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 auto-fiction—where he used his own name and those of his real-life friends—the manuscript sat on a shelf for nearly a decade after he hit a wall with the ending. It wasn't until a push from his current editor that Haddock stripped out the self-insert elements, locked down the structural arc, and finally brought the novel to the finish line.

We talked a lot about the inherent comedy of the book's premise, particularly the scenes where the main character, Keenan, treats his daycare like a halfway house and slips out for middle-of-the-night tactical walks while he is still less than two feet tall. To make his revenge plot work before he's even old enough to get a driver's license, Keenan has to recruit an ally: an eccentric man named Stoli who hangs out behind a neighborhood 7-Eleven. It’s an odd-couple dynamic born out of Haddock's own college years working shifts at a 7-Eleven.

Beyond the page, Haddock utilized his background as a digital artist and art director to completely design the book's striking cover and interior layout himself. He also shared the fascinating process behind creating the audiobook, which he recorded over seven months out of a DIY tent setup in his garage alongside close friends and actors. We also touched on his personal background growing up in a musical family with Alabama roots, his early success getting published at twenty-five, and his current advocacy project, "Real Men Read," which aims to get more young men interested in reading for pleasure. Imagine My Surprise! is out now on Heresy Press, an imprint of Skyhorse Publishing, and is an incredibly satisfying read that pulls off a wild concept with absolute confidence.

Thanks for listening!

Kyler

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Show Notes & Links:

• Official Website: Find everything about his projects and order shirts supporting literacy at kshaddock.com.
• Support Indie Books: K.S. Haddock is a big proponent of privately run independent bookshops. If you can, head down to your local brick-and-mortar store to pick up or request a physical copy! You can also order from independent stores on Bookshop.org.
• Audiobook: Check out the stylized narration by Chris Zegri and Lang Zerner on Audible.
• YouTube Channel for Imagine My Surprise!

On today’s episode of Salt Lake Dirt, I am thrilled to welcome author, coach, and actor Jamie Rose to discuss her new book, Facing Madame X: The Tools for Women. Mixing memoir with practical tools, Jamie explores how to address everyday emotional pressures, cultivate life force, and step into forward momentum.

We discuss the profound beauty of learning to embrace uncertainty and some of the practical exercises she uses to guide people forward. We talk about her original journal exercise called "Musing," which helps individuals figure out their next creative steps through action rather than overthinking. Jamie also opens up about her journey navigating a shifting relationship with her late mother, the realities of modern validation culture, and what it looks like to find compassion by understanding our family members' "Shadow Selves".

You can pick up Facing Madame X: The Tools for Women wherever you find books, and follow Jamie on Instagram @jamierosehere. To explore her monthly coaching groups, seminars, and more of her work, be sure to visit Jamie Rose Coaching. Thanks for listening!

Kyler

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Episode Links:

• PURCHASE Facing Madame X
• JamieRoseCoaching.com
• IG: @jamierosehere
• Salt Lake Dirt

On this episode of Salt Lake Dirt, I had a great time chatting with Lauren C. Johnson about her novel, The West Façade.

The story is set in 1348 Paris and follows the statues of Notre Dame. In the novel, they actually get one night of life every new moon, but they aren't supposed to interact with the human world at all. Things get complicated when the main character, Sainte Geneviève, tastes a piece of fruit left by a mourner. That one moment of human sensation basically changes everything for her, and she has to decide if she wants to stay a silent observer or actually try to live a human life.

It was interesting hearing about where the idea started. Lauren was visiting Paris as a student over twenty years ago and found herself really drawn to how intense and "unforgiving" the statues looked. That feeling stuck with her for two decades before it finally turned into this book.

We also got into some random, fun territory, like vintage My LIttle Pony toys, rescue doves, and how Bubo the mechanical owl from Clash of the Titans was a huge influence on her.

Great chat, great book! Thanks for listening.

Kyler