Second Helpings #1
/Second Helpings is a new feature on the site that I introduced in this post. The idea is that people who have a book, ebook, or multi-item video release can offer up what they consider to be the second best item in their release to be posted here. They get the word out about their product and you get something for free. It’s a win/win.
Theoretically, if you enjoy what you get for free, then you will be inspired to purchase their release because, at the very least, there should be one thing even better, and hopefully a number of other things of a similar quality.
This series is specifically not intended to be for reviews of books and ebooks. As I said in the earlier post, writing a book review isn’t fun. it’s homework. But this series will give you what you need to generate your own review. You have a sample of the book. And you know the relative strength of that sample compared to other stuff in the book. You can do the math from there for yourself.
In this initial installment, we have three offerings.
We start with something from Allan Kronzek’s book Artful Deceptions. The effect is called True Romance, and here is how it’s described in the book…
This is a human-centric reimagining of Karl Fulves’ “Gemini Twins” from More Self-Working Card Tricks (1984). In all versions with which I am familiar, the spectators deal through the deck in order to find the mates of playing cards, or to match a prediction, or to find the four Aces. The effect has no emotional resonance because it’s about the cards, not the people. In this staging, a couple is invited to face each other, to look into each other’s eyes and to discover the precise moment when synchronicity, or intuition, or some deep, soulful connection allows them to miraculously discover each other’s selected cards. The ensuing level of astonishment is as deep as it is gratifying.
I haven’t used Allan’s exact handling, but I’ve done something similar with Gemini Twins and it can be very strong.
And here you can find more information about Allan’s book of “impromptu card mysteries” and see some of the great reviews it has received. (Although it should be noted, a couple of things in the book aren’t impromptu, so I’m not sure why he refers to the book that way. What other lies is he telling with his books? Does he even have grandkids or is he an involuntary celibate?)
Next up we have something from someone with the terrible pseudonym of Mere Practice. I tried to talk him out of it, but that’s what he’s going with.
Here, let me find him a better pseudonym. I’ll use this site that creates random usernames. Whatever it shits out can’t be worse than Mere Practice.
Let’s see…
Oh, fuck yes! Pumpkins Summer? Bus Sponge? Pinwheel Slack? Those are all outstanding. Cookies Alphonse! “Good afternoon. I’m Cookies. Cookies Alphonse.” That would make a great name for a detective who doesn’t play by the rules in a 70s blaxploitation flick. “Aw shit, man! We gotta get out of here. Cookie Alphonse is coming!”
Annyyywayyysss…“Mere” is offering a one-handed turnover pass that he cleverly calls, One Handed Turnover Pass.
This is a pass that you would do with one hand while gesturing. The closest thing I do to a pass is “step outside the room and cut the deck,” so I have no clue if this is any good or not, but I feel it looks pretty good.
It’s a little hard to tell in that gif because the bottom card changes from the four of diamonds to the four of hearts, but there was a pass done there.
If it’s your sort of thing, you can check it out here.
Mere Practice’s book Casual (Looking) Magic can be found on Amazon.
It has taken the top spot in my rankings of “most depressing magic book covers.” The feeling it elicits isn’t one of magic and mystery so much as one of suicidal ennui.
Coincidentally enough, the previous top spot was held by the gentleman at the top of today’s post, Allen Kronzek (although we really have Dover Publishing to blame). As mentioned in this post.
And finally we have an effect called Lucky You from Michal Kociolek’s book Plots and Methods. Here is the effect as described in the book:
A chosen card is found at a position established by randomly chosen numbers.
Ooohhh… what a scintillating description!
Actually it’s pretty strong effect. I have my own presentation that I’ve been working on for this, but that probably won’t see the light of day for a while now so check out the original version here.
The full book can be purchased here.
Thanks to Allan, Mere, and Michal for sharing their work.
If you’d like to offer up something from your book or download in a future installment of Second Helpings, just send me an email.