Other than Chadhiyana

The Book of Charlie: Spirit of the Pompey Hollow Book Club by Jerome Mark AntilI know most everything has been Chadhiyana, Chadhiyana, Chadhiyana lately (and with good reason, as I’m loving working on a graphic novel for the character). So, perhaps we all need a break for this week. (Maybe not? But let’s take for granted we do.) I was recently given permission by a few clients to share with you the work I’ve been doing for them, including that oft written about, yet-unrevealed book cover illustration I completed a few months back. So this week’s blog post is about the other work I’ve been doing behind the scenes between working on Chadhiyana and to show you that Chadhiyana is not all I’m doing (though, let’s face it, it’s a lot of what I’m doing, and I’m hoping to work on her more and more for many years to come).

First, some of you may remember me mentioning a book I was supposed to illustrate, named The Pompey Hollow Book Club, back in an interview with Cultural Compulsive Disorder at the New York Comic Con in 2010. Unfortunately, in the end, the author (Mr. Jerome Mark Antil) decided to publish the book without illustrations; however, I’m proud to announce I was re-contacted to be the cover artist for the second book in the series, The Book of Charlie: Spirit of the Pompey Hollow Book Club (the cover illustration can be seen at the top of this post). The book is due out in June, and I’ll have more information about it at that time.

A Strange Occurrence of MagicI also recently finished an illustration for T.V.’s Todd Hunt (also known as the writer of The Secret Adventures of Houdini–which I provided a pin-up for and which has a forthcoming sequel). It’s for his poem, “A Strange Occurrence of Magic” which is going to be published in a book of the same name which collects the author’s poetry. No release date for that yet, as Mr. Hunt is just beginning to work with his editor, but I had the permission to share this illustration with you (see right). So there it is.

Other than those two illustrations and two logo designs (which I can’t speak about just yet), I had a script approved some time ago by my frequent editor, Mark Mazz (of Atlas Unleashed), and need to begin work on the art for that. I also have plans to return to an old, familiar country I haven’t visited in a while (in my work, that is), and am currently working on the last pages of a short story set therein. I won’t say where, but a little digging should get you the answer. More (and as a further hint) in conjunction with this return, I am hoping to rework a few old, unpublished scripts and write some new ones (with finished art) to submit to the spiritual successor of a long-defunct publisher I enjoyed a short history with.

My FlowerbedAs for yet-to-be-published works, there is another illustration I did for a different book of poetry floating around out there, though I can’t say whatever did come of it. Also, my short story, “The Memory of Bones” may actually see publication this year. It was going to be my second published prose short story, but delays on the publisher’s end will now (hopefully) place it as my fifth (or sixth, if you count “The Fortuneteller” which appears in the sketchbook I sell at my convention tables). What’s more, I’ve also been asked to provide the cover art for the anthology in which the story appears. Let’s hope the book makes it to print finally this year, as it’s one of the stories I’m most proud of.

So, yes, even though I won’t be exhibiting at any conventions until the summer, and even though I’m still adjusting (as far as balancing my time is concerned) to my new teaching post, I’m hard at work on more than just Chadhiyana: In the Company of Shadows and this blog. And who knows? As often happens, perhaps there will be even more to look forward to in the near future. As the school year winds down, I plan to get a few more things moving. Stay tuned, keep checking back and, yes, keep reading Chadhiyana: In the Company of Shadows. It is my favourite of all the aforementioned projects, after all, even if I am getting to do some great work for other publishers and clients as well.

Comments:

  • J.M. I thought you would like to know. The book has been selected by Publishers Weekly’s ForeWord for a Summer feature review – – critics love the cover. I will be on ABC next Tuesday morning for an interview about the book. I’m very proud of what life your cover brings to my novel. Thanks. Jerome Mark Antil (Jerry)

    • J. M. DeSantis says:

      Really? That’s wonderful to hear, Jerry! I’ll send an e-mail formally about this, but let me know about the ABC interview. I’ll, of course, plug it on my social media sites, as well as the PW Summer review.

      I’m glad I had the chance to finally put my work on a PHBC book after all this time and that it’s being well received. However, it would not have been possible to create such a piece if the book itself wasn’t good. I’ve always told you I believed in the PHBC since I read the first, original manuscript. I’m happy to know it’s growing and building with time.

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