The Write Collab

What do sexually suggestive potatoes, a man who faked his own funeral, a suburban mom in a Scream mask, and a Harry Styles Magic 8-Ball have in common?

Absolutely nothing. But somehow, we're talking about all of them.

Welcome back to The Write Collab Podcast! Mary and Jenny are back in the sauna, where apparently no topic is off-limits.

This week, we're investigating a Reddit story about a woman reported to HR for eating microwaved potatoes too suggestively. Yes, potatoes. We also discuss a 74-year-old man who staged his own funeral just to see who would show up. Spoiler alert: He wasn't dead, but some of his friendships might be.

Meanwhile, Mary's been wandering around the neighborhood in a Scream mask, Jenny revisits her chilling Myspace connection to a convicted murderer, and the two celebrate Mary's birthday with a Harry Styles surprise.

And because this is The Write Collab, we're also inviting you back into the Writer's Room for another chapter of Blanket Truth.

SEGMENT BREAKDOWN

• Sauna Sessions & ConfessionsSexy Potatoes & HR Nightmares: A woman gets reported to HR for eating a microwaved potato like a hot dog. Mary and Jenny have questions. Lots of questions. Things only get worse when they start sharing their own unbelievable workplace HR experiences.The Man Who Attended His Own Funeral: A 74-year-old man stages his death to see who actually cares about him. He even climbs out of his coffin during the funeral. Surprisingly, not everyone appreciates the gesture.Scream Masks & Suburban Shenanigans: Mary puts on a Scream mask to wave at passing school buses. The kids barely notice, but the moms are entertained. Plus, Mary and Jenny encounter someone who actually recognizes them from social media.
• Coffee, Cruisin' & Criming

Jenny revisits a disturbing connection from her past. In 2006, she sent a Myspace message to a boy she had known and kissed years earlier, around the same time he committed a horrific quadruple murder in Washington State.

The conversation explores the unsettling timing, the unanswered questions, and the chilling realization of how differently things might have turned out.

• The Writer's Room — Blanket Truth

Jenny reads an exclusive excerpt from Chapter 2 of Mary's unpublished psychological suspense novel, Blanket Truth.

Twenty-six years after her mother disappeared, Emma (Emmy) Clark is struggling to make sense of Sally's sudden return.

During her morning workout, a long-buried childhood memory resurfaces. Later, another cryptic phone call from Sally raises more questions than answers.

Why is Sally afraid to explain what happened? Who are the mysterious people she keeps referring to? And how much does Emma's father really know?

Mary and Jenny discuss the chapter, explore the characters' motivations, and invite listeners into the revision process.

This isn't your typical book club. You don't need to read the novel to participate. We're inviting you into the Writer's Room to help shape the story as it unfolds.

• Ask Harry — The Magic 8-Ball

It's Mary's birthday month, and Jenny has a Harry Styles-themed surprise, including a custom shadowbox and a disco Magic 8-Ball.

This week's questions include:

• Should I quit teaching after 22 years?
• Is it acceptable to pretend I can't hear my husband?
• Can I hide snacks from my kids?
• Is staying home and going to bed at 6:30 p.m. a valid reason to decline invitations?
• Am I too old to wear leather pants?

Harry has answers. Whether they're helpful is another question entirely.

IN THIS EPISODE

• The infamous Reddit sexy potato HR complaint and unbelievable workplace stories.
• A 74-year-old man who staged his own funeral to see who would attend.
• Mary's Scream mask neighborhood prank and an unexpected encounter with a podcast fan.
• Jenny's chilling Myspace connection to a 2006 Washington State murder case.
• Jenny reads Chapter 2 of Mary's unpublished novel, Blanket Truth.
• A Harry Styles birthday surprise and the debut of a disco Magic 8-Ball.
• Parenting survival tactics, including fingerprint-locked snack closets.
• The ongoing mystery surrounding Emma's missing mother, Sally.

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

• Blanket Truth — Unpublished novel by Mary Hill
• Reddit — Suggestive potato workplace complaint
• The 74-year-old man who staged his own funeral
• Myspace — 2006 Washington State murder case
• Harry Styles and Madison Square Garden
• Palm Royale — Apple TV+
• YouTube fitness workouts
• FunDelivered unclaimed mail surprises
• Fingerprint-locked snack closets

JOIN THE WRITE COLLAB COMMUNITY

The best part of this podcast? You don't have to sit on the sidelines.

Join us on Patreon for full video episodes, bonus content, behind-the-scenes footage, FunDelivered unboxings, and opportunities to help shape Mary's novel, Blanket Truth.

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/TheWriteCollab

Instagram: @thewritecollab

Have a ridiculous workplace story? A sauna confession? A theory about Emma's missing mother? Or a question for our Harry Styles Magic 8-Ball?

We want to hear it!

Send us an email at [email protected], leave a comment, or send us a DM. Your feedback or question may be featured in an upcoming episode.

Don't forget to follow and download The Write Collab Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts so you never miss an episode. And if you're enjoying the show, leave us a rating or review. It helps other people find us.

PRODUCTION CREDITS

Audio production and engineering by Wayfare Recording Co.

What do Harry Styles, a giant light-up concert sign, unclaimed packages, and a quadruple murder have in common? Absolutely nothing. But we're talking about all of them.

Mary and Jenny are back in the sauna for Episode 2 of The Write Collab Podcast, and this week, things take a turn.

First up, Mary recaps her trip to New York City to see Harry Styles, including the adventure of getting a giant light-up sign through TSA and finally seeing Harry up close.

Then Jenny shares a truly chilling personal connection to a quadruple murder. What started as an ordinary message to someone she knew from childhood became something she never could have imagined.

On a slightly less terrifying note, Mary takes us along for her morning ritual of Coffee, Cruisin' & Crimin', where true-crime podcasts and unexpected jump scares are part of the daily commute.

In the Writer's Room, we're diving into Blanket Truth, Mary's novel in progress. We're talking first chapters, the realities of writing and rewriting a book, and one phone call that changes everything after 26 years.

And, of course, we're putting Ask Harry, our trusty Magic 8-Ball, to work. Skinny jeans? Separate bathrooms? The Irish goodbye? Harry has opinions. Well, answers, anyway.

In This Episode:

• Harry Styles, New York City, and a memorable TSA experience
• Jenny's chilling true-crime connection
• Coffee, Cruisin' & Crimin' with Mary
• The Writer's Room: Blanket Truth, the prologue, and Chapter One
• Ask Harry: Skinny jeans, separate bathrooms, and Irish goodbyes

Mentioned in This Episode:

• Harry Styles
• Ace of Base
• Crime Junkie
• SYLTBAR Prosecco
• Law & Order: SVU

Join The Collab!

Want more than just the audio? Join us on Patreon for full video episodes, exclusive Writer's Room content, behind-the-scenes moments, bonus videos, and opportunities to help shape Blanket Truth as Mary works through revisions.

And yes, there's an unclaimed package unboxing coming your way!

https://www.patreon.com/cw/TheWriteCollab

If you enjoyed the episode, follow The Write Collab Podcast, leave us a review, and share it with a friend. Have a confession, a ridiculous story, or a question for Ask Harry? We want to hear it!

Production Credits: Audio production and engineering by Wayfare Recording Co.

Welcome to The Write Collab Podcast with host Mary and co-host Jenny-coming to you straight from the sauna for a little detox, a little retox, and a lot of questionable conversation.

In our first official episode, we cover everything from neighborhood floodlights and parenting pranks to stoplight nose-pickers who clearly forgot windows work both ways. Then we switch gears and head into the real reason this podcast exists: helping Mary finish her novel, Blanket Truth.

This week, Mary reads the prologue, introduces eight-year-old Emmy, and brings Jenny into the conversation about what’s working, what isn’t, and where the story should go next. Then we wrap things up with Ask Harry, our Magic 8-Ball with an obviously very reliable connection to Harry Styles.

• Sauna Sessions & Confessions: Catching up on a busy week, gearing up for New York City, and dealing with a neighbor whose blinding floodlights are driving nocturnal animals crazy.
• Wild Listener Story: A nurse shares an unbelievable story about looking up a patient's past.
• Parenting Pranks & Yahtzee: How a game of Yahtzee turned into a full-scale prank call operation, plus flashback stories of scaring the kids into going to bed on Christmas Eve.
• Schoolyard Rumors: What happens when your kid tells classmates he has a prosthetic leg and was an orphan.
• Phone Upgrade Nightmares: Spending hours on customer support calls, dropped service, and getting stuck in SOS mode right before a big trip.
• Driving Pet Peeves: People digging for gold at stoplights thinking front windows are tinted, and pedestrians stepping right into traffic outside crosswalks.
• The Writer's Room: Reading and dissecting the prologue of Mary's unpublished novel, Blanket Truth, about eight-year-old Emmy getting dropped off in 1999.
• Ask Harry Segment: Asking our trusty Harry Styles Magic 8-Ball about the Seahawks' Super Bowl chances, math class grades, and our upcoming trip to Madison Square Garden.

Connect & Resources Mentioned
Instagram: Follow along for behind-the-scenes clips and updates.
Patreon: Join us on Patreon for exclusive content, extra footage, free membership tiers, and our $5 tier!
Credits: Audio production and engineering by Wayfare Recording Co.

Got a hilarious story, a local grievance, or a question for our Magic 8-Ball? Send in your Sauna Sessions & Confessions or Ask Harry questions to our Instagram! Make sure to subscribe on Spotify or Apple Podcasts, leave a 5-star review, and share this episode with a friend!