Vinny’s Illustrated Stories
Below are Illustrated Children’s and Middle School Books I’ve written that I would like to get published. I’m Looking for an Agent or Publisher. All work is copyright Vincent Siracusano.
THE HETERODOXEUM:
Curse of the Rat Mummies
The Pitch
Imagine the fun and chaos that would reign if the Marx Brothers ran a Natural History Museum. It would be an asylum of exhibits, as if Night at the Museum were reimagined by Dadaists. The Heterodoxeum is that museum, run by three scientists, each from a different era of scientific thinking, and a ten year old boy, who refuse to let reality get in the way of discovery. This isn’t a place for dusty fossils, wax figures, and magic tablets. It’s a living, breathing, sneezing collection of absurd inventions and impossible creatures. Here, extinct flightless birds recite poetry, rats are turned into chickens, and submarines travel through sand dunes, all for educating the public about an alternative science that is bizarrely plausible.
I am spot illustrating this cartoon-like novel with ink illustrations. Below are the drawings.
It’s fun to read this out loud. You can read the first chapters of THE HETERODOXEUM: Curse of the Rat Mummies here:
BERNIE
Bernie is the star diver at an amusement park at the beach, but through adversity loses his way. His world has been taken away from him and, like anyone would be, he’s unsure what to do next. When he’s at his lowest point, help comes to him in the form of a flock of birds. Within the center negative space of said flock emerges the image of Bernie’s former glory. Shown to him through the powerful effects of a lightning storm, he is reminded of his joy for life, and the fact that “everything’s gonna be ok”. He gets back on his ladder and rises with a confidence greater than before. It is a story about resilience, overcoming challenges, and believing in success. Bernie breaks through realizing his life is his to shape.
Watch the narrated story below…
Or. . . Click to see the Spreads. This is fun to read out loud too.
Why I am the right person to write my books?
I’ve always been a person to ask questions that no one else would. I don’t always agree with political correctness in that it chokes the ability to laugh at ourselves. My colleagues say I have a contagious laugh, and I think that what many people do is funny. Part of being an artist, for me, is to show others what they don’t see. That’s what I do, I like to point it out. I’ve always been attracted to nonsense and how it can reveal hypocrisy. As an artist and teacher, I lead my assistants and students in exploring visual imagery with humor and energetic enthusiasm, that never insults others, but rather produces amazing scenarios, whether with pictures or words, in an environment of sheer fun. My interests lie in a diverse amount subjects, but for The Heterodoxeum, I am well versed in mythology, cryptology, strange phenomena, paleontology, archaeology, conspiracy theory, history, Ed Lear, Lewis Carrol, and Tex Avery, to name a few.
As for Bernie, I believe that everything ends in “good”. If things in someone’s life are “bad” then they’re still fighting something, and the fight hasn’t ended yet. Bernie looks at an imagined scenario where the main character has a choice of fighting for “good” or remaining depressed. He ultimately gets back to doing what he loved to do and has the power to shape his own future. It’s all a matter of believing in success. That’s the real message of Bernie for children everywhere.
The Inspirational Sketches for BERNIE
When I worked for Disney Feature Animation in California, I had the opportunity to pitch an idea for a short film for Fantasia 2000. I pitched an early idea for Bernie to the heads of the studio, including, Roy Disney, Tom Schumacher, and director Hendel Butoy.
I remember Tom really enjoyed my pitch, and Hendel was super interested in how the effect of the negative space between the birds could be animated. When I told him how I would do it, he told me that I was insane, and I would probably be the only one who could pull it off. (it was a compliment) Because of that, they turned it down. It didn’t matter, I still beat him at chess, and the rights to the story are mine.
CHARLIE HORSE
Charlie Horse is a wooden puzzle piece who has fallen out of his puzzle among a great museum of puzzles (all my designs). He can’t remember who he is and is told by other characters that he “won’t fit in” and “doesn’t belong”. Some characters do help him along the way, but it’s not until he helps someone else that his true place of belonging is revealed to him. This story follows the Hero’s Journey. Although it is a children’s book, its universal theme transcends through Middle School, High School, even adulthood.
Charlie Horse – COVER REVEAL Animation
My Animation Test to see if I can make my 2D drawings of Charlie Horse look like a 3D piece of wood.
A quick Campfire Story – Ghost Voice (1 minute)
Thanks for checking out my website.
vinny.siracusano@gmail.com
The Artwork of Vincent Siracusano 