Doug...Mark Leddy was Jay Marshall's agent, and, he was also talent consultant for the old ED SULLIVAN TV SHOW. Jay and I were discussing this point, and, Jay said, "Mark told me awhile back, that 'There are no places left to be lousy in!' " Of course, Mark was talking about places for new young professionals.

Porridge...Danaruns thinks I'm too glib. Ha! I'm too old to spend time answering questions that have an obvious answer.

You might see my post replying to your different question, in STREET MAGIC.

"Gemini Twins" is actually in Fulves' sequel book, "More Self-Working Card Tricks."

Steve Beam's "Semi-Automatic Card Tricks" series is a great source of self-working tricks. Giobbi's "Card College Light" is also a good source.

I actually have Card College volume 1, but with all the videos that have come out now on youtube and elsewhere, I wonder if that book has become not as useful to me as actually seeing the video of the trick actually being performed.

Thanks for the recommendations on self working tricks.

There are several good discussion threads about self-working card tricks. You can find them with the Café's advanced search. Here's a good place to start.

http://www.themagiccafe.com/forums/viewt......orum=206

It takes time to "learn" how to read magic books. Once you have done that you will find the contents in there useful. I reference Card College series from time to time. I started with Royal Road to Card Magic and must say the effects within are excellent.

I feel like videos for me are more instant, but I get much less from them because I am not actively involved with it as I am with books. I would also say to stay away from most of the youtube videos. I find they are bad, but you can find ones of the author doing them, then watch those.

Unfortunately, another disaster!

This time I tried to perform a self working trick for a family member.

I handed him the deck and asked him to select any card he wanted, and that I would then place it back into the deck.

He said, "if you're really magical, I will put the card anywhere I want, and you should still be able to find it".

He refused to follow the rules of the trick, would not give me the chosen card and the deck, and I was forced to admit defeat and abort the trick!

Ugh

Porridge, you may need new family members!

"Of course I'm not really magical, you fool. It's a trick! Now play along or you don't get to see it. This is a privilege for you. It's supposed to be fun. You're being quite rude to me. Why should I ever show you magic again?"

Who is this family member to you? Brother, father, cousin? Who? And how old? Very immature response. I give people like that "the talk" about what is and is not appropriate while watching magic. And if he did it again, I'd never show that family member a trick ever again. I'd turn my back on him while I showed my magic to others.

Can you not take control of the situation? Why do you bail? Why do you allow yourself to be bullied? How old are you? Obviously, you should not be letting this person take any cards. Tell him to hold up one index finger. When he does, fan out the cards and tell him to touch one. Don't tell him what you're going to do. Just have him touch one. If he won't do it, tell him he's being a jerk and don't show him the trick. Or force the card on him, and then let him do anything he wants to the cards, because you already know what it is. Whatever, just take control.

I feel for you, but you're in an abusive relationship. Stand up for yourself. Take control. Tell this family member what the proper etiquette is, and if he won't play along, don't show him any magic. He certainly hasn't earned the privilege.

I think the mistake was handing him the deck?

Is that considered a magic faux-pas?

Handing the deck to a heckler in a real live show could also be problematic, I imagine.

Perhaps some of you have had live experience with hecklers and figured out how to handle it?

I suppose it is like being a comedian, if the crowd doesn't let you perform, you can't make anyone laugh.

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?