Kirk Kjeldsen received an M.F.A. from the University of Southern California and a Ph.D. from The National Film School in Łódź, where he’s currently a senior lecturer. His novel The Depths was included in the New Jersey Star-Ledger's 10 Best Books of 2018 list and was nominated for the 2019 Library of Virginia Literary Awards. He also wrote and produced the film Gavagai, which was included in the The New Yorker's and the Los Angeles Times' “Best of 2018” lists. He lives in Germany with his wife and children.