JessiStories Unheard Voices

Send us Fan Mail Phil Falco and Kat Calamia of Lifeline Comics join the show to talk about building a queer comics universe together — from Slice of Life to their vampire book trilogy — and share how they write, collaborate, and connect with fans. Lyrics By: Jessi Hersey Music By: A J Music Art By: Zummi

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, indie author Raquel Raelynn discusses her debut queer fantasy novel The Balance of Fates , sharing how a random idea evolved into a 10-year writing journey, her process for crafting rich world-building and diverse characters, and how she uses Kickstarter as an indie author. She also previews three upcoming 2026 releases. Lyrics by: Jessi Hersey Music by: AJ Music...

Send us Fan Mail Indie author Wren Jones talks queer and witchy fiction, critical thinking, cults, AI, and her upcoming novel Of Swords and Starlight . Lyrics By: Jessi Hersey Music By: AJ Music Group Art By: Zummi

Send us Fan Mail Jessi sits down with Megan (The Queer Crypt) — paranormal investigator and folklore researcher — to talk sleep paralysis, UFO sightings, queer representation, and the cult-like nature of modern politics. Lyrics By: Jessi Hersey Music By: AJ Music Group Art BY: Zummi

Send us Fan Mail Author and linguist Amanda Montell ( Cultish , The Age of Magical Overthinking ) joins Jessi to unpack cognitive dissonance, the psychology behind cult influence, and why our brains betray us in the information age — plus books, writing, and favorite dinosaurs. Lyrics By: Jessi Hersey Music By: AJ Music Group Artwork By: Zummi

Send us Fan Mail Jessi sits down with Cheyenne (they/them) — Bookstagrammer, Queer Bookwyrm, and LGBTQ+ advocate with the Down East Rainbow Alliance in rural Maine. They talk agender identity, queer book recs, and the work of bringing Pride to one of the most remote corners of New England. Lyrics By: Jessi Hersey Music: AJ Music Group Artwork: Zummi

Send us Fan Mail Jessi sits down with Sammie Varella — BookTuber, BookToker, and queer lit advocate. They dig into representation gaps in publishing, sapphic fairy tale recs, TikTok algorithm struggles, and the Emmy-eligible Escaping Twin Flames docuseries. Music by: AJ Music Group Lyrics By: Jessi Hersey Artwork By: Zummi

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Jessis Stories: Unheard Voices, host Jessi Hersey sits down with two queer authors who are redefining what it means to tell authentic stories. First, bestselling fantasy author Rebecca Thorne (Can't Spell Treason Without Tea) shares her journey from rejection to indie publishing success, the power of sapphic representation in fiction, and the realities of t...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, host Jessi sits down with guest Erin (Let the Fresh Erin) for a candid conversation about The Cult of Trump by Steven Hassan and Cultish by Amanda Montell. They dive into what makes a cult, the us-versus-them mentality in politics, Twin Flames Universe, Scientology, MLMs, and how cult tactics are showing up everywhere — from influencers to social media algorithms....

Send us Fan Mail What if you were born into a cult with no choice, no escape, and no one telling you it wasn't normal? Pamela Nickel Williams was. In this episode, she shares her remarkable story of growing up inside Scientology, the trauma she buried for decades, and why she finally decided to speak out. Her memoir Clearly Lies Are True is just the beginning. Music By: AJ Music Group Lyrics...

Send us Fan Mail Note: This episode was previously recorded in 2024. In this episode of Jesse's Stories: Unheard Voices , Jessi sits down with April Little — a queer, autistic theologian and podcaster — to discuss her journey leaving a conservative evangelical church, coming out as queer, and navigating an autism diagnosis. April shares powerful excerpts from her memoir-in-progress, breaks do...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when the world you grew up in turns against you for simply being yourself? This week, Jessi sits down with Andrew — a cult survivor who found his voice the hard way. A raw, eye-opening conversation you won't want to miss. Views expressed in this each individuals own views and experience and not meant to harm any group or entity. You can find Andrew on his podcast...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Jessi sits down with Dr. Tabitha Chapman, Executive Director of the Freedom Train Project — a nonprofit proYouviding support services for those leaving coercive groups and cult environments. They explore her path into advocacy, her personal experiences, and what healing can look like on the other side. You can find her services here:  The Freedom Train Project - T...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when a label designed to silence women gets passed off as science? Jessi sits down with documentary filmmaker Mimi Wilcox and producer Max to dig into their Oscar-shortlisted short Bad Hostage — a deeply personal film that challenges everything you think you know about Stockholm Syndrome. They get into the making of the film, the story behind it, and what it really me...

Send us Fan Mail Mike Brilliant, field production coordinator for Netflix's "Escaping Twin Flames," shares behind-the-scenes stories from making the documentary. He discusses coordinating with producers, creating safe spaces for trauma survivors, and how people get drawn into cults through manipulation and isolation. Music By: AJ Music Group Lyrics SLAM Poetry By: Jessi Hersey Artwo...

Send us Fan Mail This podcast episode features Jessi interviewing Amy and Alan from Yukfoo Animation studios about creating animated sequences for the Netflix documentary "Escaping Twin Flames." They discuss their creative process—initially designing tarot card-style 3D animation that Netflix rejected, then pivoting to atmospheric moving paintings. The conversation covers working across...

Send us Fan Mail In this powerful episode of Jessi's Stories: Unheard Voices, host Jesse sits down with Dr. Janja Lalich, cult expert and sociology professor emerita, to discuss cult dynamics, control tactics, and the journey to recovery. Dr. Lalich shares her personal experience in a left-wing political cult and her expertise as featured in Netflix's "Escaping Twin Flames." Fr...

Send us Fan Mail  Join Jessi as she sits down with Keely to discuss cult recovery, healing, and the power of sharing our stories. Keely shares her experiences escaping Twin Flames Universe and her journey toward reclaiming autonomy and identity. As they both are Ex Members of Twin Flames Universe.  All People interviewed is by Personal Experience and own Opinions as is Jessi's Opinion and per...

Send us Fan Mail In this powerful conversation, journalist Sarah Berman discusses her investigative work exposing Twin Flames Universe, the online group that promised true love but allegedly exploited its members. Sarah shares the story behind her groundbreaking 2020 articles, the intimidation tactics and legal threats she faced, and what led her to participate in the Netflix documentary "Esc...

Send us Fan Mail In this candid behind-the-scenes interview, Nadine, associate producer of Netflix's "Escaping Twin Flames," shares her unique journey working on the docuseries. She discusses her role building relationships with contributors, the emotional challenges of filming trauma survivors, and the importance of creating a safe space on set. Nadine opens up about neurodivergenc...

Send us Fan Mail  Ever wonder what it’s really like to bring a powerful story to the screen? In this week’s episode, I sit down with Avery Fox , Associate Producer of the upcoming docu-series Twin Flames Universe , to pull back the curtain on the intense, emotional, and sometimes chaotic process of turning raw footage into a gripping narrative. Music By: AJ Music Group Lyrics By: Jessi Hersey Artw...

Send us Fan Mail Music intro By: AJ Music Group Lyrics: Jessi Hersey aka slam poetry Artwork By: Zummi hat does it take to expose a dangerous online cult? Morgan Poferi, supervising producer of Netflix's "Escaping Twin Flames," reveals the untold story of infiltrating Twin Flames Universe, the moment she knew they had to tell this story, and why she believes justice is long overdue....

Send us Fan Mail In this episode we talk about what it means to be a Archival producer on the set of Escaping Twin Flames on Netflix. Jessi and Jesse sit down for a short talk about they do. Lyrics By: Jessi Hersey Music By: AJ Music Group Art By: Zummi

Send us Fan Mail Join Jessi Stories for an in-depth conversation with Mimi Wilcox, one of the editors behind Netflix's acclaimed docuseries "Escaping Twin Flames." In this 37-minute interview, Mimi shares her experience working remotely from New York, the collaborative editing process, and the challenges of crafting a compelling narrative about coercive control and high-control grou...

Send us Fan Mail In this behind-the-scenes interview, Jessi sits down with Zoe, the Supervising Story Producer of Netflix's "Escaping Twin Flames," to discuss the making of the documentary series. Zoe shares insights into the production process, from researching the Twin Flames Universe cult to building trust with survivors. They discuss the challenges of condensing thousands of hou...