Hey everyone,

My very first release to the magic community is finally available! It's an Ebook instant download, and you can check it out here.

Thanks,

Brian

This looks excellent Brian! I can't wait to pick up a copy.

What did the other 3 people who reviewed it think?

You can see quotes real testimonials from three different people on the product page. There is also a review in the Ebook section. Great reviews and feedback across the board.

The only problem is that we don't know anything about the reviewers- they may be friends of yours, or unqualified. Hence my offer.

They are not friends of mine. If you look in the Tricky Business section, a couple weeks ago I requested three professionals and three amateur/hobbyists to give some pre-release feedback on the Ebook. If it looks good to you, then check it out. If it doesn't, pass on it. I wouldn't have friends put a good quote on my product though, that's unethical.

Are you sending it to Magic or Genii for a true unbiased review?

They are all unbiased reviews. Brian is a person you can surely trust when he says that, especially with his crediblity for an extensive magic knowledge.

I'm not quite sure how to respond to that. First, Mike, you've proven yourself to not be a credible source. You've also proven yourself to be fairly clueless about magic knowledge (think 808...). I'm not insinuating that Brian isn't credible, nor that he isn't knowledgeable, rather, you saying so means nothing.

Now, I've spoken to Brian through PM's about this, and I think he is doing something now that will address some of the questions/concerns.

Ben
p.s.
Although I've never met Brian, through the PM's we have been sending each other he seems like a nice guy with a genuine interest in releasing a quality product.

Precisely. Anyone can tell from his posts that he is indeed a knowledgable and credible magic source. Don't just take my word for it. As Nordatrax says, you shouldn't. (?)I am a credible source. I hope you are not calling me a liar, Ben. I do have my own opinions and own views on magic, and since 808 was a concept I didn't know much about, it was an honest mistake. I once again thank you for phoning me and providing history and background. You surely saved my hide there.. However, you are all helping me to learn. My knowledge is continually growing.

Anyway, this isn't about me here. Brian, I can't wait to buy your ebook! Just need to get some more cash on the good old Paypal account.

Exactly, this is not about you so why do you give us a run down of why you think you are credible? As I understand it, you are by no means a credible source and if you believe you are, you have massively mistaken the feedback you have received.

Back to topic, the notes seem interesting but in todays competitive market, more reviews that are genuinely credible will help to verify the quality of the product.

No, Mike, I'm not calling you a liar. But, I am saying that I don't think you are at that stage yet where you can distinguish between quality and crap, pipe dreams and workers. It's not your fault, it takes time (hell, I'm still working on it myself!).

The issue here was that the booklet is advertised as a collection of worker pieces. What I want to know, from credible sources, is:
1) Are they workers?
2) Is Brian a worker (and has he really tested them out)?
3) Darwin once wrote that before anything is published is should be compared to all previous releases- if it isn't new or an improvement then it shouldn't be published. My question is, since the routines aren't new (as stated by the author) then what improvements are there?

I'm not trying to harp on Brian, but venting about all of these new releases coming out from new sources. Brian's work may be very good. Most of these guys stuff isn't though. Just because you have Microsoft Publisher doesn't mean you should be publishing...

Again though, I think Brian is addressing the issue. I look forward to it!

Thanks Ben! We have to jam sometime!

Well, if you come to the Roth workshop, which I hope you are, we'll have time to jam after!

Ben

Kitchener one I'm hoping! PM-ed you.

First, Michael please stay out of this if you can. No offense but you haven't helped much in hyping other creator's new products. Please just let me handle this

Second, if you head to the Elmwood product page (found in the link in my first post) you will see that Bill Butski posted a review on the site. If you are in the New York State general area, you will have heard of Bill. He is certainly a reputable guy and one of the hardest working magicians in New York. Anyway, there are still more credible reviews to come, since you all have asked for them.

I assure you that these are workers, and it's only because I'm a worker! I don't perform for magicians, I perform for lay audiences. The only reason I create an effect is to use it in my real work. I don't have room for all the nonsense majorly gimmicked quick hit impractical effects that are on the market today, and that is where my effects come from. Of course most of you still need a credible source which is fine. As I said, more are coming.

First,

Let me apologize for being such a dick. I haven't slept well in a couple of days (including one night in a hospital after my mother was injured) and I've been, well, grumpy.

While I do believe everything I've written here, I didn't have to write it with the tone I used.

Brian, Bill is a great guy (I met him when I came to Buffalo with Darwin Ortiz) and I'm sure there will be some other credible reviewers coming soon.

I guess my question to you is, that the plots you choose to describe have been written up in numerous sources, and many of them are also worker items. For instance, what makes your sandwich routine different or better then the hundreds of simple, commercial, and well constructed routines already in print?

SandTrap began a couple of years ago as an attempt to develop an impromptu, ungimmicked variation of Peter Eggink's B-Sandwiched. The first version was extraordinarily complicated, but through hundreds if not by now thousands of performances, the handling, patter, and presentation became simpler and simpler to the version that I have included in the Ebook. Peter has seen SandTrap and in fact had many positive things to say about it, but since I have not asked him for permission to quote him on anything, I will not do so. In my opinion, SandTrap achieves as close to the visual power of Peter's B-Sandwiched routine as you can without the use of gimmicks. The way in which it does so is through the logic, handling, and "psychology" (or subtleties) that I provide quite in depth within the description. Those who have the Ebook I am sure will testify to this.

Again I say, if you are not in need or curious for a good variation of a sandwich routine, or an unusual three coin production, or a take on presentation, then you are not obligated to purchase the Ebook. For those who find these things as worth $10, I say take the plunge and I stand quite positive that it will be worth it. I do not believe I have ever burned any bridges in the magic community, and to this day have no wish to. For that reason you can trust that I would never release a product which I did not feel was up to par. It would be a waste of my time, your money, and my reputation.

For those still tuned in here, David Acer says:

"These tricks are worth much more than the paper I didn't print them on."

Still more quotes and reviews from credible sources to come. Thanks for your interest and patience everyone.

Here are a couple reviews, one from Mark Runge and another from myself. I'm telling you people, these ARE REAL WORKERS!!! Absolute gold!!!

Thank you Brian for releasing these notes!

-Steve

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