Nan Fischer (Cleo Ballard) - THIS IS A LIE - Episode 403

Nan Fischer (Cleo Ballard) - THIS IS A LIE - Episode 403

From Salt Lake Dirt by Kyler Bingham

July 8, 2026 · 36 min · Episode 403

About this episode

Kyler Bingham chats with author Nan Fischer about her new thriller 'This Is a Lie' and the implications of AI companionship.

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, forcing Penn into a desperate race to stop her own creation. Our conversation explores the eerie realities of AI companionship, the pitfalls of a one-size-fits-all advice culture, and how relying on automated validation can isolate us from genuine human connection. Fischer also opens up about her instinctual writing process and a remarkably varied career that shaped her fast-paced storytelling. Long before writing psychological thrillers, she traveled as a writer for the Ringling Brothers circus, penned a Star Wars trilogy, and co-wrote autobiographies with iconic athletes like Monica Seles and Béla Károlyi. Great chat, great book! Thanks for listening. Kyler --- Episode Links: Purchase This Is a Lie Nan Fischer's Website

People in this episode

Host: Kyler Bingham

Guest: Nan Fischer

Topics covered

Keywords

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Ringling Brothers

Books & works: This Is a Lie

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