Salt Lake Dirt

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 intelligence, missing Vatican millions, and historical secrets dating back to World War II. The duo dives into the fascinating inspiration behind the book—sparked by a quote from Nazi hunter Simon Wiesenthal about the Vatican having the best spy agency in the world—and shares details about the book's anticipated upcoming paperback, ebook, and audiobook release.

Beyond the secrets of the Vatican, Michael and Nancy open up about their unique, tag-team collaborative process. They share how Nancy’s dyslexia and background in dramaturgy act as a storytelling superpower, helping her visualize the "shapes" of a narrative to inject action, depth, and pacing into Michael's dialogue and prose. The couple also discusses an incredible new venture through their publishing company, BookGo: a brand-new, intensive annual writing workshop hosted at the University of Oxford, designed to give aspiring writers masterclasses and one-on-one mentorship in one of the world's most historic literary cities.

Thanks for listening!

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Episode Links:

• Purchase The Glamour of Evil
• BookGo.pub
• The Oxford Writers Workshop - Aug. 14-20th, 2026

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 upcoming release of William Faulkner's The Sound and the Fury.

Our conversation also covers the changing landscape of indie publishing, the clarity that comes with stepping away from social media, and the unexpected revival of cassette tape culture. Plus, Dmitry introduces Krystle Ratticus new pulp-style memoir, Ornery Cuss. Head over to DmitrySamarov.com to read his weekly newsletter, view his artwork, and pre-order his latest books.

Thanks for listening!

Kyler

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Episode Links:

• DmitrySamarov.com
• Books from Maudlin House
• Moby Dick cassette tape
• Purchase Ornery Cuss

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 talk show. Driven by a fantastic ensemble cast the project pulls directly from Ryan's years in unscripted television to deliver big laughs and wonderfully eccentric, authentic characters.

Check out the full interview to hear about Ryan's childhood bootleg VHS inspiration, and grab tickets to catch the screening at the TCL Chinese Theatre.

Thanks for listening!

Kyler

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Episode Links:

• IG: @itsgettinglateofficial
• TikTok: @itsgettinglate.official
• DWF Screening: Series Block 8 - Saturday June 27, 1:45pm

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, unnamed historic dive bar where he enters a deeply compelling world that is part page-turning noir thriller and part meditation on loneliness, alienation, and the search for human connection.

Drawing on his 30-year background as a newspaper journalist, William brings a sharp, direct, and propulsive pace to the book without any of the formulaic fluff. We had a blast discussing his writing process, the enduring legacy of classic 1940s film noir, and the incredible twist at the end of the novel that readers won't see coming. You can check out the full episode now, and be sure to pick up your copy of the book through William's local indie shop, Vroman's Pasadena, or by visiting williamloving-author.com.

Thanks for listening!

Kyler

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Episode Links:

WilliamLoving-Author

Purchase Fells Point through your local bookstore

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 teenage "midnight runs" riding bareback on a cattle farm.

The novel appeals to a broad spectrum of readers, from ages 12 to 75, by intentionally channeling the natural, rambunctious energy of youth into positive pursuits rather than squashing it. Written at a fast clip with section breaks instead of traditional chapters, the book cuts the downtime to keep the action constantly moving. It's a quick, gripping read that draws from his own travels through Mexico and Texas. Check out our full interview wherever you get podcasts.

Thanks for listening!

Kyler

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PURCHASE: The Legendary Adventures of Doc Copper: And the Mad Dash of Fire Face

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-life journal entries, South expertly captures the fluidity of time and the stark realization that, if we live long enough, we truly do inhabit several completely different lives over the course of our existence.

Beyond the prose of the novel, Richard and I talked about his extensive background as a playwright and how his artistic worlds constantly feed into one another. He shared details about his upcoming play scheduled to run this November in the East Village. South is easily one of the most stunning books I've read in a long time. I highly recommend it. Thanks for listening!

Kyler

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Episode Links:

• Purchase SOUTH
• RichardPloetz.com

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 childhood, growing up under a massive Hollywood shadow, and her heartwarming personal memories of spending afternoons with her "Nana."

The conversation explores the brilliant, often underappreciated mind of Desi Arnaz—from his groundbreaking structural contributions to television to his introduction of Afro-Cuban rhythms to American music. Kate reflects on the family's effort to keep his history authentic, highlighting the recent re-release of his autobiography, A Book, and Lucy and Desi: The Love Letters.

Thanks for listening!

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Episode Links:

• Desilu, Too, LLC
• Purchase A Book by Desi Arnaz
• Follow Kate on TikTok: @k8luckinbill

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 powerful journey of navigating an elaborate "double life" while hosting a major radio program in the Bay Area, the terrifying vulnerability of sharing his diagnosis publicly in 2007, and the incredible, open-armed warmth he found within the mental health advocacy community.

We discuss the core mechanics of OCD, discussing how the disorder fundamentally drives a grueling search for absolute certainty, and why learning to actively live in the gray area is the key to managing it. Using a brilliant swimming pool metaphor to illustrate the realities of Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) therapy, Jeff highlighted that while sitting with your worst fears is undeniably hard work, the payoff of a reclaimed life is entirely worth it. Whether you are living with OCD yourself, supporting a loved one, or simply looking to understand the disorder beyond the common stereotypes, Jeff’s insights on paying kindness forward are deeply inspiring. Check out the full episode and visit jeffbellonline.com to learn more about his incredible work and upcoming advocacy events.

Thanks for listening!

Kyler

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Episode Links:

• Jeff Bell's Website
• Information on the 2026 IOCDF Conference in Seattle (July 9-12)

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 highlights her early immersion in the L.A. music scene, where her childhood fascination with film composers like Danny Elfman eventually led her from opera camp to performing live sets.

Her unique style seamlessly blends the languid delivery of classic jazz vocalists like Julie London with the bold art-pop styling of David Bowie. Make sure to listen to the end to hear the new single "Mask of Flowers," and keep up-to-date for upcoming singles by following her socials below.

Thanks for listening!

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Episode Links:

• BellaBeauMusic.com
• Listen to Bella Beau on Spotify
• Instagram: @bellabeaumusic
• TikTok: @bellabeaumusic
• YouTube: @bellabeaumusic

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 friction and intervention that only human relationships can provide. To hear the full interview, click here, look for The Friend Machine worldwide, and tune into Hetherington’s companion CBC podcast series, Understood: Artificial Intimacy.

Thanks for listening!

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Episode Links:

• Purchase The Friend Machine: On the Trail of AI Companionship
• Listen to Victoria's podcast Understood: Artificial Intimacy
• Follow Victoria on Instagram @vmhetherington