It's Monday and you know what that means... Monday Mail Call!
Last year, at Magifest actually, I say Michel Huot perform his Socks routine live. It was really fun to watch, but I also didn't think much more of it other than I really enjoyed it. I had no interest in looking for the trick to learn, or performing it myself. In fact, I had already come up with a way to perform it on my own without needing to buy anything, but that wasn't really "my type of magic."
By the end of Magifest last year, however, something changed in me. I determined that I did want to branch out from card magic and get into other things. But, Socks still wasn't on that list. Until a few weeks ago, that is.
I up and decided that this trick is, at least now, something I would love to perform. I placed and order for it so I could get well-made cards, and some crazy looking socks. I just received it this past week and already watched the tutorial -- the kicker ending of which I didn't figure out on my own! I haven't had an opportunity to perform it yet, but it's on my plan for this week =]
Speaking of Magifest and branching out from card magic...
At the Vanishing Inc booth at this year's Magifest, they had three very large books, Volumes 1, 2, and 3 of The Definitive Sankey featuring over 500 effects by Jay Sankey!
I didn't buy them.
Rather, I didn't buy them at Magifest. My queue of books to read, that I currently own, is enormous. I think I have at least 100 in my library, for card magic alone, that I haven't read past the introduction, so I've become a bit more selective in my purchases. When I looked at these huge books, which were discounted at Magifest too, I decided not to pick them up because it was too much money for books that I likely wouldn't get to for a very long time. That, and I wouldn't have room in my suitcase for them.
Well, a week or two ago I caved and bought them online (for the same price as they were at Magifest!). I have opened Volume 1 and have read a little into it already and I have to say, I'm going to really like these books. I will be adding more to this site about them soon -- there's a lot to enter, and I want to make sure I have actually had a chance to read through them first though. I'll be publishing a blog post more specific to these books in about a week too, I have some exciting plans!
Oh, oh! And in direct conflict with what I just said about having too many books and being more selective in my purchases, I also received Nick Trost's Subtle Card Creations books, Volumes 1 through 6. I think there are 9 in total, but there was an auction at a super great price on eBay for the first 6 so I jumped on it.
Unlike Sankey's books, I haven't opened these yet. I don't have an ETA on when I'll do that since I have a lot of other fun plans in the pipeline, but hopefully it's sooner than later.
Nine books and a pair of socks. That's what arrived in the mail this week. No decks of cards, unless you count the ones from Socks (which I don't), but let's be honest, I don't really need more cards =P
Stay tuned for the next iteration of Monday Mail Call, there's a lot more to come!
Oh also, if you'd like to offer suggestions for books, tricks, decks or if you have questions about magic (performing, routines, sleights, etc.), just reach out here.