m out
on cast I’m out
I don’t feel bad for her no I’m right
there with you I stuck down is evidence
pretty much just don’t leave it it’s as
simple as that you know why is Ethan
taking pics dick pics or whatever with
his with his side piece for one just
don’t take pictures it’s as simple as
that it really should be uh a no-brainer
if you will and also if you’re deciding
you want to do that I watch The Wire
they have burner phones I’m sure they
have burner phones with cameras on them
just a burner phone you know you have a
shoe box full of like disgusting things
like what are they called like totems of
your other girlfriends probably like I
don’t know
yeah so but if you have that box then
you might as well have a couple phones
in there that you can use when you need
to and keep all your pictures and
yeasted panties in there whatever you
want
um but also Ethan telling his side piece
about his other side pieces it’s like
buddy quit shooting yourself in the foot
if if you want to be a Serial
philanderer
it’s really not rocket science on how to
maintain that if that’s what you’re into
it’s deplorable Behavior we don’t
condone it here on the Buddy book club
but simply don’t talk to other people
about it because then you’re gonna get
blackmailed as she did you know you’re
going to get straight up black and then
also why did cats like leave the
evidence on her phone of the anonymous
text app those things are supposed to be
anonymous so after you’re done and you
realize oh my cat’s out of the bag you
just delete the app it’s simple I’ve
done it you hold down the home screen
and then when they start to shake
there’s a little minus sign you click on
it I’ve done it before maybe she didn’t
have an Apple phone maybe that’s the
issue well if then I don’t like her even
more she’s a blooper or a green blue
green blob person whatever it is blue
blob person no no no no no no I’m out
I’m out even more well to keep in the uh
the same thing of [ __ ] all overcast
stock down trees in the environment
overall oh what I knew Cass was sending
those emails to herself why because
she’s a psychopath when she first gets
cheated on her reactions were normal
like I mentioned she seemed just like a
normal person that was extremely upset
as she should be but then red flag
started to pop up she decides when she
gets all these texts and emails they cut
down 15 trees and then print out 642
pages of hate mail 642 pages I was like
wait why why did you need to print that
out I was just wondering why she didn’t
double-sided or that or we just put it
in a PDF she’s good with technology she
knows under the secret app thing I mean
you all you gotta do is 20 Pages 642
like this seems a little can you like
collate that stuff or whatever they call
it so it’s all on one page like what
size font is she using for this text
yeah right and then they’re like the
three billion dollars is missing I’m
like yeah do you know how much printer
inches cost they’re super expensive like
she’s been literally burning through
that ink all day I’m not surprised and
they make the print the inkjets too that
like even if it’s just all black if you
have colors in it you have to replace
all of them you know what I mean so it’s
a skin it’s a big scan stock up
printering jets for this one because she
paid a lot of money for those but uh
yeah trees and environment sucked out
okay I can dig it uh stalk down for me
giving people your keypad code I’m just
assuming because Alice took her
liberties with lots of stuff and she was
quite the astute individual I mean she
knew everyone’s passcode at the office
for their cell phones which is pretty
amazing but I can only assume that at
one point Cass gave her her keypad entry
and said hey you know come on in no
problem people seem to do this rather
freely I mean even my parents who have a
rental property they have a keypad entry
and it’s been the same for five years
and there’s been how many people in that
rental property they’ve never changed
the code at any time yeah we don’t want
that out there it’s uh 87 silver
but yeah it just it never ends well if
you give someone your your keypad entry
it didn’t end well for the uh the Elkin
family which is my childhood friends
family who’s a pantry I rated all their
fruit snacks which you talked about in a
previous episode because I knew what
their password was so he’d be like yeah
we’re going to be home in a little bit
just go on in and I just end up going in
and eating all of their fruit snacks so
as a child not as an adult but I would
do it as an adult I would yesterday this
happened I would so yeah just keep that
digit code you wouldn’t tell someone
your phone keypad probably yeah how
about also Emma leaving her phone behind
I thought she was gen Z keep that phone
in your pit pocket come on what are you
doing what was that she left her phone
behind that’s the reason why Alex oh
yeah yeah I mean to be honest I leave my
phone all sorts of places sometimes but
we’re not just the roof of my car when I
drive to Costco
yeah
it was still there great case I don’t
know what this case is but this is a
great case were you listening like the
Bluetooth that’s in you’re listening to
music you’re like where’s that what do I
change yes exactly what happened I was
like why is it like keep going in and
out and then I was like wait where’s my
phone I’ll change it into something and
I was like holy [ __ ] it’s not here and I
got out of the car it was on the roof
yeah that’s amazing
this case it’s not even anything special
but yeah good for it yeah it goes
against physics I’m pretty sure oh yeah
so amazing yeah so keep that codes don’t
give them away stock down what else you
got that’s it don’t tell me that’s it
come on okay I got lots more sit back
enjoy yourself work flings or
specifically ones that go too far those
are just never gonna never gonna be good
for you I’ve been working in Corporate
America what about us what about us sir
our workflank well it’s platonic it’s a
platonic workfling that’s different add
more to me
I’m glad I never gave give you my keypad
code I’ve never seen one that has been a
serious one that hasn’t ended extremely
poorly and they either end extremely
uncomfortably which is unfortunate for
both people and one person ends up like
quitting within the next six months
because it’s just like so cringy or they
end up going to human resources and
someone’s saying we did some weird
things on the community uh text chains
or whatever they call it like slack or
something like that but Emma for some
reason is surprised that she got fired
because of her dalliance it didn’t make
a lot of sense she’s like I can’t
believe I got fired I lost my job
because of this Ethan it’s like what you
were
banging the owner’s husband in like a
small company I mean it doesn’t matter
how big or how small if I was a paper
boy at Fox Sports and I banged Rupert
Murdoch’s wife I’m pretty sure I would
get fired you know it’s it doesn’t
matter so she was obviously unhinged for
sure but at the same time for people out
there if you’re thinking hey you know
I’m gonna get in this serious
relationship and work just slow down you
also don’t really want to work and live
with your significant other just uh
clear this up you’re currently working
from home with your well you get the
same wife by the way you get secretly
married
well no I I call her my wife all the
time also because like yes we’re
together forever we’re bonded forever
but if we play a lot of pickleball with
a lot of old people down here and old
people are really nosy and they want to
know your business so it’s just easy
just just to say my wife and it covers
all the bases one I love her with all my
heart will be together forever I’m
keeping this one two I like this a lot
yeah you gotta just keep it simple for
people but in this book should they do
talk about the lies and how they
compound themselves you know just like
one after another
and it’s always worked for me the the
wife thing because it’s it’s easy enough
if you know people just say yep they
accept it but now they’re starting to
get get to know these old people more at
pickleball they’re starting to ask
deeper questions you know how long have
you been married stuff along those lines
so now I had to start this lie you know
which is I’m like oh we’ve been married
just just a year the wife and I didn’t
get together and discussed this lie so
now she’s telling people on the other
side that we’re not married and they
asked how long we’ve been married and
she was like well we’re not actually
married you know she kind of explained
it to them but I didn’t do that so now
our lies are getting crossed and now
we’re basically in this we’re all lying
book together
I can get you out of this kid just say
you don’t believe in the government
controlling your marriage status and so
you are spiritually married but not by
the government which is okay with you
and that’s why you say that way then no
one will ever questioned you honestly
that’s not only what I say that’s
actually what I believe why does the
government have to decide [ __ ] that you
know yeah
um my other stock down is giving a mouse
a cookie I love that book yeah exactly
the Stock’s really high but the message
is very clear and unfortunately Ethan
didn’t seem to get the message because
he somehow thinks that putting 10K into
Emma’s account is going to silence her
about all the stuff she knows but she’s
unhinged what do you think she’s not
going to come back for 10 000 more for
you to pay her rent at another place you
gotta cut the cord and just live it Cass
already thinks she’s crazy so it’s
always she has evidence of all these
other women from what I understand maybe
she does but if she’s like oh he has all
these other flings he could be like no I
don’t whatever or just admit it and
you’re already in so much trouble and
she already hate like Cass is already so
mad at you that you might as well just
like put everything out there because
she can only get so mad right you know
rip the Band-Aid off exactly rip the
Band-Aid off there you go so give a
mouse a cookie rip the Band-Aid out give
rip the band out of stock up give him us
cookies and
um lastly stock down is being a good
worker so Alice somehow earns a quote
meager salary hasn’t she been at the
company since Inception like 10 years
okay that’s what I’ve been saying I know
royalty 10 years is still calling him
Miss Mrs Mitchell yeah and she’s
indispensable like Cass is always like
what would I do without you this that
and the other thing it’s how did you get
all this done and honestly when they’re
showing what Alice is doing you know she
set up this whole event like she’s very
important to this company she’s
obviously like a bit toxic in the
workplace but outside of that in terms
of like getting [ __ ] done she’s very
good at her job if someone that was an
assistant that was that good as Alice
she wants to come over get in my closet
put my clothes on that’s fine knock
yourself out yeah you know get that
stuff done I don’t care as long as
you’re getting your work done yeah like
just let me know just say like hey I’m
gonna swing by if you’re not there and
just try and try your clothes off like
yeah sure I wear the same eight t-shirts
so like it’s really not anything special
maybe just don’t over perform because
once you do
everyone just expects that out of you
and those are oh that that’s Alice you
know she just kicks butt but they don’t
think oh let’s make you uh VP or let’s
make you a partner in this because
you’re so good you’re just my assistant
like no no no no no no yeah and don’t
you dare come up and talk to me in the
same area yeah when I mean lunch don’t
you even look at me how dare you cross
the bridge from Tampa to St Pete and
come see me at lunch are you kidding me
am I paying you for this
what do you got for your favorite scene
not really like a scene book so I told
you the whole time I thought all right I
started to think that Cass was in on it
and she was kind of doing a lot of the
stuff because Emma even hinted it she’s
like I’m not sending you anything and I
was that’s why I was like okay yeah no I
I knew yeah I knew as well but when she
actually showed up at the conference I
was like oh this this chick’s crazy like
Emma’s a psychopath at that point I’m
like oh she’s dead someone’s gonna kill
her I don’t know who it is I knew she
was dead at that moment because you
can’t do that also as a client would you
really leave if that happened I I would
I think it’d be like funny gossip but as
long as the product’s good it’s cool I
don’t care it’s not really going to
impact me the only thing I’d be worried
about is the money like the money
missing would be much more that’d be way
bigger to me than the one Emma did yeah
and who your agency is I mean what was I
forget what the brand was
yeah so unless it’s like brexon is the
new like eHarmony or something along
those lines or maybe that’s even better
but
if it’s just a company who cares what
your agency
is getting in trouble for but if they’re
making headlines it’d be like at the
brexit event you know at the brexit yes
you know anything yeah what do they say
all Pub is good Pub or no press is bad
press whatever I don’t know something
like that yeah they’re just like
rebranding too so it’s not like that
would impact the like the creative they
came up you know I mean like it has
nothing to do with that like that still
be good creative yeah it was just uh it
was just an unfortunate situation but
I’m sure there are lots of people that
would that would drop somebody from that
but you saying you liked the event scene
I mean that’s when it was like oh [ __ ]
like it all kind of started coming to
crashing down there yeah and honestly I
knew in my own mind that it wasn’t Emma
but I thought it was Alice
so I thought Alice oh dressed as her no
I thought Alice was sending all those
not in at the event I thought Alice was
sending off okay gotcha gotcha yeah and
I thought Alice might have like slept
with her husband or something like that
just like wearing one of her wigs or
something like that I don’t know
something super creepy something super
hot but uh turned out that wasn’t the
case and you know we got a little twisty
twist in there what was your favorite
scene I liked a lot of it so I can’t
think about like necessarily a scene I
did like the end when she’s locked in
the house as to like okay what the
seems like totally unhinged and I always
like when then maybe also the beginning
stuff when she’s like talking to Ethan
about the cheating when it was like just
came out it was like that conversation
is like so uncomfortable I can only
imagine
and it was fun that dialogue back and
forth I thought was was fun to read you
know I was like oh I’m glad this ain’t
me because this sucks this is terrible
uh for both parties involved but Ethan’s
a piece of [ __ ] so
I mean do we have to pick our character
come on it’s Alice she’s got minimalist
Decor in her house every Peach piece of
furniture as a functional purpose she’s
got few knickknacks she’s a hard worker
loyal yeah she’s all the things you said
on the interview with Marie you know
unfortunately Alice just had a tough
tough situation growing up I mean she
was locked in a [ __ ] dog cage and one
of her siblings was burnt all over with
with cigarette birds like turned into
the zebra from zebra stripe gum except
it’s cigarette burns like that’s not a
good way to grow up like anyone’s gonna
get [ __ ] up from that I mean there’s
that story that girl is put in the dog
cage and bark dead until she was 12 and
she never learned how to speak so I’m
I’m just proud she got picked on
throughout her whole life and then she
gets an agency it’s like devotes her
life to it and then still gets picked
off yeah
and no one defends her like even Cass
isn’t isn’t defending her I mean Julie
sees it until until at the end and she’s
like oh yeah you’re so great now that
you’re doing literally all the work and
I you know you’re the only person that
like I can trust it’s like yeah she’s
done this for 10 years though yeah well
I feel like she says that Tara all the
time should be like oh my God you’re so
great like thank you uh can I get
avocado on my salad today
we’re all lying Marie still what’d you
love this is the one of the first
physical books I’ve read in a while
which is obviously pretty pathetic like
I usually do audiobooks I really like to
actually getting back into reading a
book it brought me back to my lifeguard
days when I was in high school in Early
College those are the best reading days
I didn’t lifeguard but I had friends
that did and they’ve read so many books
and there was a lot of these type books
that were lying around that were very
similar to this that looked long like
they were like thick books and they open
them up they’re quick reads they’re
quick chapters bigger font uh just made
me feel like I was getting something
done I looked down at the pages I would
be reading much quicker than any other
book I could possibly read probably back
to good old days you know yeah whoever
designed designed the book itself I also
loved it we’re talking nice thick Pages
the bigger print you know it’s it’s a
larger book itself but that’s just to
fit the larger print in there so it’s
actually a page Turner in the storyline
but it’s literally a page Turner and the
fact that you’re reading so much you
just feel like you’re accomplishing
things because you’re turning pages and
the last hundred Pages for me granted I
read them pretty quickly because we had
the interview the last hundred Pages
went like super fast and it was one of
those things I am I’m an old man now I
go to sleep at a very specific time and
I was in bed reading with the little
book light you know what I mean my mom
got me a booklet I was reading with for
Christmas on read with that thing the
wife’s fast asleep and I look at the
clock it’s like holy [ __ ] what time is
it I just blacked out and read the rest
of this book
good to be a tangible greeter the thing
about this book too and I was kind of
alluding to the Lifeguard stuff is
though those books too that I read back
in the day were very like deceitful and
lies this one’s a little bit darker than
those usually but it still had that same
same kind of themes going on which I
appreciated this one seemed more
realistic like a lot of times like those
kind of books like someone cheated on
them and they’re like oh that sucks and
then they’re like now I gotta get back
at them or something it’s just like oh
they’ve literally got over it in a half
a day it’s also more human in that
there’s no like black and white like
someone’s just bad and someone’s just
good except for Ethan [ __ ] him he’s
definitely just bad he’s uh I’m saving
him for my hates but yeah yeah outside
of that everyone else operates in this
gray area where
they’re both bad and good and and that’s
you know that’s real life that’s that’s
how life works so so I appreciated that
as well so I’ll get into my first date
Ethan no I’m just kidding you go the
thing is we we get inside the head of
Cass and Ethan and Alice both Cass and
Alice we kind of start to understand a
little bit with their childhood with
everything that goes on why they are who
they are whereas Ethan he saved
obviously cast from being raped in
college which was you’re like oh this
guy’s a good guy he must just made one
big mistake well then he immediately
went into to get it so what’s that oh
okay
yeah it’s [ __ ] up that’s that’s well
yeah but you seem like he’s like seems
like a good guy you’re like he must have
must have just made a mistake or maybe
someone’s blackmailing him but then you
just find out that he is he’s just a
for why he’s a terrible person he’s just
like no I I refuse to change and I’m a
shitty person there’s nothing in his
past or anything that really makes him
who he is other than he’s just a shitty
person right like is there is there any
reason why we should empathize with him
in any way no I don’t think so at no
point and it’s like cool you lost your
job like yeah you’re super stressed I
don’t understand in general the idea of
these men that feel that was a hard M
there really hard that feels small
because their wives are more successful
or like make more money than them buddy
that should be your dream like what are
you concerned about your wife’s super
successful she’s committed to her job
she’s a good mom good for her what do
you feel like oh you need to keep up
with her you know drive around your
Porsche like Get over yourself my last
hate was P talkers so Lara when they go
out to eat Lara’s a big pea talker I
could see you being very uncomfortable
with uh usually for men it’s sorry I’ll
do a hard time for men it’s it’s
encouraged to talk at the urinal which
honestly I don’t mind too much if you
know there’s a game on or something is
it encouraged I think so because you’re
you’re kind of looking at each other you
know it’s either that or you don’t know
what you’re adults you’re at what are
you talking about like looking at each
other but your your heads are in the
same space just making eye contact with
the guy next to you hey what’s up buddy
yeah that we’re this is encouraging
isn’t it what no my go-to is anytime I
walk into a restroom and I step up to a
urinal and there’s someone else there I
say oh so this is where all the dicks
hang out that’s what I say
yeah nicely done yeah so for men I feel
like people are more accustomed to to
talking but maybe I don’t know maybe
that’s just no I step up to the urinal I
stare at the wall and contemplate all
the mistakes I’ve made in my life about
30 seconds I need to piss that’s not
what you do 30 seconds is a long time I
wanted you to time your piece that’s
well I also have to Exhale like four to
five times like
yeah you know a couple of those yeah and
then you piss and then then you think
about your life and everything you’ve
done wrong but I feel like there are a
lot of there are a lot of poo talkers
out there and
it’s just not for me in general or if
there are P talkers I don’t mind but
let’s not dally in the bathroom itself
you know let’s take this outside this
place smells terrible like someone’s
about to use that hand blower which is
just like sucking germs through it and
spitting them out into your face like
I’m good let’s let’s go back to the bar
and we’ll have a conversation or the
restaurant wherever we’re at but I don’t
need to be chatting about how your
second quarter went at work in a
bathroom it’s just one I’m not
interested in general and and two I’m
definitely not interested while you’re
also have your hands on you on your junk
I’m with Cass here pea talkers not a fan
so Keith would you recommend we’re all
lying one of buzzfeed’s top Thrillers of
2023 which comes out on March 14th for
those of you that are unawares yeah pick
it up I would kind of describe it as
like a dark Beach read yeah again we
talked about it we just burned through
it if you’re into these type of
Thrillers into kind of a psychological
Thriller definitely a good one to have
and it’s easy to pick up put down get
right back into the story so I’d
recommend it yeah agreed it’s a it’s a
multiple perspective thing which I
always enjoy I’m I’m all for it I would
definitely recommend the book I I
enjoyed it it’d be hard not to enjoy it
if someone you get an advanced copy of a
book I mean it’s like getting a screener
of Titanic yeah I love that movie it’s
phenomenal so I I really did I really
did enjoy I mean we’ve read on this
podcast a few like Reese Witherspoon
Book Club books authors have written
multiple books they don’t hold a [ __ ]
candle to this so I mean we’re not going
to say the name that we will never say
the worst book that’s ever been written
but you know so if that’s the vibe
you’re looking for especially this
summer for Beach read stuff yeah for
sure like I I gave it to the sgm after I
finished I said hey check this out the
wife you mean oh the wife yeah this will
be the podcast where it’s just it’s just
the way from now on uh what do we got
coming up next Sandlot the movie and
third option Vince Flynn Keith I know we
had some ups and downs here with the
audio went up but hey I love you I’ll
never murder you okay
right back at you all right well that’s
it for uh we’re all on we’ll catch you
next time bye now