Ninety-Nine Fabrications

I'm pleased to announce a special publication written in conjunction with Dr. Sammy Jakubowicz and the P. Howard Lyons Ring of the International Brotherhood of Magicians. The P. Howard Lyons Ring meets at a regular location on an irregular basis in Toronto. The membership comprises a motley crew of magicians, mentalists, comedians, psychics, university students, philosophers and general dilettantes. Topics of discussion include advancing the art of magic and techniques for the vanishment and disappearance of liquids.

Reports of the activities of the Ring are chronicled in The Linking Ring, the official organ of the IBM. These reports are based on facts only in the loosest way possible.

I became involved with Ring 99 as its secretary in 2008 and was elected to the Presidency in 2010. In the spirit of the late P. Howard Lyons, we have assembled some of our Ring Reports in a special eBook now available for purchase on Kobo, Kindle and iTunes for the appropriate sum of ninety nine cents.

99fab

Goldfinger - a new eBook

For those interested in sleight of hand with coins, one of my favourite tricks with coins was recently published in an eBook edited by John McLachlan. When I say favourite, I mean favourite! This is probably the the piece I currently perform more often than any other when I'm doing close up magic.   Goldfinger: Stand Up Coin Mysteries features contributions from magicians from the Toronto area including Luiz Castro, Ariel Frailich, John McLachlan, Mysterion the Mindreader, David Peck and Phil Pivnick. The focus of the book is coin magic that can be done without the work of a table. If you're taking time off before the new year and want something to read and some material to practice, check it out.

 

118 Pages, PDF, $25 - available from Lybrary.com.

It's a coincidence, I swear

I recently acquired a scarlet Atheist lapel pin from the Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science in the US. To date, it's the best symbol for secularism I've seen which is appropriate for grownups (not that I don't love Flying Spaghetti Monster cufflinks and Darwin Fish car emblems). I look forward to wearing it in public performances, TV appearances and anywhere else I can sneak it in. What it took me a few days to realize was that both the scarlet  A and my letterhead both seemed to use the same font. Lucky me!

James Alan Website   Scarlett Letter

Although it's a good step forward, I think some work needs to be done on branding. Atheism remains a non-position and is very vague, so it would be nice to have something which made a bit more of a positive statement. Nevertheless, it's a pretty little thing and I'm happy to have one.

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Praise for Lies, Damn Lies & Magic Tricks

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It's been a fantastic summer that I won't soon forget. Between the Hamilton Fringe Festival and the Summerworks Performance Festival, I completed thirteen performances of Lies, Damn Lies & Magic Tricks. Here are some highlights of what people had to say:

Truly Entertaining NOW Magazine

Remarkable... This magician is one talented fellow. The Hamilton Spectator

Thought-provoking, funny, astonishing and thoroughly entertaining. It's a great magic display and that's all anyone needs to know. Ontario Arts Review

I promise you will be thinking about how it's done - during and after the show and probably the rest of the month. Thoroughly entertaining. Artword

Brimming with wicked wit and calculated comedy. The VIEW Magazine

To my eyes, James Alan is every bit as good as any magician I have seen on TV... Alan is very personable, he makes you laugh between the lies and tricks... It is very engaging and entertaining. An hour will fly by before you know it. Mooney on Theatre

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