That sounds very similar to Jay Sankeys effect "In A Flash". In the effect you have a card selected signed and lost in the deck. You then borrow a coin have it marked and wrap it in flash paper. Then you place the wrapped coin on top of the deck, light the paper and the coin burns a whole through half the deck stopping on one card the signed card!

You can see a demo of it and purchase it on Jays site. Heres the link: http://sankeymagic.com/detail.aspx?ID=48025

Hope this helps.
Lliam

What effects were in your act? That may offer a clue to some of the close up effects you might enjoy. (Not that they would directly translate, of course).

kerpa
an amateur magish

Get Karl Fulves little book "Self Working Rope Magic" & a roll of string. Carry a piece of string & you`ll be set to do magic anytime, anywhere for less than $10.

Have fun,
John

I have been performing magic for a very long time in the areas of mentalism and science magic to audiences of fifty to five hundred.
I am now retired but many people I meet casually know about me and frequently ask me to do something. Since that is how I got started in magic I feel compelled to oblige them.
Unlike when I started to perform there are now many reasonably priced books containing very good tricks available to anyone with a few dollars. I suggest t6hat there is no better way for Mr Frymus to get acquainted again with closeup magic and its performance than to invest in a few of these. Some have been already mentioned but I would like to extend the list as follows:
All the series of the "SELF WORKING" Dover books by Karl Fulves are outstanding,particularly the ones on
Table Magic,Mental Magic,Coin Magic,Paper Magic, and Handkerchief magic. Many of the tricks described although self working have, when presented properly, have been incorporated in to the acts of many professionals. They used to cost about Two dollars each but now are about three times. Used ones are however frequently( and I admit regrettably) available from Amazon.com or on magic dealers lists such as those put out by Paul Diamond).
More recent books which concentrate on presentation and patter are: The Complete Idiot's guide To Street Magic and to Magic Tricks both by Tom Ogden and also the similar book "Magic for dummies "by David Pogue.
An experienced performer can usefully build up a whole library from this list for less than the cost of one video.

For the situation you describe, you need something fully examinable when done, and something very easy so you can concentrate on presentation and not get nervous, since you haven't performed in a year. Any magic dealer will have loads of things that fit that description. Maybe Scotch & Soda, sponge balls, or something with a Swami gimmick; or if you're wearing a jacket vanish something with a pull. Magicians roll their eyes, but that kind of stuff blows minds.