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WOW BOUND New user The Antipodes 13 Posts |
We are pleased to announce the release of A THOUGHT WELL STOLEN.
Aa I write this I’m still in the 19th day of the month--but some parts of the world have ticked over into the 20th day--so here we are. The EBOOK EDITION is available for IMMEDIATE DOWNLOAD from: wowbound.com Lybrary.com Magicshop.co.uk Vanishingincmagic.com The PRINT EDITION is en-route to the above dealers as I write. They’ll have physical stock in about a week. The COLLECTOR’S EDITION is only available from wowbound.com Here is the official advertising copy. I look forward to your feedback. Sincerely BC Harris ******************************************************** A Thought Well Stolen combines two of magic’s great card effects — Any Card At Any Number, and Paul Curry’s Out Of This World — into a wicked hybrid; morphing them into a mind-blowing frenzy. Can you even imagine what this resultant offspring would look like? As in Any Card At Any Number, the performer reveals the identity of a freely though-of card — and its position in a deck — without asking a single question. Seriously, this is solid and gripping mentalism; there is no force, the card is a free MENTAL SELECTION and NO questions are asked. Having read his spectator’s mind, discerning his card and its position in the deck, the performer follows with a visual display rivalling the wonderful separation of colors in Out Of This World. Your audience is left reeling by: 1. Your amazing ability to read minds. 2. Your insane skill with a deck of cards. The combination of effects is mind-boggling and capable of closing any show — be it one-on-one, at a party, on T.V., or in a theatre of hundreds. U.K. card expert Michael Vincent has chosen to perform A Thought Well Stolen during his “Champions Of Magic” season at the Jersey Opera House. That’s how strong A Thought Well Stolen is. Here’s what Michael has to say: “As someone who has built a reputation on hard core sleight of hand, I am always ready to welcome an effect into my program at the opposite end of the technical spectrum. A Thought Well Stolen is that sort of effect, it fits perfectly into my modus operandi of mixing up my methods — an effect like this can steal your show.” In the book’s introduction, the author sets out his goal clearly: “A quest of mine — lasting decades — has been the search for a perfectly rendered illusion of mind-reading with a deck of cards. As a close-up performer — who loves cards and mentalism — this effect would be something where the performer identifies a freely thought-of card without any questions; without the spectator uttering a single word. Achieving this, or even getting close to it, creates a profound effect on the spectator. It’s also one that ripples through your entire audience, no matter what its size. “A Thought Well Stolen is 100% pure as regards its intention: the identification of any freely thought-of card without any questions; without any prodding, probing, dual reality or ambiguity. And, without any limiting procedures. None at all. The result is a selection process about as fair as it can get: ‘Do you have a favourite playing card?’ the performer asks. ‘Yes, yes I do,’ the spectator replies. ‘Okay, that’s great,’ the performer confirms. ‘Don’t tell me. Keep the identity of your card secret, okay?’” Is there an approach any more fair? I don’t think so. The author fully explores the effect(s) in a detailed and friendly manner. Even a beginner can master A Thought Well Stolen because it requires nothing more than “basic card skills.” Advanced versions are discussed in the various appendices, but if you can do a single False Cut, or a False Shuffle, then you are in business; ready to astound audiences of any size. A Thought Well Stolen requires the use of no gaffs or gimmicks of any kind, just regular playing cards. The book runs 40 pages of detailed text covering the simple and beautiful series of almost self-working procedures that bring about the amazing results. Ships August 20th, 2015, in both printed and eBook editions. “…an effect like this can steal your show.” — Michael Vincent “This is simple, direct and strong! I love it” — Luca Volpe “I’ve always been a fan of Ben’s work and this is another great routine from one of my favourite creators in this art.” — Rus Andrews “Self-working routines rarely pack as much punch as this. The way you describe it is so captivating!” — Andi Gladwin (Vanishing Inc.) “I think you might just have created the Holy Grail of Card Magic! As a magician this is the perfect routine to show off any card skills without actually having any, and for a mentalist it’s the perfect routine where you don’t need to do any of the skilled work. Perfect for both worlds.” — Paul Romhany, Editor (VANISH Magazine) “A Thought Well Stolen is by far the easiest — and most elegant — giving the audience the impression the performer has a high-level of skill and mind reading powers.” — Jason Messina “The thoughtfulness that nurtures A Thought Well Stolen is how it cunningly reveals what is unknown about what is supposedly known, putting emphasis on what spectators will ultimately deem important, memorable, and impressive. In short, besides providing a terrific presentation piece per se, this treatise induces you to rethink what is and is not essential about methodology.” — Jon Racherbaumer “As someone who reads and enjoys everything that Ben Harris releases, all I can say is Wow! A simple and beautiful idea that once again has me grinning from ear to ear!” — Bro Gilbert “Ben, you’ve got a real winner here. It has the three main ingredients that make for a magnificent routine: It has an entertaining plot, it is easy to perform, and it has a stupefying punch at the end. I think I’ll use it as a closer – it really is hard to beat the strength of this routine. Congratulations, Benny! You’ve hit it out of the park!” — Steve Shufton “Today’s audience is very demanding. This is exactly the type of magic that hits them “down under.” Ben Harris' brand new routine is a most excellent hybrid of two wonderful card plots, cloaked in a method so simple, it's brilliant.” — Jonathan Friedman (Shades of Magic) Follow along at facebook.com/bc.harris.7
WOWBOUND.COM
Publishing fine magician's books on both paper, and electronically, since 1980. |
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Dominic Reyes Inner circle Got to a gig too early so wrote his 1429 Posts |
The world just clicked into the 20th here in the UK, so Merchant of Magic have just switched the digital ebook version of A Thought Well Stolen live on the site.
http://www.magicshop.co.uk/product_info.......d=146646 Hope this helps Dominic
MagicShop.co.uk - The Merchant of Magic
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cardbiker Inner circle 1484 Posts |
When purchasing don't forget some of his other masterpieces- hole in the head, exit 51 ,solid gold easy action and of course alida
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T.G. Jones Elite user 489 Posts |
It seems the best place to buy this is lybrary.com. It's the cheapest price at £19.63 (and VAT free), stays on your digital bookshop for life as well as being instantly downloadable and DRM free.
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WOW BOUND New user The Antipodes 13 Posts |
Thanks for the kind words, cardbiker.
BC Harris
WOWBOUND.COM
Publishing fine magician's books on both paper, and electronically, since 1980. |
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Dominic Reyes Inner circle Got to a gig too early so wrote his 1429 Posts |
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On Aug 20, 2015, T.G. Jones wrote: I think most sellers are the same. Merchant of Magic also keep it for you on your account for life, and it's instantly downloadable and DRM free etc. It's VAT free and MoM charge the transaction directly to your card in Pounds Sterling than US dollars, so if you are in the UK, and use a credit or debit card, you will not be charged currency exchange charges by your card holder/bank in addition to the cost of the item. That's often missed by customers in the Uk who use their card to purchase in another currency. Most card issuers add an additional fee, listed as a seperate charge to your account for an international currency transaction. You can also use paypal at MoM Hope this helps.
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VanishingInc Veteran user 322 Posts |
Hey guys!
A Thought Well stolen is now available! I was really lucky to be able to site down with Ben for a quick interview about his new effect! Interview with Vanishing Inc. Magic and Ben Harris VI: Ben, I just finished reading A Thought Well Stolen. It's great! So simple, fooling, and a great ending. How long have you been working on this effect? BH: Well, that's an interesting question. I've been working on this all my magical life, hunting down a simple and fair procedure to identify and reveal a "thought-of card" without any questions or probing. I think you can see a little trail of bread crumbs leading all the way up to A Thought Well Stolen. CrossRoads, Silent Running, and even X-RAY (with Steve Shufton) are signposts passed on the way. However, A Thought Well Stolen ELIMINATES any obvious limiting or card selection procedures leaving us with the most elegant and fair selection process: "Do you have a favourite playing card?" the performer asks. "Yes, yes I do," the spectator replies. "Okay, that’s great," the performer confirms. "Don’t tell me. Keep the identity of your card secret, okay?" That's how I want a "Think-of-a-card effect" to begin. If we were real mind-readers, (somehow finding ourselves performing card magic instead of saving the world), that's how it WOULD begin. VI: What made you come up with A Thought Well Stolen? Was there something you didn't like about other Any Card At Any Number effects? BH: Well, my favorite card at any number effect involves 52 Svengali decks. Not exactly practical, but it does allow a totally free choice of card and number! I create magic in two different ways. Firstly, there is the concerted and conscious effort where one sets out to achieve a certain effect or outcome, and then you find the best and most efficient path to do so. You draw on your existing knowledge, new ideas, and the giants of creativity that have walked before you. It can be frustrating, and always feels a little forced. This is because you are always juggling compromises. On the other hand, the best ideas, I find, just fall out of the sky fully formed. It'a a matter of being "open" creatively, to receive the material. Obviously, I don't think these things are gifts from any deity or the like, they are simply solutions thrown out by the mind which has been mulling the intricacies over deep within the subconscious. It's much the way author Stephen King likes to write his novels: place the characters in a situation and let THEM sort it out -- DON'T start with the plot, let it play out. VI: What makes yours stand out among the countless other versions of this effect? BH: I think what really makes A Thought Well Stolen stand out is that you can perform it EITHER as mentalism, or card artistry. You can be serious or dextrous. What's more, it can be performed by beginners, just as OOTW can be performed by beginners. I've always love Chan Canasta and have always liked big and powerful card effects that can be presented to an audience of any size, and that are strong enough to close a show. Real presentation pieces, so to speak. This is what I wanted to create and A Thought Well Stolen is such a piece. It's a performer's piece. One of the reasons for this is the EASE of performance. It's almost, not quite, self-working. So much effect for so little work gives the performer room to PERFORM. I remember, as a young magician, the power I felt surge through my skinny frame as the climax of Paul Curry's Out Of This World was revealed to my audiences. The visual flurry, so easily achieved, was way disproportionate to the effort I'd put in. I liked that, and think that most magicians do. By combining ACAAN with an OOTW-type of finale is a powerful approach. The ACAAN phase is strong. You can STOP right there. And, if you are presenting this is mentalism, that's a good idea. That's how the charming and talented mentalist Luca Volpe is performing it. If, on the other hand, you are presenting the effect as a demonstration of SKILL, then the OOTW-type finale is your end game -- as Mike Vincent, card expert, performs it. VI: Without giving away too much detail, can you tell us about the setup? Easy to do? Instant re-set? Borrowed decks? BH: Amazingly enough, there are no gimmicks of any sort. Anywhere you have deck of cards (for the single deck version) or two decks (for the feature version) you are ready to perform. They don't even have to be your cards! No sleights, other than a simple false cut are required. Of course, advanced handlings, additional sleights, and approaches are covered in the appendices, but any BEGINNER can come to grips with this, easily. This, as a creator, I find satisfying; it indicates good and solid methodology, which should always be as simple as it can be. VI: Finally, What's next for Ben Harris? BH: Well, I'm a full-time writer now, only occasionally dipping back into magic for the LOVE of it (and that's the right reason, so far as I can tell). So, for now, it's doing the publicity for my new gardening book (Sept release in the U.S.) and getting my first novel done. Magically, I'm finishing a large-ish tome on mentalism effects drawn from my one-man show, "Hellucinations." Enjoy! -Kyle
We personally curate every product we sell because we put quality and service first.
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T.G. Jones Elite user 489 Posts |
I now have this and will read and try tonight.
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Dominic Reyes Inner circle Got to a gig too early so wrote his 1429 Posts |
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On Aug 20, 2015, VanishingInc wrote: I really good point. It's nice having an effect here at the shop that we can suggest to both types of performer. The dexterity route also appeals to the magicians that come into the shop for the latest collector decks. It's a good one to suggest when they want some magic to perform with their own 'designer' ungimmicked cards.
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VanishingInc Veteran user 322 Posts |
Quote:
On Aug 20, 2015, Dominic Reyes wrote: I agree Dominic! A Thought Well Stolen will be great for both performance styles! -Kyle
We personally curate every product we sell because we put quality and service first.
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Dominic Reyes Inner circle Got to a gig too early so wrote his 1429 Posts |
Quote:
On Aug 20, 2015, VanishingInc wrote: It certainly does We've highlighted A Thought Well Stolen next to the collector deck stands in the shop. An effect that doesn't need a gimmick or require you have to gaff any of your premium decks..
MagicShop.co.uk - The Merchant of Magic
Free Ebook: Approaching Magic Practice. Free Ebook: Why Magicians Don't Get the Fee's They Feel They Deserve Free Ebook: How to Avoid the Pitfalls of Performing Magic to your Family and Friends |
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Ray Chelt Special user Changing the world with my 988 Posts |
This is ridiculous now...It's like the shopping channel on here with wall to wall sales people.
Enough already. |
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T.G. Jones Elite user 489 Posts |
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On Aug 20, 2015, T.G. Jones wrote: I'm afraid it's a 2 out of 10 from me. |
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Ray Chelt Special user Changing the world with my 988 Posts |
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On Aug 20, 2015, T.G. Jones wrote: Could you elaborate ? |
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IAIN Eternal Order england 18807 Posts |
Does this really just hang its hat on a psyc********* f**ce working?
I've asked to be banned
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T.G. Jones Elite user 489 Posts |
I really can't be bothered investing time to write a full review for this. The problem is I just finished Destination Zero by Bannon. Any one of his tricks is equal to or better than this. There are 25 tricks in the book and the price isn't much more. In comparison this is bad value for money. Sorry Ben (and dealers), I can't recommend this at the current price.
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TuneHV Inner circle New York 2063 Posts |
Is your issue the value for the money or that the effect itself is not strong?
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T.G. Jones Elite user 489 Posts |
There are stronger tricks in the Bannon book. So both.
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JanForster Inner circle Germany ... when not traveling... 4190 Posts |
Quote:
On Aug 9, 2015, JanForster wrote: As written already...
Jan Forster
www.janforster.de |
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T.G. Jones Elite user 489 Posts |
Your opinion was based on speculation, mine is based on actual ownership. So there is a difference.
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