Salisbury Author Series: Holden Sheppard - King of Dirt

The City of Salisbury is excited to welcome award-winning author Holden Sheppard for a special one-night-only event as part of the 2025 Salisbury Author Series.

Best known for his breakout debut Invisible Boys, now adapted into a major television series, Holden is touring the country with his brand-new adult novel, King of Dirt. This powerful coming-of-age story is set in the gritty world of FIFO workers and explores themes of masculinity, sexuality, and identity in regional Western Australia.

This will be Holden’s first appearance in Salisbury, and you won’t want to miss it.

On the night, Holden will be in conversation with local published author Robert Tilsley.

Robert is a local South Australian writer and founder of independent publishing house Black Sky Books, which champions alternative voices in fiction. His own writing has been described as bold, unflinching and deeply human. With a shared passion for raw and authentic storytelling, Robert and Holden will delve into the themes of King of Dirt, the writing process, and what it means to tell stories that challenge stereotypes and celebrate identity.

This event will also include:

• audience Q&A session
• opportunity to purchase books and have them signed by the author
• free light refreshments

Whether you’re a fan of Holden’s work, a passionate reader, or just looking for an engaging night out, this promises to be a thought-provoking and inspiring evening.

This event is best suited to people aged 16+ years due to mature themes. It is free to attend, but bookings are essential.

Whether you’re a fan of Holden’s work, a passionate reader, or just looking for an engaging night out, this promises to be a thought-provoking and inspiring evening.

Click here to book your spots now.

Author bio - Holden Sheppard

Holden Sheppard is an award-winning Australian author from Geraldton, Western Australia. His debut novel, Invisible Boys, explores themes of masculinity, sexuality, and mental health, and has received multiple accolades, including the 2018 City of Fremantle Hungerford Award and the 2019 WA Premier’s Prize for an Emerging Writer. The novel was adapted into a Stan Original Series in 2025.

Sheppard's second novel, The Brink, won the 2023 Indie Book Awards YA Category Prize and the 2024 Ena Noel Award. His third book, King of Dirt, was released in 2025. He is currently working on a sequel to Invisible Boys, supported by grants from the Minderoo Foundation and the WA Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries.

Beyond his novels, Sheppard's writing has been featured in various publications. He served as Deputy Chair of Writing WA from 2019 to 2023 and is an Adjunct Creative Fellow at Edith Cowan University, his alma mater. He resides in Perth's northern suburbs with his husband.

King of Dirt

Giacomo Brolo, aka Jack, is a mess. He works piecemeal construction gigs in remote WA, drinks himself to oblivion and is estranged from his family and friends.

But then Jack returns to his regional hometown of Geraldton for a family wedding. He hasn't been back since he fled at the age of eighteen, and his past soon catches up with him.

Turns out Jack's deeply conservative Italian family would prefer he remained in the closet. Then he finds out he may have conceived a son with his teenage girlfriend, and now Jack needs to convince her and her new husband that he's fit to be a father figure. And whatever happened to Xavier, the former schoolmate who Jack was in love with and whose rejection spurred him to leave Geraldton in the first place?

Is Jack doomed to live a dead-end life – or can he open himself up to the possibility of love, found family and connection?

(Credit: KING OF DIRT | Holden Sheppard)