Over the past few weeks I’ve thought a lot about what more I could be doing with my blog. Typically, I’m either writing about whatever is current in the day-to-day of my career or promoting some publication or public event. However, I’m uncertain if I’m getting the most out of this (relatively) new section of my website, and more importantly, if those visiting my site are getting the most out of it as well. So I thought I’d pose the question to all of you: what would you like to read about on my blog?  Read more… ›

Last week was rough. I had little motivation on account of dealing with the deaths of my grandmother and grandfather within three weeks of each other, and so, for the first time in years, I got very little done. It happens to us all, but the important thing is to pick ourselves back up and keep moving. I’m doing just that. I’m back to work this week, recharged and refocused, with new plans for 2014. Unfortunately, after last week, I’m little behind. Read more… ›

As some of you may have read in my post on December 18th (Reflections on 2013), amidst the final weeks of a wonderful year, I was very recently dealing with the death of my grandmother, Patricia J. McCabe. On Sunday, January 5th, my grandfather, Carl Melillo Sr., passed away. Under the circumstances, I am taking some time to come to terms with and grieve both losses. That said, I will still do my best to get page 1 of Chapter I of Chadhiyana: In the Company of Shadows completed for next week (the title page posted just yesterday on chadhiyana.com). Please be patient. Your understanding is appreciated during this difficult time.

Happy New Year J. M. DeSantis fans! Stay tuned for new stories, art and projects from the writer and artist this year. Also, don’t forget to check out J. M.’s graphic novel, Chadhiyana: In the Company of Shadows on chadhiyana.com as it moves into Chapter I. Let’s all make 2014 an amazing year!

Merry Christmas, to all those who, like me, celebrate it! And Happy Holidays to those who do not! Just a brief message of well-wishes to each and every one of you this holiday season. Enjoy the coming days. A New Year is just around the corner.

All the Best,
J. M. DeSantis

I’m not a particularly superstitious man. I’ve never been sensitive to black cats, broken mirrors or Friday the 13th, yet I was never able to shake the sense that the day on which I graduated from Pratt Institute had somehow cursed my career as a writer and artist. May 13, 2005 was a sunny day, but it was a Friday. Since then I heard many say how much they enjoy my writing or my art, but it never seemed the vast majority were catching on (especially editors). Given there have been successes along the way, but nothing that I would consider substantial. That said, if ever the curse existed (and if one believes in numerology), the year 2013 has at last broken it. Read more… ›

As I wrote last week, it’s not often I have a show or public appearance between the months of December and March (though, perhaps November and March would be nearer the mark). There doesn’t seem to be much offered in the way of events during the cold months, and so I often work through the Winter in quiet hibernation. However, a few weeks ago I was contacted by artist Teresa DeFabrizio from the Art Garage in Montclair, New Jersey about exhibiting in their latest gallery show, Fan-Tastic. Having previously enjoyed the experience of participating in their Pet-icular Poses show in June of this year, I was quick to say yes, despite my very busy schedule of late. The show runs all month long, and this past Friday was the opening reception for the show. Read more… ›

A Happy (early) Thanksgiving to all of my American fans! Enjoy the holiday tomorrow. I’m not much of a turkey fan, but I’ll do my best to do the same.

For those of you keeping up with my in-progress, on-going, graphic novel web-comic (I haven’t thought up a more concise word or phrase with which to classify the work), you may have noticed a seemingly sudden jump in the amount of pages on chadhiyana.com this week. Currently, I am posting one new page every week, and yet page 10 posted last week whilst page 15 posted yesterday (with 11 through 14 suddenly appearing between). In truth, only one new page posted since last week, however, I decided to change the numbering system for the pages, and no, it wasn’t to give the impression of there being more pages. Read more… ›

Happy Halloween, my fellow blog-readers and site visitors!

Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to create a new piece of horror art as I do every year for Halloween (it is my favourite holiday, after all). I’ve been hard at work on my graphic novel, Chadhiyana: In the Company of Shadows, (which you can read as a web-comic on chadhiyana.com) and a new painting for the cover of a book I can’t yet discuss. For what it’s worth, the nature of this book’s cover artwork is Halloween-esque in nature, so it has been, after a fashion, satiating my desire to do some horror art this month. Read more… ›