Alex Osman returns to the show this week to discuss his novel, Xanadu, Pennsylvania, out now from Filthy Loot. Alex breaks down the book's evolution—stitching together decade-old drafts with new material to explore small-town secrets, human observation, and a strange town-wide obsession with Olivia Newton-John. We also talk about writing from an introverted perspective, honing in on sensory details, and why kids in fiction can be surprisingly cruel. Beyond the text itself, we discuss the physical design of the book and the pop-culture influences behind it. Alex shares how alternative 90s albums like Faith No More’s Angel Dust inspired the artwork, why he prefers compact pocketbook editions, and how classic comedy shape his reading habits. Take a listen to the episode and pick up a copy of Xanadu, Pennsylvania through Filthy Loot.

Thanks for listening!

Kyler

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Episode Links:

• Purchase Xanadu, Pennsylvania
• IG: @magkneesiumm
• Alex on SLD Episode 280

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SLD Podcast Info:

• Visit SaltLakeDirt.com for more interviews.

• Intro and outro music courtesy of Hot House West.
• Vienna Waltz composed by Nathan Royal, performed by HHW.

This week on Salt Lake Dirt, Kyler welcomes back Arthur Dark, creator of the YouTube channel Hollywood Graveyard, to discuss his new book, Hollywood Graveyard: The Guide to Famous Graves in LA and How to Find Them. Over the past decade, Arthur has documented famous resting places across Los Angeles, and his new physical companion guide compiles over 700 grave sites across 24 major Southern California cemeteries. Arthur walks through the process of independently publishing the full-color book, detailing how he personally revisited every site to lock in exact GPS coordinates and pair each entry with QR code virtual maps for fans visiting in person. The conversation also covers the broader projects that have grown around the channel, including community-funded efforts to place markers for unmemorialized film figures like silent Western star Bronco Billy Anderson and original Goofy voice actor Pinto Colvig. Arthur touches on hosting live music events featuring composer Giuseppe Vasapolli's original channel scores at venues like the Old Town Music Hall, his own cenotaph at Forest Lawn, and what to expect from upcoming video projects on early Hollywood studio founders. Thanks for listening!

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Episode Links:

• Purchase Hollywood Graveyard: The Guide
• YouTube: @HollywoodGraveyard
• Arthur Dark on SLD Episode 94

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• Visit SaltLakeDirt.com for more interviews
• Intro and outro music courtesy of Hot House West.
• Vienna Waltz composed by Nathan Royal, performed by HHW.

Jonathan Ames returns to the podcast to discuss his latest novel, A Past Without Pictures, which hits shelves on September 8th. He has long been one of my favorite writers, and in this episode, we chat about the book's path from Los Angeles down to the Gulf Coast of Alabama. We discuss how protagonist Maria Cole reflects the sharp, feral edge of the LA coyotes Ames sometimes sees on his walks, as well as her origin story as a quick one-line police officer in the first Happy Doll novel. Ames also opens up about the six-year path to adapting the novel Kockroach for the screen, a project recently filmed in Australia starring Chris Hemsworth, Taron Egerton, Zazie Beetz, Alec Baldwin, and Rachel Sennott.

We also spend some time talking about the craft itself and how to navigate the mental noise that comes with creating. Jonathan shares how patience can serve as an antidote to creative anxiety, reminding us that showing up at the desk every day brings a grounded reward that matters far more than external timelines. If you grab the hardcover of A Past Without Pictures, you'll find a great bonus in the back—the first two chapters of the upcoming fourth Happy Doll book. Be sure to grab a copy from your local independent bookstore on release day!

Thanks for listening!

Kyler

Episode Links:

• Purchase A Past Without Pictures

• Visit SaltLakeDirt.com for more interviews

• Intro and outro music courtesy of Hot House West.

• Vienna Waltz composed by Nathan Royal, performed by HHW.

In the latest episode of Salt Lake Dirt, Kyler sits down with philosophy professor Roger S. Gottlieb to discuss his latest book, Nature Spirituality and Environmental Crisis: Embracing a Sacred, Wounded Earth. The conversation explores how modern ecological destruction alters our spiritual relationship with the natural world.

Gottlieb shares how we can navigate this crisis by allowing deep grief for a wounded planet to coexist with enduring gratitude, transforming our moral outrage into active, loving resistance. By looking to the quiet wisdom of trees and embracing a spiritually mature perspective, this episode provides a grounded framework for facing environmental realities without falling into despair.

Thanks for listening!

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Episode Links:

• Purchase Nature Spirituality and Environmental Crisis: Embracing a Sacred, Wounded Earth

Today Kyler chats with Amanda Warren, co-founder of Bookish, about building a grassroots literary community in Salt Lake City. After returning to Utah from New York City, Amanda teamed up with her sister Whitney to launch Bookish, an initiative designed to host reading parties, cultivate connection, and promote local storytelling. She shares the story behind their popular community events, the upcoming adult summer reading pizza party at Memory Grove, and how centering gatherings around books removes the awkwardness of typical small talk. The conversation turns to the first Salt Lake Book Festival, set for October 17th at The Gateway. Partnering with the Utah Center for the Book, Warren details the massive effort behind bringing the festival to life, featuring family programming, creative panels, and dynamic DIY activations. She also previews "The Prologue"—a pre-festival rooftop kick-off at the downtown library complete with an adult spelling bee and literary cocktails. To learn more or grab tickets, visit saltlakebookfestival.org or bookishslc.com.

Thanks for listening!

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Episode Links:

• SaltLakeBookFestival.org
• Bookish

On Episode 429 of Salt Lake Dirt, Kyler sits down with author, scholar, and long-time educator Richard Major to discuss his latest project, The First Guidebook to International Universities. Drawing from decades of experience teaching around the globe—and raising a family across multiple continents alongside his diplomat wife—Richard shares his perspective on why pursuing an undergraduate degree abroad is a viable option for American high school graduates.

During their conversation, Kyler and Richard examine several key aspects of international education:

• The Cost Misconception: How tuition fees at overseas institutions often differ significantly from the rising costs of American higher education.
• Language Barriers: Why fluency in a foreign language isn't always required, given the growing number of international degree programs conducted entirely in English.
• The "Inner Journey": How living and studying in a different culture during college years shapes personal development and independence.
• Practical Realities: What students and families should consider regarding safety, navigating application processes, and adapting to Europe's typical three-year degree structures.

The episode explores how stepping out of familiar surroundings for college can broaden a student's outlook and open up new academic pathways.

PURCHASE: The First Guidebook to International Universities

I recently sat down with Witney Schneidman to discuss his memoir, This Africa Idea: A Memoir of Discovery, Diplomacy and Opportunity, which chronicles his five-decade career. Witney shared how a 1971 gap year in Uganda, where he witnessed Idi Amin’s coup d'état, inspired him to become a bridge of understanding between the U.S. and Africa. This turning point eventually led him to senior policy roles, including Deputy Assistant Secretary of State during the Clinton administration.

During our chat, Witney emphasized his advocacy for trade over aid, noting that commercial partnerships offer far more sustainable growth than donor models. He reflected on monitoring the Sullivan Principles in apartheid-era South Africa and helping pass the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). Looking ahead, Witney continues to challenge one-dimensional narratives of Africa, urging people to see the continent as a dynamic hub of commercial and cultural agency.

Great conversation, great book! Thanks for listening.

Kyler

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Episode Links:

• Purchase This Africa Idea
• Witney's Linkedin

Today I sit down with author and long-time writing professor Mark Farrington about his debut novel, Loss of Life. The book follows 41-year-old Matthew Winton, who wakes up in a Virginia hospital after a mysterious car crash with all memories past the age of 13 completely wiped out. As a writing professor himself, Matthew turns to his own fictional short stories to piece together who he was, creating a fascinating, blurred line between truth and fiction as he returns to his home state of Massachusetts to confront the ghosts of his past. Beyond the compelling premise, Mark and I talked about the personal relationship between memory, identity, and the creative process. We discussed how writing serves as an act of discovery rather than just a test of knowledge, and Mark shared invaluable, grounding advice for writers striving to balance their craft with the demands of everyday life and teaching.

Great chat, great book. Thanks for listening!

Kyler

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Episode Links:

• MarkFarrington.net
• Purchase: Loss of Life

Cults of Personality and Heavy Lifting in Drew Buxton’s Daytona Teddy Riggs

On the latest episode of Salt Lake Dirt, Kyler sits down with author Drew Buxton to discuss his debut novel, Daytona Teddy Riggs (Hub City Press). Set in mid-1990s Texas, the novel follows Teddy Riggs, a 24-year-old former high school football player striving to make a name for himself in the intense, niche world of strongman competitions and bodybuilding. Buxton revealed that the story originally began as a flash piece under 1,000 words featuring Teddy sneaking onto his old middle school field during a practice—a scene that sets the tone for a humorous, deeply eccentric character study. Written entirely in a distinct first-person voice, the novel captures Teddy's complex family dynamics, his extreme daily regimen of force-feeding thousands of calories, and his intense fixation on a Tony Robbins-style motivational speaker named Pat Dupree.

Buxton reflects on his creative process, shifting from writing binges to a steady daily routine of writing at least 500 words while leaving "gas in the tank" for the next session. He and Kyler discuss the inspiration behind the novel's striking exploitation-film-style cover art, as well as Buxton's fascination with niche subcultures where dedicated individuals push themselves to physical extremes. While the book touches on themes of hypermasculinity and self-improvement culture, Buxton emphasized that he wanted to craft a genuine, multi-dimensional character rather than a simple satire. Readers can order Daytona Teddy Riggs through major booksellers or find more of the author's work at drewbuxton.com.

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Episode Links:

• Purchase Daytona Teddy Riggs
• DrewBuxton.com

Tonight Kyler speaks with filmmaker Amir Zargara following the opening night screening of his short film, VITAL, at the HollyShorts Film Festival. Shot in Istanbul and currently under consideration for the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film, the project examines the reality of the international organ trade. During their conversation, Amir explains how an outsider's perspective encouraged him to focus on the unique legal and cultural realities of organ sales in Iran, where posters offering kidneys line hospital walls. He also speaks about his journey into cinema—from growing up immersed in Iran's film-loving culture to transitioning into storytelling after years working in apparel. The interview explores the collaborative process of bringing VITAL to life on an international stage. Amir details the logistics of filming in Turkey to double for both Iran and the United States, as well as the rare opportunity to cast prominent Iranian actors for a non-political narrative. Amir discusses the painful editorial decisions required to cut a complete 26-minute cut down for the festival circuit, the experience of screening at the iconic Chinese Theatre, and why short films deserve a central spotlight in independent cinema. Follow the film's run on Instagram at @vitalshortfilm.

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Episode Links:

• Zargara.com
• Trailer
• IG: @amirzargara
• IG: @vitalshortfilm