Interviews with independent creators in film, literature, and fiction — from Heavy Crown Press founder and scribe, Ashley Rovira, author of The Signal Between Us: A Father/Daughter Discovery Story.
Conversations about story, craft, and the signals that connect us.
Follow, subscribe, and learn more on Substack: https://www.heavycrownpress.com (https://www.heavycrownpress.com/)
Interview with JM Celi {author of Vengeance (The Unlife of Lisa Cooper)}
The third Heavy Crown Press interview with JM Celi, indie author best known for his vampire protagonist Lisa Cooper!
12 Mar 2025
Tales of Virtuous Stepmothers by Georgina Warren
A discussion about librarian/author Georgina Warren’s book TALES OF VIRTUOUS STEPMOTHERS
25 Jun 2024
What genre now? Grace Mirchandani is all over the Horror!
So many links, but here goes the show notes: Grace Mirchandani's works are listed in her link tree: https://linktr.ee/gracewrites You can always connect with her on TikTok, Facebook & Instagram. You can buy all her works on Amazon, available in paperback and for Kindle. Many of her works began on Kindle Vella. Plus, all her works are available as audiobooks on Amazon Audible, through the Amazon Audible AI Program, and all of those audiobooks are free. That means, you can add them to your library without burning a credit. How cool is that? Anyway, check out my first interview with her: https://youtu.be/4jmAehCD3C4 Also, check out the reviews I have written of her works: https://heavycrownpress.substack.com/p/grace-writes-a-lot https://kindlevellareviews.substack.com/p/audrey-and-maude
24 Jun 2024
Relaxing, endorphin-rush Summer Reading (and Marketing Tips) from Anne Trowbridge
Show notes: Anne's excellent, comprehensive website (via which you must subscribe to her free newsletter) is https://www.annetrowbridgebooks.com. She mentions in this interview (our second time chatting) the numerous promotional vehicles that have carried her books, for example, the one-time (now over) opportunity to download THE DISTANCE BETWEEN US (Cruz to Love Book 1) from https://www.romancebookworms.com. She is constantly on the lookout for these kinds of opportunities to present to her readers. One permanent freebie is CURVEBALL: A WEDDING NOVELLA, to introduce you to the CURVEBALL series. Direct link to that free ebook opportunity here: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/vbv2ot6bxx. Just sign up for her newsletter (free) at that link and get the Curveball novella and enjoy the game! Batters up! My review to her Cruz to Love series is here: https://heavycrownpress.substack.com/p/cruz-to-love-series My review to her standalone book THE HONEYMOON is here: https://kindlevellareviews.substack.com/p/the-honeymoon-a-second-chance-romance
16 Jun 2024
What is to be done? Let's talk to Mama!
Heavy Crown Press (https://heavycrownpress.substack.com) owner Ashley's mother sheds light and opens a conversation around animal welfare and climate justice, the impetus behind this talk being the Netflix documentary "You Are What You Eat" -https://youtu.be/oygkWmXyOaM - and a couple of interviews on REAL TIME with Bill Maher: Episode leading off with Bill's interview with Eric Schlosser https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/real-time-with-bill-maher/id98746009?i=1000655245474 Episode leading off with Bill's interview with U.S. Senator John Letterman https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/real-time-with-bill-maher/id98746009?i=1000658244507
5 Jun 2024
Second Interview with Author J.M. Celi
Jamie's website with all books and social media presences, and his free newsletter: https://www.jmceli.com (https://www.jmceli.com)
The Unlife of Lisa Cooper | Amazon Kindle Book https://www.amazon.com/Unlife-Lisa-Cooper-Conviction-Stories-ebook/dp/B0CK5ZV77T/ (https://www.amazon.com/Unlife-Lisa-Cooper-Conviction-Stories-ebook/dp/B0CK5ZV77T/)
The Vampires of 1863:
https://www.amazon.com/Vampires-1863-J-M-Celi-ebook/dp/B0D5MPKGVR (https://www.amazon.com/Vampires-1863-J-M-Celi-ebook/dp/B0D5MPKGVR)
My review of the story @ Kindle Vella Reviews (back when it was just 22 episodes long) https://kindlevellareviews.substack.com/p/the-unlife-of-lisa-cooper (https://kindlevellareviews.substack.com/p/the-unlife-of-lisa-cooper)
If you want to help me keep platforming and reviewing indie authors, consider dropping a dime in my tip jar: https://ko-fi.com/heavycrownpress (https://ko-fi.com/heavycrownpress)
You can follow HEAVY CROWN PRESS for free on substack:
https://heavycrownpress.substack.com/ (https://heavycrownpress.substack.com/)
12 Nov 2023
Obsessing about The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde (with spoilers)
I read Oscar Wilde's epic novel for the first time in the autumn of 2019. I made this video on 21 October 2019. I did not cover all aspects of it, not by any means, but I think I touched on the major themes: youth & beauty forever versus aging, conscience & soul versus the form & surface of things. Read the corresponding article: https://heavycrownpress.substack.com/p/the-picture-of-dorian-gray-spoilers
5 Nov 2023
Interview with Supernatural Author J.M. Celi
Show notes & links
Jamie's website with all books and social media presences: https://www.jmceli.com The Unlife of Lisa Cooper on Kindle Vella https://www.amazon.com/kindle-vella/story/B0B3PF2B5R (https://www.amazon.com/kindle-vella/story/B0B3PF2B5R)
The Unlife of Lisa Cooper | Amazon Kindle Book https://www.amazon.com/Unlife-Lisa-Cooper-Conviction-Stories-ebook/dp/B0CK5ZV77T/ (https://www.amazon.com/Unlife-Lisa-Cooper-Conviction-Stories-ebook/dp/B0CK5ZV77T/)
My review of the story @ Kindle Vella Reviews (back when it was just 22 episodes long) https://kindlevellareviews.substack.com/p/the-unlife-of-lisa-cooper Bookshop.org link
If you want to support independent bookstores with your purchase of Jamie's story, use this link: https://bookshop.org/lists/j-m-celi-book-list (https://bookshop.org/lists/j-m-celi-book-list)
If you want to help me keep platforming and reviewing indie authors, consider dropping a dime in my tip jar: https://ko-fi.com/heavycrownpress
11 Sept 2023
Genre Hopping Author Grace Mirchandani
Here is Grace's link.tree from which all of her works are linked: https://linktr.ee/gracewrites (https://linktr.ee/gracewrites)
She publishes paperbacks, ebooks, Kindle Vella, and even one Audiobook at audible: https://www.audible.com/pd/Searching-for-Sadie-Audiobook/B0BKBJX5TS (https://www.audible.com/pd/Searching-for-Sadie-Audiobook/B0BKBJX5TS)
Her social media links are linked from there as well. She is very active on TikTok, and her TikTok videos are also viewable at her YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thewritegrace4566 (https://www.youtube.com/@thewritegrace4566)
I also mention the Kindle Vella Review that I wrote for her still-in-progress Kindle Vella story Audrey and Maude: https://kindlevellareviews.substack.com/p/audrey-and-maude (https://kindlevellareviews.substack.com/p/audrey-and-maude)
I briefly mention my own Kindle Vella story: https://www.amazon.com/kindle-vella/story/B0BVJ3K725 (https://www.amazon.com/kindle-vella/story/B0BVJ3K725)
23 Jul 2023
Romance author Anne Trowbridge
Anne's link tree: https://linktr.ee/annetrowbridgebooks
My review of Anne's Second Chance Romance: https://kindlevellareviews.substack.com/p/the-honeymoon-a-second-chance-romance
My review of Anne’s Hidden Identity Romance: https://kindlevellareviews.substack.com/p/the-distance-between-us-by-anne-trowbridge
Follow on Instagram @annetrowbridgebooks
Follow on Twitter @annetrowbooks
Thank you for listening and subscribing to this podcast. If you'd like to support my work and enable us to continue platforming creative people, consider tipping me at https://ko-fi.com/heavycrownpress.
23 Jul 2023
Romance Author J.A. Price
In person, she goes by Jenn. As an author, her byline is J.A. Price. She has written 2 Kindle Vella romances and one Amazon Kindle romance. She anticipates the publication of her first kindle/paperback romance very soon. Here is the link to her link tree, giving you access to all her published works: https://linktr.ee/j.a.priceromanceauthor
And a review that I wrote, giving five stars to her "Honey Trapped" story:
https://kindlevellareviews.substack.com/p/honey-trapped
And since we mentioned INKITT in our chat, here's a link to the INKITT version of HT:
https://www.inkitt.com/stories/romance/828202
Follow her on instagram/twitter @authorjaprice
Subscribe to her YouTube channel: @JAPrice
Thank you for listening and subscribing to this podcast. If you'd like to support my work and enable us to continue platforming creative people, consider tipping me at https://ko-fi.com/heavycrownpress.
19 Jul 2023
Interview with Filmmaker Derek Sitter (full audio)
Derek Sitter is an actor/writer/director and award-winning filmmaker. He founded the Volcanic Theatre Pub in Bend, Oregon and is an elected life member of the Actors Studio. Initially segmented in four parts, this is the FULL interview and it covers: the glories of playwriting as it parlays into filmmaking, New Beginnings á la Sam Shepard, bipolar disorder, Method acting, and so, so much more! To see the video interviews, check out the @heavycrownpress YouTube.
My post-interview write-up: https://heavycrownpress.substack.com/p/a-wonderful-life (https://heavycrownpress.substack.com/p/a-wonderful-life)
BUGTUSSLE (short film 2022) links:
https://heavycrownpress.substack.com/p/bugtussle (https://heavycrownpress.substack.com/p/bugtussle)
https://heavycrownpress.substack.com/p/of-men-and-morals (https://heavycrownpress.substack.com/p/of-men-and-morals)
TUTU GRANDE (short film 2018):
https://heavycrownpress.substack.com/p/tutu-grande (https://heavycrownpress.substack.com/p/tutu-grande)
Information about Derek Sitter:
IMDb
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0803272/ (https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0803272/)
Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derek_Sitter (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derek_Sitter)
Instagram @dereksitter
https://www.instagram.com/derek_sitter/ (https://www.instagram.com/derek_sitter/)
Thank you for listening and subscribing to this podcast. If you'd like to support my work and enable us to continue platforming creative people, consider tipping me at https://ko-fi.com/heavycrownpress (https://ko-fi.com/heavycrownpress).
7 Jul 2023
Ellie’s Magical Garden (A Garden in Eden by Ellie Trotta)
My fellow Burbank High alum and I chat about her work of fiction, which falls in the genre of magical realism, and reminisce about students and teachers and so-called life in general at Burbank High School in Burbank, CA. Link to the buy the book and/or read my review of it here: https://heavycrown.press/home/ellie-trottas-magical-garden/ (https://heavycrown.press/home/ellie-trottas-magical-garden/)
Thank you for listening and subscribing to this podcast. If you'd like to support my work and enable us to continue platforming creative people, consider tipping me at https://ko-fi.com/heavycrownpress.
5 Jul 2023
Interview with Amanda Bushman Murphy
Amanda is a Phoenix Comic Con enthusiast in addition to being the principal caretaker of an 80-something desert tortoise. She graduated from the high school as me; that's how we met. We've been following each other on social media for many years, but this is the first time we chatted face to face in a long time. I wanted to know about her Comic Con fangirl/cosplay activities in addition to the joys and tribulations of taking care of an octogenarian reptile. I was not prepared for her to turn the tables on me and become inquisitor, about halfway through the interview! This was first published on YouTube, then in segments for Instagram and TikTok, and now you have the audio by itself. Here are some relevant links & tags for the things we discussed:
She is @phl2az on Instagram. Her tortoise is @slowpoke_the_desert_tortoise on Instagram. I am @heavycrownpress across multiple social media platforms, including Instagram and YouTube.
We talked about my substack newsletters:
https://heavycrownpress.substack.com/ (https://heavycrownpress.substack.com/)
https://kindlevellareviews.substack.com/ (https://kindlevellareviews.substack.com/)
Sign up for the Heavy Crown Press newsletter (it's free!!) to not miss my forthcoming writeup on Amanda!
Thank you for listening and subscribing to this podcast. If you'd like to support my work and enable us to continue platforming creative people, consider tipping me at https://ko-fi.com/heavycrownpress.
4 May 2023
Interview with John Mese (full audio)
John Mese is an actor, producer, director, and truly awesome guy. He's so nice, so funny, and, get this, he hails from my hometown, Baton Rouge, though he's been an Angeleno since the 90s. Follow him @mesejohn on twitter/Instagram. You can watch the video version of my interview with Mese at my YouTube channel @heavycrownpress. Thank you for listening and subscribing to this podcast. If you'd like to support my work and enable us to continue platforming creative people, consider tipping me at https://ko-fi.com/heavycrownpress.
Show Notes:
ABOUT Bugtussle:
https://heavycrownpress.substack.com/p/bugtussle (https://heavycrownpress.substack.com/p/bugtussle)
https://heavycrownpress.substack.com/p/of-men-and-morals (https://heavycrownpress.substack.com/p/of-men-and-morals)
ABOUT King of Herrings:
https://heavycrownpress.substack.com/p/king-of-herrings (https://heavycrownpress.substack.com/p/king-of-herrings)
ABOUT Wild Son: The Testimony of Christian Brando
https://heavycrownpress.substack.com/p/brando-at-byronz (https://heavycrownpress.substack.com/p/brando-at-byronz)
POST-INTERVIEW ARTICLE:
https://heavycrownpress.substack.com/p/interview-with-a-wild-son (https://heavycrownpress.substack.com/p/interview-with-a-wild-son)
At Vimeo, you can see samples of his acting, producing and directing work, i.e. Bugtussle and Wild Son: The Testimony of Christian Brando. https://vimeo.com/johnmese (https://vimeo.com/johnmese)
He starred in a horror movie called Noise in the Middle (2020) which we somehow neglected to talk about at all.
Check out his Youtube channel @flipstertoad17 (named for the kids' books he published with his wife! Another cool factoid about him!) https://www.youtube.com/@flipstertoad17 (https://www.youtube.com/@flipstertoad17)
IMDb:
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0581810/ (https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0581810/)
Wikipedia:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Mese (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Mese)
4 May 2023
Interview with Derek Sitter (part four of four)
This is the final segment of my interview with filmmaker/director/writer/actor Derek Sitter. Thank you for listening and subscribing to this podcast. If you'd like to support our work and enable us to continue platforming creative people, consider tipping us at https://ko-fi.com/heavycrownpress (https://ko-fi.com/heavycrownpress).
3 May 2023
Interview with Derek Sitter (part three of four)
Derek Sitter is an actor/writer/director and award-winning filmmaker. He founded the Volcanic Theatre Pub in Bend, Oregon and is an elected life member of the Actors Studio. In four parts, the interview covers: the glories of playwriting as it parlays into filmmaking, New Beginnings á la Sam Shepard, bipolar disorder, and so, so much more! To see the video interviews, check out the @heavycrownpress YouTube.
2 May 2023
Interview with Derek Sitter (part two of four)
Derek Sitter is an actor/writer/director and award-winning filmmaker. He founded the Volcanic Theatre Pub in Bend, Oregon and is an elected life member of the Actors Studio. In four parts, the interview covers: the glories of playwriting as it parlays into filmmaking, New Beginnings á la Sam Shepard, bipolar disorder, and so, so much more! To see the video interviews, check out the @heavycrownpress YouTube.
1 May 2023
Interview with Derek Sitter (part one of four)
Derek Sitter is an actor/writer/director and award-winning filmmaker. He founded the Volcanic Theatre Pub in Bend, Oregon and is an elected life member of the Actors Studio. In four parts, the interview covers: the glories of playwriting as it parlays into filmmaking, New Beginnings á la Sam Shepard, bipolar disorder, and so, so much more! To see the video interviews, check out the @heavycrownpress YouTube.
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
YouTube views
3,996
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
1 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 18 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
9
Social presence
0
YouTube
68
Engagement
0
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