Haha! Very good.

Some people just don't believe in magic

I've read through this entire thread several times.

You've had some good advice, but, you don't seem to understand. I am not saying that you are invincibly ignorant, I think you are just "hung up" on sleights and, tricks.

S.H. SHARPE was not the world's greatest PERFORMER, but, he did understand the principles of performing. He wrote this, years ago:

"THOSE WHO THINK THAT MAGIC CONSISTS OF DOING TRICKS, ARE STRANGERS TO MAGIC. TRICKS ARE ONLY THE CRUDE RESIDUE FROM WHICH THE LIFEBLOOD OF MAGIC HAS BEEN DRAINED."

I vaguely remember an old Biblical statement: "...A prophet is without honor in his home town..." Consider the meaning of that, as it might pertain to performing a magic trick for members of your family.

I've said this a gezillion times, but, it bears repeating: Magic is not inherently entertaining!

From what I've read of your "problem", you are just trying to do TRICKS, and, rather generically, at that. Put away the books that just describe the "mechanics" of TRICKS. Read--no, STUDY, Dariel Fitzkee, Maskelynne & Devant, Ken Weber, et al.

"Magic" involves 5% sleight of hand skills, 5% sensory illusion, 5% esoteric principles of science, AND, EIGHTY-FIVE percent, PSYCHOLOGY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The late Dr. A.M. Wilson, then, editor of the long defunct, "Sphinx" magazine, had a statement as the masthead of his "op-ed" page: "Magic is an art that sometimes instructs, often amuses, but, always entertains."

The good doctor, was WRONG. --Magic is NOT, INHERENTLY ENTERTAINING! The performer's (i.e. magician's) "task" is to make magic entertaining with his PRESENTATION! My mentors told me, eons ago: "It aint WHAT ya do, it's HOW ya do it!"

I agree with Dick Oslund's post 100%. You should it and the other advice you've gotten here to heart.

Thank you, I will take your advice seriously. Very interesting comments, lots for me to think about!

Thank you again!

Would you mind me asking how old your spectator is? I've dealt with a similar situation when I was a lot younger, it can be a put off. Maybe you can find a different spectator to try it with? Or even explain to your current spectator, that you are trying to practice and would appreciate it if they just played along, and that it upsets you when they show you up? (Don't say exactly that, but say what you feel.)

I was watching a video where a magician wanted to perform the vanishing deck, so he went up to a group and began with some warm up tricks. He then went to force a card and the spectator would not take take it, so he did another trick, tried again with a different force and did another trick, and then decided to leave. Who loses out, the spectators, who did not get to experience possibly a really cool moment. (They were being a little obnoxious imo., but that is besides the point.)

Do not let this experience stop or demotivate you. Think about other ways to talk or move that will help you avoid this situation. Imo. you sort of made him the magician by giving him the deck, and yourself the spectator by taking his one card and inserting it into the deck that he was holding (if I understand your writing correct.) Even psychologically that put him in control of the situation as he has the deck. Next time try either; saying think of any card in your mind (and if that is not applicable to your trick), then you can fan the cards and ask them to touch one, or riffle the side with your thumb and ask them to say stop.

Still you are very focused on selling the trick. "The magic of drama is infinitely more powerful than the magic of trickery" -Nelms (Great advice about this is already mentioned in previous posts, in this thread.)

I hope so, but it doesn't seem like you're even reading it.

And you haven't answered anyone. How old are you? How old is this family member, and what is his/her relation to you?