Salt Lake Dirt

My next guest on Salt Lake Dirt is Sam Farhi , author of the novel The Sapsuckers . The book centers on two brothers, Pete and Rem, and the eerie, unsettling fallout that follows Rem's mysterious death. Rather than a straightforward mystery, Farhi pieces the narrative together through a non-linear timeline, utilizing diary entries, transcripts, and shifting perspectives that examine how we con...

Today I chat with author Nan Fischer about her new domestic suspense thriller, This Is a Lie , written under the pen name Cleo Ballard. The novel follows Penn, a computer science student who creates an AI best friend named Aletheia to protect her from deception after a devastating personal betrayal. The tension quickly escalates as the algorithm begins interpreting protection as total destruction,...

On today's episode acclaimed author Craig Nova discusses his fifteenth novel, The Last Sweet Taste , out now from Arcade Publishing. The conversation explores his masterful use of first-person perspective to establish distinct character voices. Drawing from his twenty years in rural Vermont, Nova shares how a practical engagement with everyday reality gives the book its vital resonance. Nova a...

On today's show author Luke Goebel discusses his novel Kill Dick , a fierce literary work fueled by personal loss and his own recovery from addiction. The conversation covers his survival of a harrowing car accident, his subsequent creative shift to the Southern California desert, and his mission to keep authentic literature alive by taking the reins of Tyrant Books. Published by Red Hen Press...

This is a major milestone for the podcast. For the 400th episode of Salt Lake Dirt , I wanted to bring back a guest whose voice and perspective I truly respect. Hannah Sward , author of the incredible memoir Strip , joins me once again to catch up and talk about the realities of keeping things authentic in a noisy world. Hannah opens up about the process behind her Substack, Summer of Men , which...

Today on Salt Lake Dirt , Kyler reconnects with author Emmalea Russo to discuss her latest novel, The Moon Papers , releasing June 30th from Arcade Publishing. Serving as a follow-up to her previous book, Vivienne , the new novel expands on characters from its predecessor but stands entirely on its own. Great chat, incredible novel! Thanks for listening. --- Episode Links: Purchase The Moon Papers...

Sarah Velk joined the Salt Lake Dirt podcast to discuss her literary journey, moving from Los Angeles to New York, where she co-founded the reading series Punisher . Alongside co-founder Kennedy Wright , Velk established the series to challenge the rigid, academic tropes often associated with traditional literary events, opting instead for an energetic, inclusive atmosphere that features both esta...

Vanessa Matic recently joined the podcast to discuss her new poetry collection, American Dreams in Havoc Heaven . Published by Hat and Beard Press, the book strips away the glossy cliches of the traditional American dream, trading white picket fences for an open, gritty landscape of youth, intimacy, and structural decay. Matic, who is also the founder of the grassroots Agape Lodge Poetry Society i...

On today's show I welcome Mark Malkoff to discuss the behind-the-scenes reality of hosting The Tonight Show . In Love Johnny Carson , Mark's research reveals a grueling early format where Johnny Carson performed two separate monologues across an hour-and-45-minute runtime. While the media frequently labeled Carson cold, our conversation highlights a shy, private man who still maintained a down-to-...

I had the chance to speak with director and co-writer Catherine Hardwicke about her new film, Street Smart , which she penned alongside Nic Sheff (author of Tweak , the basis for the film Beautiful Boy ). The film serves as an "Oliver Twist" style look at young creatives supporting each other through hard times in Venice Beach. Catherine shared the fascinating story of casting newcomer I...

I had the chance to sit down with professional skateboarder and actor Isiah Hilt to discuss his starring role in director Catherine Hardwicke's new film, Street Smart , following its premiere at the Bentonville Film Festival . Isiah plays Drex, a character that heavily draws from his own life story of growing up on his own around Venice Beach. He stepped into the role naturally, relying on his...

In the latest episode of Salt Lake Dirt , Kyler welcomes back author Michael McKinley alongside his co-author and writing partner, Nancy Merritt Bell , to celebrate their novel The Glamour of Evil winning the prestigious Indie Gold Grand Prize. This thrilling Vatican espionage novel follows Maddie Lynch, a New York TV producer who unexpectedly gets drafted into a high-stakes world of global raw in...

We are back with another episode of Salt Lake Dirt , featuring recurring guest artist and author Dmitry Samarov . In this conversation, we focus on independent publishing and the process of bringing public domain literature back to print. Dmitry shares the details of his recent artistic endeavors, including his illustrations for the new edition of Sherwood Anderson's Winesburg, Ohio and his up...

Filmmaker Ryan Dougall Talks Late-Night Comedy Pilot In our latest episode, I sat down with filmmaker Ryan Dougall to discuss his 44-minute comedy pilot, It's Getting Late with Owen Reed , screening at Dances With Films on June 27th. Described as " The Office meets The Larry Sanders Show " for the streaming era, this independent workplace comedy follows a dysfunctional crew behind a low-budget tal...

In our latest episode, I welcomed back author William Loving to talk about his new novel, Fells Point , which hit shelves on June 9th. Returning to his hometown of Baltimore, William has crafted a brilliant story about Danny Doyle, a middle-aged Orioles fan living on borrowed time who sets out on a localized bucket list to truly soak in his city. His journey leads him straight into a strange, unna...

I recently chatted with author Darek Isaacs about his new novel, The Legendary Adventures of Doc Copper and the Mad Dash of Fire Face , published by Skyhorse Publishing. Drawing from his childhood summers spent living in Ohio, Isaacs infuses the story with high-octane dirt bike racing and dangerous adrenaline. He even shared the real-life inspiration behind the book’s wild horse scenes—his own tee...

On the latest episode of Salt Lake Dirt , I sat down with playwright and author Richard Ploetz to talk about his beautiful new novel, South , recently released by Arcade Publishing. The book chronicles 30 years in the relationship of two main characters, Bert and Trudy, tracking their journey through the shifting chapters of their lives. Threaded together by edited versions of Richard’s own real-l...

On today's episode Kyler sits down with Kate Luckinbill , the granddaughter of television royalty Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball, and the daughter of Lucie Arnaz. As a partner at Desilu, Too , Kate works directly with her mother to protect, license, and strategically manage the incredible legacy left behind by her iconic grandparents. Kate shares hilarious behind-the-scenes stories from her child...

I had the immense honor of speaking with a guest I have admired for well over a decade: author, retired broadcaster, and advocate Jeff Bell . Discovering Jeff’s groundbreaking books—his memoir Rewind, Replay, Repeat and his invaluable guide When in Doubt, Make Belief —profoundly shaped my own perspective on navigating life after my own OCD diagnosis. During our conversation, Jeff openly shared his...

In today's episode Kyler sits down with Los Angeles singer-songwriter Bella Beau to explore the deeply visual qualities of her music. The literary podcast found a natural connection in her cinematic single "Mask of Flowers," which she notes is heavily inspired by her vivid dreams, the gothic styling of Tim Burton, and the dark themes of The Picture of Dorian Gray . The conversation h...

Kyler sits down with author Victoria Hetherington to discuss her timely new book, The Friend Machine: On the Trail of AI Companionship . Shifting from science fiction to real-world journalism, Hetherington explores the stories of people forming deep bonds with artificial minds to combat an "epidemic of loneliness". She emphasizes that artificial intimacy lacks the vital, real-world frict...

I sat down with filmmaker and producer Sophie Power following her trip to the Cannes Film Festival . We discussed her 11-minute experimental documentary short, Whatever A Son Will Always Sing . Bypassing the heavy-handed exposition of traditional documentaries, the film uses professional actors and a dreamscape visual approach to blend fiction with real-life interviews. Sophie spoke with 50 differ...

In the latest episode of Salt Lake Dirt , Kyler sits down with the team behind Working Girls Press to discuss their new anthology, I Hate My Job . Joining the conversation are press co-founders Molly Simmons and Emily Marie Passos Duffy, along with the book’s editor, Adrie Rose. Born from a shared desire to publish uncensored, nuanced perspectives on the sex work industry, the independent press de...

On the latest episode of Salt Lake Dirt , I sat down with author Perrin Pring to talk about her novel, Cash and Gravity , which releases on May 26th from Diversion Books . The story is set in a near future where six mega-corporations have essentially supplanted global governments. It follows Chevy Cole, a military grunt who unexpectedly ends up on the run with a stolen mobile fusion device that ev...

What happens when a mid-level drug dealer gets killed, instantly wakes up inside the body of a newborn baby with his adult consciousness completely intact, and decides to spend his childhood plotting revenge? That is the bizarre, hilarious, and strangely heartwarming premise behind Imagine My Surprise! , the latest novel by K.S. Haddock . Originally conceived all the way back in 2008 as a piece of...