Viva Las Vegas!

Call for suggestions!

I'm headed to Las Vegas for my first time ever, thanks to the guys at StreetofCards.tv. I won their "Amish Knot" contest, and with it a week-long vacay at Sin City, to include a lot of magical extras. In addition to seeing the top magic acts in the world, like Lance Burton, Mac King, and Penn & Teller, to name a few, the SOC-TV crew arranged for me to present my humble lecture at the Gary Darwin Midnight Magic Club.

So, aside from the numerous shows to see in Vegas, what else do you think I should check out? Leave your comments for me by Dec 14, 'cause that's when I'm heading west!

BTW, if you'd like to see my winning video, check it out below:

Artist Spotlight: Diamond Jim Tyler

"If you ever meet Diamond Jim in person, make sure you ask to see his handling of the Mental Photography Deck." -Tomas, November 2008

Today we'll spotlight products from a true class act. I had the privilege to see Diamond Jim Tyler perform and lecture last year at the Motor City Close-Up convention. I only got to see DJ, since that weekend was my big move from Michigan to Chicago. Nonetheless, I thoroughly enjoyed watching DJ's smooth, low-key presentations with outstanding technique.

Bamboozlers: "The book teaches the reader how to do amazing and funny things with common objects found around the house or in a restaurant. It is a collection of bar bets, brain teasers, jokes, puzzles and magic effects that I've collected over the last 20 years." I recommend this one just for the Red Bull trick!

SentiMental Postcards: Back on the market after a long hiatus! Diamond Jim Tyler's mental gem is a routine with heart that packs flat and plays big. This effect will amaze any onlooker and leave them with a “warm fuzzy” inside. When you can grip an audience emotionally it becomes easy to take on the role of a tour guide and escort them on a magical journey.

Mirrors DVD: Mirrors have a lore that date back to ancient times. Legends that surround the looking-glass are said to lure or repel spirits. Fortune-tellers use this mystical apparatus to read auras and make predictions. Stage magicians have used smoke and mirrors for hundreds of years to amaze their audiences. And now these magical reflectors have been brought into the hands of close-up wizards to further their mythology in an intimate gathering!

Shameless Self-Promotion Department

In the shameless self-promotion department, I would be remiss if I did not blog about the book I recently authored, Mysterio's Encyclopedia of Magic & Conjuring. It's on shelves at most major bookstores, including Borders and Barnes & Noble and has been getting good reactions from magicians who've encountered it. The tome is some 360+ pages, and illustrated by Tony Dunn. It contains instructions for well over 100 tricks, including card, coin and close-up effects, The Cups and Balls, as well as parlor tricks and even stage illusions.

The premise is that I wrote the book after discovering the effects and notebooks of a famous magician who died in 1936, "Mr. Mysterio." Many of the descriptions in the book were supposedly drawn from Mysterio's notebooks and a manuscript he was working on at the time of his death. For fun, I mixed in real information about various magicians (Malini, Thurston, Kellar, etc.) Mysterio might have encountered during his illustrious career before the footlights.

I'm pleased with the end result and think budding magicians everywhere will be, too. If you pick up a copy, post here to let me know what you think!

What's a Double Discount?

When a customer of ours logs onto the FUN Inc website, there's a section in the Wholesale Magic category that says,"Double Discount." This portion of the website is only visible when a customer logs onto the site. There are two ways to save when buying Double Discount items. 1) All products listed in this category have been reduced in price (from 25-50%) from their original wholesale prices, and 2)If you purchase $100 or more in Double Discount merchandise ( mix and match ), you will automatically receive an additional 10% discount on that merchandise!

There are some fantastic finds on these pages. For example, I am a huge fan of the Newspaper Prediction by Eduardo Kozuch. This is a very smart and super easy newspaper prediction that most performers will LOVE. Yes, the pieces are disposable, but you get enough for 50 performances. A wonderful item at a NEW FUN price.

The Double Discount pages contain more than just tricks! There are many wonderful book titles on these pages. Stage magic fans will enjoy FANTASIO-My Canes and Candles. This book features all the secret "work" on Fantasio cane/candle products. Yes, all the Fantasio's appearing and vanishing canes, candles and wands: their care and maintenance, complete effects and routines, and innovative ideas that could only have been thought of by their inventor. A great book at an unbeatable Double Discount price!

Stock up now, as quantities are limited! And remember, bigger savings mean bigger profits for you. Oh, and once again....you must be logged on to view the Double Discount pages. Have FUN!

My convention weekend

Both Gabe and I attended conventions this weekend, him in Boston for Collector's and me in Detroit for the Motor City Close-Up Convention.

I always enjoy attending conventions, and this one was no exception. The performers were all outstanding, but it's the late-night sessioning that really makes this convention unique for me.

I was fortunate to find myself chatting with Geoff Williams, a brilliant comedy magician from Minnesota. He had observed a short set I performed in the morning where I did a Rising Card effect (with a borrowed deck!) and a Water Suspension. The Rising Card effect was presented with some humor and comedy, and the Water Suspension was presented with a little more mysticism and wonder. I had felt some trepidation when I came up with the Water Suspension presentation, because it did seem to be at odds with all the other humorous routines I normally perform.

Geoff told me he noticed that inconsistency in my character. He offered some great advice about diagramming your persona's character traits, and if an effect doesn't fit in, then it should be cut.

All this goes back to what I wrote about last week, when I discussed the value of input from more experienced performers. They know what works and what doesn't, and the best way to learn is from those who have been there before you.

I'll take Geoff's advice and work on this presentation, and as I do, I'll have a better understanding of what it takes to make my character unique. After all good judgment comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgment.

The Value of Veterans

I marked yesterday's Veteran's Day in a different way than I have before. I have always given my utmost respect to our veterans, particularly as a member of the Sons of the American Legion. But yesterday I joined a club in Chicago called The 3 Sheeters Club. The 3 Sheeters is a club for entertainers - you'll find magicians, musicians, clowns, comics - nearly every type of variety act. Most of the members are long retired from show business, and have been club members for 20-30 years on average.

It brought to mind a passage I read in Eric Evans' book, "The Secret Art of Magic." In the book, Evans relates various principles of magic to those in Sun Tzu's "The Art of War." It may sound morbid, but really it makes sense: When performers have a great show, we "kill." When we do poorly, we "die." A natural extension of this way of thinking would give the moniker of "veteran" to those who made a career out of performing.

In the picture above, you can see me in the center of the photo (in the blue shirt). I'm getting feedback on my performance that evening from Dirk Losander, Johnny Thompson, Billy McComb (the white-haired gentleman, my hero), and Whit Haydn. This is from Michigan Magic Day 2005 in Flint, where I had a giant shift in my way of approaching performance, thanks to the advice of these veterans.

The best way to improve yourself as a magician, really as any sort of performer, is to learn from those who came before you. Seek out one of these show business veterans; they are more than happy to share their wisdom and experience with you.

It's finally here!

The third and final installment of John Bannon's Fractal Card Magic series has finally been released. Spin Doctor is on its way to your favorite magic dealer. Be sure to check out the first two installments, The Royal Scam and Duplicity!

Why twist when you can spin?

New Items for Children's Entertainers

We have two new products geared specifically for the children's performer.

Magic for Older Children: Ireland's top children's magician, Pat Fallon, shares his secrets for entertaining children in the difficult 'tween years. This DVD contains strong magic, plus footage of Pat performing a live show. The kids go wild!

A Lifetime of Magic and Art: Edd Patterson shares both his amazing life story and the original magic that helped shape his long career and a professional performer. Includes a bonus DVD with footage of Edd on stage!

The holiday frenzy begins!

With the holiday shopping season now officially underway, now is the time to stock up. Here are a few of our recommendations:

Magic Sets: the FM-240, FM-540, and FM-640 Card Kit are always big sellers around the holidays.

Stocking Change Bag: The magicians' classic utility device with a holiday theme!

Miracle Factory Books: These mega-tomes are excellent gifts for the serious magician. We carry Roy Benson by Starlight, Essential Robert-Houdin, The Secret Ways of Al Baker, and A Wonderful World of Hand Shadows.

And don't forget about our Royal Magic Discount. Sufficient quantities can qualify for 10%, 15%, or even 20% off! Be sure to inquire when placing your next order.