I enjoyed reading 7 Year Ordeal
Drew's take on ACAAN ...
I requested this chapter because I do enjoy mentalism with cards.
The routine is incredibly well structured ,
and so well scripted , with every detail of patter and method clearly explained
without any confusion , but rather with succinct clarity.
If all goes well with this presentation , and The spectators do as you say
I'd say you have nothing short of a Miracle.
Not sure I'd personally perform this
because it requires that I trust the spectator(s) to accurately achieve the goal
That , no question - has clear directions,
but with some important parts of the trick solely in the hands of the spectator for success
I'm unfortunately not as experienced , trusting...
and not as savvy with ensuring it goes well to the tee , in their hands.
Yet , once again , if the specs do as you clearly instruct
It's an astonishing miracle .
Thank you Drew for all you do
The chapter was A Pleasure to read and think about
and Of course I'm tinkering how I might play with it , to achieve the same destination...

Thank you So Much !!

Michael

You’re very welcome Michael!

One of the disadvantages of previewing only one chapter is that the book was written to be one cohesive text but you miss out on the overall flow. “R.M.R.”, the chapter directly before “Seven Year Ordeal”, actually contains some thoughts on Audience Management (nothing revolutionary mind you - but a good reminder on some basics) that might help you feel a little more confident with your hesitancy.

The “work” done by the participant’s in “Seven Year Ordeal” is quite straightforward and natural so (for what it’s worth) I say JUST GO FOR IT!

Somethings you can only develop confidence in by actually doing them. If the stars don’t align just remember - we are entertainers not brain surgeons! Our personalities alone can overcome screw ups

Best,

Drew

And now to announce the person who has won a free copy of AOTM (hopefully the book is of interest to this person haha!)...

Pixelated - you’re the man of the hour

If you’d be so kind as to PM (or email me) with your shipping address I’ll get that sent out as soon as the books are ready to ship.

Thanks again to all who have helped increase awarenenss of the book!

Happy holidays everyone!

Best,

Drew

I'm definately interested, thank you very much!

I took Drew up on his offer of a sample chapter. As has been said by others, the writing is excellent - so much better than what we are used to seeing from even some of the better-known mentalists. These are effects that have obviously been thought through and worked out in the crucible of real performances. I also very much appreciated the crediting which was not just an afterthought but an integral part of Drew's discussion of method. Can't wait to get my hands on a copy when it becomes available for sale!

I just realized that I neglected to thank a few who have posted recently (apologies gents!).

Morganjj - Your comment about R.M.R. providing you "a jumping off point for [your] own scripts and methods" was WONDERFUL to read! As I've mentioned previously, that's really were I hope readers will take the content of AOTM.

Waters. - Being that you're someone who, in my eyes, possess the kind of character I strive to cultivate I'm very grateful for your words. To all that have commented on the quality of writing found in AOTM I'm happy to disclose that Sean (aka "Waters.") is the man I tried to emulate in this regard. If you own any (or all) of Sean's SUPERB eBooks you'll see his inspiration in the layout and scripting found in my book.

mentalboy - None of my work would have been possible without the creative minds that I reference. Thanks for appreciating my efforts in this area!

Best,

Drew

In other news, I've been considering something lately and would love to hear everyone's feedback.

Many people have messaged me asking whether I'll be selling a digital version of AOTM. I had no intention of doing that - mainly due to piracy concerns (it's come to my attention that one torrent site in particular is ALREADY gunning for a copy of AOTM... classy).

I can understand the appeal of digital copies as I too like to have "on-the-go content" and wish that some of my most cherished books were digitized for convenience.

Here's the idea I'm currently toying with...

Would there be any interest in me offering a digital version of AOTM at a cost of $15 to $20? This option would ONLY be available to purchasers of the physical book (not as a stand alone item). I feel the additional cost is justified because of the added convenience along with the extra manual effort it will take to individually mark each PDF (I'm still worried about piracy).

This is not some back-door attempt on my part to squeeze more revenue out of the release; rather, I'm thinking this could be a "Win-win" for those interested in digital content.

Thoughts?

Best,

Drew

I most definately would be on board for that. Having both versions make future referencing way more flexible.

I still like hard copies, but it’s great to have the option.

I PM'd Drew with a question unrelated to his book, and he was kind enough to respond with a very thoughtful answer, which I greatly appreciate.

He then offered to send me a PDF of the chapter, "Let's Agree to...Agree" which covers his Performance Agreement with commentary.

This chapter provides excellent guidance, to say the least.

I will be buying LESS in 2019 than I did in 2018, but Architect of the Mind is on the TOP of my list and will be my FIRST purchase of the year.

Thank you very much, Drew. Architect of the Mind looks wonderful, and I am anxious to read it!

Hey Drew,

Even the most limited prints of physical books only sold to vetted purchasers seem to end up on these illegal PDF sites so I imagine it wouldn't make much of a difference whether you went down the general or limited general release in that respect.

I can't even begin to imagine the frustration that would come with seeing your hard work available for little or no money splashed across the internet but I honestly believe that the majority of people will purchase AOTM legitimately as they can see the effort you've put in and all the time you've taken listening to what people have said about it so far.

On the flip side a lower priced digital copy might open your work up to people who haven't got £100 to spend on a book yet really want to hear what you have to say. Personally I don't like ebooks so wouldn't get one even if it were cheaper or as a physical book purchaser post purchase incentive.

Anyway I do not envy your position on this but I'm sure you'll make the right choice for you.

All the best

Dave

I would take both as well

I have shared ideas back and forth with Drew over the last few years he really is a very clever thinker. I am lucky enough to have received the entire book and you guys are in for a real treat. This book is full of real world practical workable material. The book is very appropriately named. The effects are very well constructed and the book is very well written. Drew has a wonderful economy in his creation style and is able to squeeze a lot of bang out of very little effort from the performer. This is material designed for a working performer and so does not require mental gymnastics while under pressure.

Yes Drew is a friend and a very nice guy but even if he were a complete stranger and a bit of a cad I would still give this my highest recommendation.

Mark

I would like the PDF option along with the physical book.

For me the printed version is vastly better than a pdf. I have loads of pdf's and ebooks which just sit unlooked at and unread on a USB stick but, with books, I enjoy holding, reading and referring to.

When you release your physical edition, I'm afraid to say someone, somewhere, usually in India or China - will take your book and cut each page out, scan it, and then sell digital and printed versions of it for a dollar or two...

I've shut down a few sites over the years but then realised its too big a thing unfortunately...

So, though its bad news, better to make peace with it before you release anything... Even my very low level releases have been resold this way, sometimes within hours of it being released...

I would say, as this seems to be a biggish book, make it as difficult as possible and not offer the pdf version until a year after the initial release. And then only to verified buyers.

Happy New Year everyone! Wishing you and yours a splendid 2019!

I would like to thank all those who took the time to share their thoughts (via this thread, PM, or email) regarding a possible PDF add-on for verified purchasers.

After CONSIDERABLE thought I've decided not to proceed with a digital edition at this time. There's obvious interest in the option but delaying the (inevitable) piracy of AOTM and preserving the investment of buyers are my primary concerns at the moment.

As some have suggested I might go this route a year or two from now but to be honest - this would compromise the vision I originally had for the book. PDF's are extremely convenient though in my eyes there's true "magic" in spending time with a beautifully produced hardback.

By way of an update - I've been assured that finalizing the print run of AOTM will be a top priority at the start of this year. I NEVER intended to drag out the release (I was hoping for a November/December 2018 debut) and I'm sorry if anyone has felt strung along. I'm confident though that it'll be worth the wait

Best,

Drew

Worth the wait

Happy New Years folks

Thank you for not going the PDF route Drew!

While I love PDFs because I don't have to wait until a physical copy arrives (and they sometimes go missing)- but I don't remember how many of them I have, or even where I've stored them as hard disks die and I've had to transfer my files to other hard disks to ensure I don't lose them. Even if I stored them on the cloud, they remain hidden from view. When you don't see a nicely bound physical book with an attractive cover and spine sitting somewhere in your bookshelf, you'll never remember what pdfs you actually have.

Because you're not rushing the printing or going to the Print On Demand route via LuLu.com and you insist on getting it right even if it takes a bit longer and cost you quite a bit in upfront costs, I can already see this book is your labor of love and your pride and joy. That, and the very positive reviews above, already make this a no-brainer buy for me as soon as you're releasing it.

Shaun

I've got to admit, like many magicians right now, I’m kind of obsessed with the ACAAN plot. I’ve read many (many) variations and Barrie Richardson has a few of my favorites, but I’ve yet to find one that uses this principle so elegantly. The Seven Year Ordeal does what I love best: apply classic worker’s principles in novel ways. In short, I love it. Thanks for sharing the chapter and looking forward to buying the book!