On this episode of Salt Lake Dirt, Kyler sits down with author and musician Daniel Gard'ner to talk about his novel, Desert Songs . Daniel shares how decades in the music industry led him to write this rock and roll L.A. noir, built around the characters Cash and Slim. It's a candid conversation about the reality of band dynamics, friendship, and the pressures of success—a fascinating look at the intersection of music, writing, and the artistic life. Great chat, great book! Thanks for listening....
Nov 27, 2025•31 min•Ep. 356
This week on Salt Lake Dirt, we welcome back the talented Gary Lippman to discuss his latest book, I Wish, Therefore I Am . In this episode, Kyler and Gary discuss the creative process behind the book, exploring the significance of titles and the role of wishes in our lives. Gary shares his insights on how he arrived at the catchy title and the unique structure of the book, which he affectionately refers to as his "kitchen sink book." Great book, great chat! Thanks for listening. --- Episode Lin...
Nov 23, 2025•36 min•Ep. 355
This week on Salt Lake Dirt, we have the pleasure of welcoming Tim Kirk , author of the new novel, All His Damned Mother's Sons . In this episode, Kyler and Tim delve into the fascinating world of alternate history, exploring a timeline where Elvis Presley meets an untimely death during his military service in Germany. This pivotal moment sends shockwaves through the lives of four characters, particularly Billy Clover, who finds himself thrust into the limelight as the new Prince of Rock and Rol...
Nov 23, 2025•33 min•Ep. 354
Salt Lake Dirt is wrapping up its coverage FilmQuest this week! FilmQuest is one of my favorite film festivals out there. Check it out! --- 2025 FilmQuest Episode 353 Film: The Waking Call Guest: Riccardo Suriano Watch the Trailer --- On the Radio on 11/3/25 KPCR 92.9FM Los Gatos KMRT 101.9FM Santa Cruz KVBE 91.9FM Portland, OR www.kpcr.org www.saltlakedirt.com...
Nov 23, 2025•13 min•Ep. 353
This week on Salt Lake Dirt, we welcome back William Cooper to discuss his new novel, The Trial of Donald H. Rumsfeld . In this episode, Kyler and Will dive deep into the complex character of Rumsfeld, exploring the nuances of his personality and the historical context that shaped his decisions. Will shares how the events of September 11th sparked his interest in politics and led him to create a narrative that humanizes a figure often viewed as distant and unrelatable. As they discuss the book's...
Nov 16, 2025•24 min•Ep. 352
Salt Lake Dirt is covering FilmQuest this week! FilmQuest is one of my favorite film festivals out there. --- 2025 FilmQuest Episode 351 Film: Stomach It Guest: Peter Klausner IG: @stomachitfilm IG: @klausnerpeter Logline : While struggling to emotionally detach from the deceased, a crime scene cleaner believes a monstrous presence is toying with him. On the Radio on 11/17/25 KPCR 92.9FM Los Gatos KMRT 101.9FM Santa Cruz KVBE 91.9FM Portland, OR www.kpcr.org www.saltlakedirt.com...
Nov 16, 2025•16 min•Ep. 351
This week Kelly Cervantes joins me on Salt Lake Dirt. She is the author of the new memoir, The Luckiest: A Memoir of Love, Loss, Motherhood, and the Pursuit of Self . Kelly takes us on an emotional journey through her life, exploring the complexities of motherhood, the depths of grief, and the transformative power of love. Kelly shares the inspiration behind her memoir, which is beautifully structured around the metaphor of nesting dolls. She reflects on her experiences navigating the highs and ...
Nov 09, 2025•27 min•Ep. 350
Salt Lake Dirt has been covering FilmQuest the past couple of weeks. FilmQuest is one of my favorite film festivals out there. Enjoy these interviews! --- 2025 FilmQuest Episode 349 Film: The Vanity Guest: Megan Rosati SYNOPSIS: In the near future, a young couple makes their living as influencers for a new social media platform: THE VANITY. But when THE VANITY upgrades to AI, the horrific visions it shows forces them to decide what matters most: their online following, or each other. IG: @thevan...
Nov 09, 2025•19 min•Ep. 349
Today I welcome author Cairo Smith to discuss his new book, Scenebux . In this thought-provoking narrative, we follow Ben, a 25-year-old grappling with a quarter-life crisis in San Francisco as he embarks on a whirlwind adventure through a tech-driven world filled with eccentric characters and existential dilemmas. Cairo shares insights into his writing process, revealing how he meticulously crafted the plot and details that define Ben's journey. From his background in filmmaking to the unique b...
Nov 09, 2025•33 min•Ep. 348
Salt Lake Dirt is covering FilmQuest this week! FilmQuest is one of my favorite film festivals out there. 2025 FilmQuest Episode 347 Film: M.U.B. (Monster Under the Bed) Guest: Serena Dykman IG: @serena_dykman www.serenadykman.com SYNOPSIS: A one-night stand takes a surreal turn when a childhood Monster creeps from Under the Bed. --- On the Radio on 11/3/25: KPCR 92.9FM Los Gatos KMRT 101.9FM Santa Cruz KVBE 91.9FM Portland, OR www.kpcr.org www.saltlakedirt.com...
Nov 02, 2025•15 min•Ep. 347
This week on Salt Lake Dirt, we dive into the mind of author John Vines as he discusses his debut novel, The World is Angry . A geologist by career, John reveals how his passion for storytelling has led him to create a gripping psychological thriller that intertwines the lives of three friends with a chilling serial killer. Set against the backdrop of a haunting New Orleans, the story follows three protagonists as they confront their pasts while being pursued by a killer with a twisted rationale...
Nov 02, 2025•26 min•Ep. 346
Salt Lake Dirt is covering FilmQuest this week! FilmQuest is one of my favorite film festivals out there. --- 2025 FilmQuest Episode 345 Film: Margaret the Brave Guest: Danny Chandia SYNOPSIS: A recently-divorced professor of mythology tries to inspire his teenage daughter with a fairy tale on the night she leaves home to live with her mother, but considering the state of the world- it will take more than fantasy to reach her. IG: @desertcactusfilms On the Radio on 11/3/25: KPCR 92.9FM Los Gatos...
Nov 02, 2025•10 min•Ep. 345
Salt Lake Dirt is covering FilmQuest this week! FilmQuest is one of my favorite film festivals out there. --- 2025 FilmQuest Episode 344 Film: NIGHTFALL Guest: Guy Hershler SYNOPSIS: Haunted by guilt, a young man seeks forgiveness from a grieving mother – only to be sucked into a nightmarish night of chilling truths. IMDb Festival Formula On the Radio on 11/3/25: KPCR 92.9FM Los Gatos KMRT 101.9FM Santa Cruz KVBE 91.9FM Portland, OR www.kpcr.org www.saltlakedirt.com...
Nov 02, 2025•13 min•Ep. 344
Salt Lake Dirt is covering FilmQuest this week! FilmQuest is one of my favorite film festivals out there. --- 2025 FilmQuest Episode 343 Film: GRUNGE Guest: Rene Rivas IG @renerivasproductions SYNOPSIS: In 1992, the rising rock band “Le Slouch” is on the verge of stardom. With a scorching new single lighting up the airwaves, and their debut music video premiering on MTV’s “Headslammers Bash,” everything seems to be falling into place, until disaster strikes. --- On the Radio on 11/3/25 KPCR 92.9...
Nov 02, 2025•13 min•Ep. 343
Salt Lake Dirt is covering FilmQuest this week! FilmQuest is one of my favorite film festivals out there. --- 2025 FilmQuest Episode 342 Film: SELF-TAPE Guests: Nick Samson & Josh Baker IG: @selftapefilm SYNOPSIS: A struggling actor running a makeshift self-tape studio in his San Fernando Valley apartment grows increasingly disillusioned as a wide range of actors flow in and out, and lazy contemporaries continue to get opportunities that elude him. On the Radio on 11/3/25 KPCR 92.9FM Los Gat...
Nov 02, 2025•15 min•Ep. 342
Salt Lake Dirt is covering FilmQuest this week! FilmQuest is one of my favorite film festivals out there. --- 2025 FilmQuest Episode 314 Film: PEEPING TODD Guest: Chris Alan Evans, Josh Munds, Mabel Thomas IG: @peepingtoddmovie SYNOPSIS: When his peeping passions become compromised, Todd decides he’ll do whatever it takes to continue stalking his beloved Claire. An obsessive HOA fleet and a dense boyfriend are obstacles Todd must dance around if he wants to sing his way into Claire’s heart. As C...
Nov 01, 2025•16 min
Salt Lake Dirt is covering FilmQuest this week! FilmQuest is one of my favorite film festivals out there. --- 2025 FilmQuest Episode 340 Film: BLINDSIDED Guest: Patrick Hogan IG: @ppatrickhogan https://jhdanger.com/ --- SYNOPSIS: A blind schoolteacher is thrust into a nightmarish game of survival when an alien spaceship crashes and unleashes a monstrous predator. This unique horror short film features an all low-vision cast and places the audience in the POV of a blind protagonist who is only ab...
Nov 01, 2025•11 min•Ep. 340
Salt Lake Dirt is covering FilmQuest this week! FilmQuest is one of my favorite film festivals out there. --- 2025 FilmQuest Episode 339 Film: GRIMA Guest:Richie Harrington IG: @grimashortfilm SYNOPSIS: When Jen’s guilt starts to catch up to her, she begins to experience grima, the sensation you get from nails on a chalkboard. She must choose to confront the past or be consumed by her guilt. --- On the Radio on 11/3/25 KPCR 92.9FM Los Gatos KMRT 101.9FM Santa Cruz KVBE 91.9FM Portland, OR www.kp...
Nov 01, 2025•9 min•Ep. 339
This week we are covering FilmQuest in Provo, Utah! --- FILM: Slow DIRECTOR: Rebecca Berrih SYNOPSIS: A field recorder’s life shatters when she encounters a sinister force that manipulates time and must outwit it to escape a nightmare where every second feels endless. GENRE: Horror, Sci-Fi DIRECTOR’S BIO: Rebecca Berrih is a Paris-born, Los Angeles-based writer, director, and producer who began her career editing trailers for studio films like MARCH OF THE PENGUINS and NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM. Her s...
Oct 26, 2025•14 min•Ep. 338
This week on Salt Lake Dirt, I’m excited to chat with filmmaker Adrian Bobb about his captivating short film, Drifters , which is screening at FilmQuest 2025. Adrian shares the unique journey of crafting a narrative that blends romance with elements of sci-fi and horror, exploring the emotional landscapes of memory and identity. Don’t miss the chance to see Drifters at FilmQuest on Monday, October 27th at 2 PM as part of the International Sci-Fi Shorts block. Thanks for tuning in! Kyler --- Epis...
Oct 26, 2025•13 min•Ep. 337
This week on Salt Lake Dirt, I'm thrilled to kick off our coverage of FilmQuest 2025 with director Joe Bandelli . We'll dive into his gripping short film, The Sequence , which screens this Halloween morning at 11:30 AM at Velour in Provo, Utah. Joe shares the intense storyline revolving around Taylor, a stay-at-home mom grappling with the repercussions of a potential infidelity, as her dream begins to manifest into reality throughout a single day. We discuss the creative process behind the film,...
Oct 26, 2025•13 min•Ep. 336
This week on Salt Lake Dirt, I'm thrilled to welcome author Gregory Galloway to discuss his gripping new novel, All We Trust . Gregory shares the inspiration behind his story of two half-brothers entangled in a web of business and betrayal, as they navigate a money-laundering operation that threatens to unravel their relationship. We delve into the complexities of their bond, exploring themes of trust and suspicion that emerge when one brother suspects the other of turning against him. Gregory r...
Oct 26, 2025•28 min•Ep. 335
This week on Salt Lake Dirt I'm welcome author Anne Hand to discuss her memoir Austrian Again: Reclaiming a Lost Legacy . Anne shares her journey of uncovering her family's history and the emotional process of reclaiming Austrian citizenship in the wake of her ancestors' experiences during World War II. We discuss the complexities of her family's past, exploring the impact of historical events on personal identity. Anne reflects on the bureaucratic challenges she faced while gathering documents ...
Oct 19, 2025•34 min•Ep. 334
This week on Salt Lake Dirt, I'm excited to welcome Elizabeth Ellen to discuss her new book, American Thighs . The novel follows a young woman who, after a tumultuous childhood in Hollywood, attempts to reclaim her lost adolescence by enrolling in high school as her own daughter. Elizabeth shares the inspiration behind this unique storyline, drawn from a real-life news story. We talk complexities of identity, the longing for lost youth, and the societal pressures faced by both teenagers and adul...
Oct 12, 2025•51 min•Ep. 333
This week on Salt Lake Dirt, I'm excited to welcome documentarian and author Julie Seabaugh to discuss her anticipated documentary, Are We Good? This intimate film delves into the life of comedian Marc Maron, exploring his journey through grief following the loss of his girlfriend, Lynn Shelton. Julie, who serves as the creator, producer, and story editor for the film, shares her passion for comedy and how it shaped her approach to storytelling. We discuss the unique challenges of crafting a doc...
Oct 05, 2025•24 min•Ep. 332
This week on Salt Lake Dirt, I'm excited to welcome author Will Sloan to discuss his new book, Ed Wood: Made in Hollywood USA . Will talks about the life and work of Ed Wood, the cult filmmaker often dubbed the "worst director of all time." We explore how Will first came across Ed Wood's films and what inspired him to write this comprehensive examination of Wood's unique artistic vision. Will shares anecdotes from his childhood that led to a lifelong fascination with Ed Wood, including his early...
Oct 05, 2025•32 min•Ep. 331
This week on Salt Lake Dirt, I'm thrilled to welcome Russ Swain and Michael McKinley to discuss their captivating memoir, Diamond Dust: How a Nice Mormon Boy Became a Brilliant Counterfeiter . This incredible story chronicles Russ's journey from a talented artist to a skilled counterfeiter, revealing the unexpected twists and turns that led him down this unconventional path. In our conversation, Russ shares the initial reluctance he felt about telling his story and how encouragement from his fri...
Sep 29, 2025•31 min•Ep. 330
This week on Salt Lake Dirt, I’m excited to welcome authors John F. Myslinksi & Michael McKinley to discuss their gripping new novel, Something Wicked . This thrilling tale delves into the complexities of faith, morality, and the inner workings of the Catholic Church, all while weaving a captivating narrative that keeps readers on the edge of their seats. John shares his journey from a long-standing ministry in Washington D.C. to co-authoring this compelling work with Michael, who brings his...
Sep 20, 2025•42 min•Ep. 329
This week on Salt Lake Dirt, I’m thrilled to welcome author Kevin M. Kearney to discuss his thought-provoking novel, Freelance . Set against the backdrop of a dystopian gig economy, the story follows a young man's journey as he navigates the complexities of working for a rideshare app called HYPR in Philadelphia. Kevin shares the inspiration behind the book and how his personal experiences shaped the narrative, exploring themes of identity, the gig economy, and the psychological impact of techno...
Sep 14, 2025•46 min•Ep. 328
This week on Salt Lake Dirt, I'm excited to welcome back author and podcaster Ben Tanzer to discuss his latest book, After Hours: Scorsese, Grief, and the Grammar of Cinema . In this deeply personal work, Ben explores the intersection of cinema and personal loss, reflecting on his father’s influence and their shared love for film. Ben shares insights into his writing process, the unique structure of the book that blends memoir, film criticism, and interviews, and how his familial relationships s...
Sep 08, 2025•41 min•Ep. 327
