20070716

July 16, 2007

Here's what's in this edition of
Jheff's Marketplace of the Mind Newsletter

   *** HOLLYWOOD MAGIC SQUARES by Jack Kent Tillar
   *** INVISIBLE READINGS by Enrique Enriquez
   *** PAPERCLIPPED SPECIAL EDITION by Jay Sankey
   *** JULES GEMS by David Eldridge

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please go to http://www.MarketplaceoftheMind.com
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this, you may respond to this e-mail.

To make sure you've not been missing any newsletters, check
out my blog, which is accessible from the main page. All of
the recent past newsletters are archived there.

*********
The countdown is almost over for the general public to find
out the end of the Harry Potter saga. For those who don't
really care about it, remember that this series revived the
book industry and inspired both kids and adults to start
reading (or reading again). As an English teacher, I must
give my utmost respect to Ms. Rowling for that. But I'm
also a fan of the series. So with that in mind, this is my
last shot to take a guess as to the two characters who will
meet their end in Book 7. Skip the next two paragraphs if
you don't care about the Potter series or if you haven't
read up through Book 6 yet.

PROBABLE POTTER SPOILERS:
I'd be very surprised if Rowling kills off the three main
characters. Despite the fact that fans are prepared for any
of the three to get offed, I doubt that'll happen. As to
Potter, I don't think Rowling would spend seven books on a
boy's coming of age story only to kill him at the end. That
said, it's well known that if Potter lives, Voldemort must
die. So I'd put even money on Voldemort's demise. As for
the other character, the obvious choice is Severus Snape,
mostly due to events that happened in Book 6. Sure, he can
redeem himself, but I don't think he can survive the final
chapter.

But waitamminit, I could be wrong. Rowling may be referring
to two of the "good" characters and not include Voldemort in
the death count. Also, it's well known that Rowling said
she was very tearful while writing about one death. So,
here are my backup choices: Hagrid (he hasn't done much in
the last few books besides being a good friend to the kids;
he's certainly expendable), Ginny Weasley (yep, a nice
sacrifice of the girl that Harry has come to realize he
loves would be very dramatic); or Lupin (the werewolf and
former Dark Arts teacher featured in Book 3 and well-known
to be one of Rowling's favorite characters).

Okay, enough Potter stuff. The mania is in full swing right
now and will continue for the next few weeks (thanks to the
movie version of Harry 5 which is knocking the other summer
blockbusters out of the ballpark, box-office wise).

Finally, I will be getting X3, the new book test from
Alexander Black & Troy Cherry. Expect that up on the site
this week sometime.

*** BOB CASSIDY'S E-BOOKS
Chris Wasshuber at www.Lybrary.com will be making available
almost all of Bob Cassidy's e-books, the exceptions being
the most recent half dozen or so. So I will be providing
reviews to them. Right now, a little more than a dozen are
available. More will be released over time. If you haven't
checked out Lybrary.com, you should. There's some great
stuff for mentalists (including a lot from Annemann and Leo
Boudreau's stuff, too!), and great stuff for magicians and
performers in general.

*** AUTOMATIC SHIPPING CHARGES . . . 4,367th TRY!
Okay, so maybe I'm exaggerating on how many times I've
tried to get this set up. But, for now, I'm going to
try it and see what happens. Again.

As those who've ordered from me know, the shopping cart
service I use has not been accurate. This means that the
shipping and handling have had to be added by me after the
order has been made. Paypal users had to be billed
separately for this charge.

Now, my shopping cart service has assured me that
everything's ok and to try it again. Unfortunately, data
for many of the products had to be updated. That's mostly
done. And now things seem to be working.

So let's try this out: All U.S. based orders will be
shipped by Priority Mail. All non U.S. orders will be
shipped by air mail. Since I manually input credit card
info, if you pay by credit card (NOT Paypal), then I reserve
the right to change the shipping and handling price if I can
get it to you in the same amount of time and for less money.
For non-U.S. customers, if the shipping charges exceed $40,
use the Flat Rate Priority Mail option (about $40, and not
available in all countries).

Hopefully, (I'm knocking on wood really hard now), this will
work. I will say that not all the products' data is updated
and so there may be some shipping prices that are out of
line. If so, I'll definitely spot it and it'll be worked
out.

*** HOLLYWOOD MAGIC SQUARES
The 2nd volume of "From the Private Files of Jack Kent
Tillar" has just been released. Jack has tackled the flaws
in most magic square methods and come up with a brilliant
solution.

*** SUMMER SPOTLIGHT: MENTAL ACTS
Here's a new feature that will call attention to products
that I feel shouldn't be overlooked by the working
mentalist. The following products are or can be complete
mental acts by themselves.

DOUBLE COINCIDENCE -- This three-phase book test is one of
the most powerful book test routines I've seen. Though one
book is prepared, it's the routine that is strong, not the
props. The first phase involves picking up images from a
selected passage; the second, the performer draws the
thought-of word; and the third phase involves an impossible
prediction of a freely chosen word.
http://www.marketplaceofthemind.com/Double_Coincidence.html

CRUISE CONTROL -- This routine involves many elements of a
cruise being freely chosen and all of them being predicted
by the performer at the routine's finish. I've always gotten
great response from this routine and feel that this is one
of Larry Becker & Lee Earle's most underrated creations. If
you do a travel themed set, you certainly want to check this
out. Heck, I'd recommend it just for the special traveler's
cheques which are ingenious.
http://www.marketplaceofthemind.com/Cruise_Control.html

QUESTA -- A professional Q & A routine that blends a trio of
principles together so that anyone "in the know" wouldn't be
able to backtrack. This is not a routine that is
recommended for mentalists with little experience, but they
can certainly purchase this and know what to work on and
towards.
http://www.marketplaceofthemind.com/Questa.html

***** MARKETPLACE MEMBERSHIP CLUB
The latest issue of Jheff's Journal of the Mind spotlights
Maurice Fogel, the subject of the new book by Christopher
Woodward and Richard Mark entitled Maurice Fogel: In Search
of the Sensational. To get it, you need to buy a membership
in the Marketplace of the Mind. For the $37 cost you get a
subscription to the 2007 issues of Jheff's Journal of the
Mind, an all-new e-zine for mentalists, and an additional
5% discount off merchandise from the Marketplace of the
Mind. There will also be specials and other stuff
throughout the year. Check out the preview edition
of the Bonus #0 issue featuring Jack Kent Tillar. Go to
the website and click on the banner at the top. Or use
the link below.

Check it out here:
www.marketplaceofthemind.com/jmmc.html

***** THE FRIENDS OF THE MARKETPLACE
Don't forget to check out the new Friends of the Marketplace
section. This is for those creators who are producing
wonderful products that I don't carry. This is because, to
save overhead, I order as needed from my distributor, and
these creators aren't mass distributing it. If you'd like
me to review your product and help you sell it, then you'll
find details about the Friends of the Marketplace program on
the website. There's a button on the left hand side for you
to click on.

I've just added the Craig Browning's CRITTERS, which is good
old fashioned mentalism fun with the theme of animals.
Also new to the section are Ron Martin's THE TAROT READER'S
NOTEBOOK, a must-have for Tarot readers; Alan Strydom's
PALMISTRY QUICKIES, a must-have for palm readers; Loren
Tindall's beautiful new THE DELPHI PORTAL, which is a
must-have prop for anyone who is a reader; and Gene
Nielsen's THE MAGICK YEARS, a jam-packed e-book filled with
over 70 professional and varied routines.

Remember, I don't make a dime on this stuff. I do this
because I think the stuff is very good and worth it.

http://www.jheff.com/friendsofthemarketplace.html

Until next time. -- Jheff

*********
JACK KENT TILLAR
HOLLYWOOD MAGIC SQUARES
JMOM PRICE: $24.95

THE BLURB:
A blockbuster new approach to a mentalism classic!

Jack Kent Tillar, the Academy-award winning composer and
mentalist famous for his creation of the Blister trick, has
tackled the flaws in most magic square methods and come up
with a brilliant solution. I'm sure you know the routine.
A two-digit number is freely selected, or thought-of, and
the mentalist quickly fills in a 4x4 grid of sixteen
numbers. Each column, row, diagonal, and group of four
squares add up to that number.

Hollywood Magic Squares, a 24-page downloadable e-book,
takes a classic, yet complicated, method for accomplishing
the magic squares and applies some simple, subtle, and
sensational touches to make it a powerful new method for
this popular effect. Also included is Jack's incredible,
unique presentation of the magic square that many
professionals regard as one of the best ever.

* Do it anywhere, anytime!
* Easy to do!
* Each completed square has 16 different numbers!
* Each completed square is different from others!
* No switches for pre-filled-in squares!
* No suspiciously or comparatively large numbers are used!
* No necessary crib!
* Contains ingenious, built-in checks for easy learning and
performing!
* Suitable for stage or walk-around performances!

Many have searched for the holy grail of magic square
methods. If this isn't it, it's pretty darn close!

MY COMMENTS:
Okay, so I wrote the blurb and I contributed some material
to this e-book. That means that I'm going to be biased by
what I write here. But let's get to what's important: What
is there that I'm not saying? First, I didn't compare this
method to others. In truth, this method isn't as easy as
some others, but it certainly isn't difficult to master and
certainly does overcome certain aspects of other methods
that many consider flaws. Also, Jack teaches a cribless
method, but you may want to use a crib, at least to get you
started. To that end, there are three cribs: one for a
briefcase, one for business card use, and one for a 3"x5"
note pad.

To be a devil's advocate though, I also understand that you
may very well be using a method that works quite well for
you. You may find that the method you're using to be more
comfortable and just as effective as Jack's. And, to most
spectators/participants, they will not be able to tell the
difference.

Still, this is a very worthwhile method. Jack is one of
mentalisms most underrated and underground mentalists. He
is regarded highly by many top mentalists and his work is
always practical and creative. If you're interested in
magic square routines, I highly recommend you check this
out.

*********
ENRIQUE ENRIQUEZ
INVISIBLE READINGS
Suggested Retail Price: $45
Available from:
http://www.mevproshop.com/invisible-readings.html

THE BLURB:
Invisible Readings
The Art of Metaphor in Mind Reading

How to present the ultimate miracle in psychic entertainment
...
If you're familiar with the first two installments in the
Invisible Series (The Invisible Gemstone and The Invisible
Tarot), you already know the quality and practical nature of
Enrique's thinking. In this sequel, he provides an elegant
solution to the dreaded question, "So, tell me, what am I
thinking?", without resorting to trickery or deception of
any kind.

This is a completely original take on mind reading, and once
you understand the simple principles explained in Invisible
Readings, you can establish a mind-to-mind connection with
someone . . . anytime, anywhere. Armed with the
easy-to-follow explanations and concepts provided by
Enrique, you will be ready to present the ultimate in
propless mentalism.

A Major Milestone in Cold Reading

Before you say, "Oh, another book on cold reading", let me
say that this book presents an entirely new and
revolutionary approach to traditional cold reading. It will
challenge your preconceptions of what cold reading is and
how it works, and I believe it will ultimately change the
way readings of any kind are presented.

If you're like me, you probably have most if not all of the
classic books on cold reading by Dewey, Martin, and Webster.
As I read through Invisible Readings for the first time, I
realized that Enrique's approach may very well signal a
turning point in the history of modern-day psychic
entertainment. Yes, I know that's a bold statement, but the
concepts presented in this book will allow you to come
remarkably close -- if not right on the money -- to The Real
Thing.

In Enrique's latest e-book, you'll discover:

• Basic requirements for mind reading

• The real secret of stock readings

• How to perform "Poetry of the Mind"

• Why the old myths don't work any more

• The "Sacred Deception"

• A bullet-proof approach to mind reading

• How to kick the "Hits Habit"

• Many real-life examples

If you liked Enrique's first two Invisible books, I am
confident you're going to love Invisible Readings. Enrique
leads you from the very beginning, explaining how he was
inspired to create this new approach, and gives numerous
real-life examples of Invisible Readings in action. He also
lays out in detail four different ways to use the principles
presented in the book, and several exercises to help you
practice until you're comfortable enough to give your first
Invisible Reading.

The End of Charlatanism?

The issue of how to present readings has been debated for
years. Maybe you are one of the many people who feel a
twinge of guilt when the question, "Are you real?", comes
up. Perhaps, deep in the back of your mind, there is the
nagging doubt that cold reading is something that is
practiced by fraudulent charlatans and con artists.

Enrique explores this issue in-depth and offers you a
conceptual frame to present readings without having to claim
paranormal powers . . . without losing any of the impact or
mystery associated with psychic entertainment. In fact, you
could tell your participants exactly what you are doing, and
the chances are good that they will be even more impressed
than if you kept the secret to yourself.

The Universal Mind Reading Tool

Perhaps the best part about the simple, easy-to-learn
presentations included in this book is that there are so
many ways to apply them. Naturally, they work well in the
context of a private reading, but you'll be able to use them
in impromptu and walkaround situations as well. And, if
you're ready to make the leap from stage mentalist to
mainstream psychic entertainer, you'll find that with a
little imagination, Invisible Readings can give you the
platform for the ultimate in Q&A presentations.

Within the 90+ pages of this digital ebook, you'll also
find:

• The Metaphorical Mind Reading

• The Laundromat Exercise: 5 ways to jump-start the
imagination

• Fool-Proof Intuitive Thought Reception

• Mental Calisthenics: How to build a stronger imagination

• How to combine the Invisible Gemstone with Invisible
Readings

• The Imagination Oracle: The Propless Prop

• How to answer specific questions

• The Five Outcome Mantra

The beauty of Invisible Reading is that it works equally
well as a standalone system or as an add-on to whatever
system you're currently using. Are you totally comfortable
with Tarot cards? No problem -- Enrique tells you exactly
how he uses the Invisible Reading system with Tarot cards.
Aura readings . . . runestones . . . playing cards . . . the
list of potential applications is truly limited only by your
imagination.

MY COMMENTS:
Wow! That was my first reaction upon reading this the first
time. Wow! This is Enrique Enriquez' third and most
ambitious work yet in his Invisible Series. This is also
probably why this 91 page e-book is the most expensive in
the series so far.

Without question, I definitely share Loren's opinions as
shared in the blurb. Go back and read what it said, for
those who just skip to my comments first. This is indeed
one of those "order-it-right-now-before-you-finish-
reading-this" products. And, though the blurb appears
somewhat vague on what Enrique's cold reading technique is,
the subtitle gives it away. Enrique uses metaphors and
applies it to readings. This manuscript will explain how to
choose metaphors and apply them. There are no crib sheets
and, what may be best of all, there really is no
memorization. With the other two in the series, you needed
to know color meanings and Tarot cards. As long as you know
metaphors and what they are (and Enrique explains that, if
you don't know), then you can do impromptu readings with
this technique and you can also use this technique to
enhance other readings.

As much excitement and enthusiasm as I have for Enrique's
earlier two Invisible e-books, it pales in comparison to
what he's brought to the mentalism community with this
release. Obviously, if readings aren't for you, then this
isn't your cup of tea. But if you are a reader, or thinking
of becoming one, this is an absolute necessity and,
without question, a must-have for your e-library.

NOTE: There is an incredibly special deal if you don't have
any of the Invisible Series e-books and wish to purchase all
three. But don't wait. The offer may be gone by the time
you read this.

Available from:
http://www.mevproshop.com/invisible-readings.html

*********
JAY SANKEY
PAPERCLIPPED - SPECIAL EDITION
JMOM Price: $27
Suggested Retail Price: $30

THE BLURB:
As performed by Keith Barry on the Ellen Degeneres Show!
Experience the mind-blowing modern classic like you've never
seen it before! Featuring TONS OF BRAND NEW MATERIAL
including:

"SHROUD" - The signed card is discovered folded,
paperclipped and WRAPPED IN MASKING TAPE!

"PAPERCLIPPED PREMONITION" - The completely impromptu
handling! You fold the prediction in front of the audience,
fry them with the classic PC routine, and then astound them
with a BRAND NEW BONUS CLIMAX!

"FULL LOTUS"- Paperclipped as a mind-bending transposition!

"CLOSING TIME" - Jay's killer "nest of boxes" paperclipped
handling!

"GIFTED" - Paperclipped meets hardcore mentalism! The
spectator's date of birth appears on the face of the folded
card they've been holding from the very beginning!

And as a SPECIAL ADDED BONUS Jay has included 2 incredible
"switchless versions" plus 5 handlings of the folded
prediction MAGICALLY APPEARING in the paperclip.

Jay even teaches you the two card routines he ALWAYS
performs as a lead-up to Paperclipped!

Jay also teaches you:

The psychology and misdirection behind the all-important key
lines of script with the classic PC handling.

Trouble-shooting your Mercury Card Fold.
The value of having the selection signed by several
spectators.

Performing PC in a variety of settings including on stage
for hundreds of people, at a children's party, close-up
(with and without a table) and even when you are completely
surrounded!

A one-handed version of the Mercury Card Fold (complete with
the ideal misdirection.)

12 Keys to Incredible Audience Reaction!

Considering that PAPERCLIPPED:SPECIAL EDITION is OVER TWO
AND A HALF HOURS LONG it may well be one of the most
detailed and comprehensive analysis of a single effect in
the history of magic!

Much more than just an inspired analysis of a modern classic
of card magic, PAPERCLIPPED:SPECIAL EDITION is a fascinating
discussion of the art of sleight-of-hand in general
including:

Managing spheres of audience focus, suspicious spectators
and spectators who "burn" your hands.

Making the most of each "magic moment."

Switching without thinking and sleight-of-hand without
tension.

Developing both a macro and micro perpective when
practicing.

Framing the audience's interpretation.

The philosophy of practice Jay calls "focusing and
forgetting."

Jay even includes the complete handling for his acclaimed
SIGNED CARD IN EGG effect!

Add one of the brilliant new handlings of this world-wide
hit to your own repertoire TODAY!

Running Time Approximately 2hr 55min

"Paperclipped is a rare primordial piece of beauty that
reflects the very essence of astonishment."
- Paul Harris

"The first time I saw Jay perform Paperclipped my left
nipple got hard. Then I learned the secret. Now I have two
permanently hard nipples."
- Wayne Houchin

"One of my favorite effects. A modern classic."
- Joshua Jay

MY COMMENTS:
I suppose that if the big Hollywood studios are doing what's
called "double-dipping" with their DVDs (which is
repackaging the same product with an added feature or two,
maybe more, just so fans will buy the title twice), it only
follows that enterprising mystery performers will follow and
do the same thing. And it makes sense that Jay Sankey would
be one of the first to do this. However, let me emphasize
that in now way is this criticizing the first-rate material
on this disc. If you don't have the original DVD, or the
earlier videotape version, you don't really need this,
though there are updated handlings and handling tips and new
routines.

Here's an updated version of what I said about the original
DVD:
The Paperclipped move has numerous applications in the world
of mentalism. Sure,you could use it with playing cards, as
demonstrated here, but many mentalists have adapted it to
the use of billets. Essentially, if you know what an Ostin
clip is, this is a no-gaffed version of it. There is a
sleight involved and it does take practice, but it is not
difficult at all. As to the new Sankey routines, I think
you could pretty much assume that, though creative and very
good, are more magic or mental magic, than mentalism.
Still, the main subject, the Paper-Clipped move, is one of
the few Jay Sankey techniques that mentalists should
definitely be made aware of and so I highly recommend adding
this DVD to your library.

*********
DAVID ELDRIDGE
JULE'S GEMS
JMOM Price: $18
Suggested Retail Price: $20

THE BLURB:
A collection of material derived from Jules Lenier's books.
His three best effects!

Includes:
# The Act
# Mindability
# I'll Get Them All

Pages 13 - Booklet

MY COMMENTS:
The blurb really doesn't tell you all that much, so I'll
expand on the description. This is a book of three strong
mentalism effects using a deck of playing cards. All of
these were originally created by the late Jules Lenier and
put together into one act by David Eldridge, who added his
touches. There are five sections to this book. The first
describes the act and the subsequent sections describe the
preparation and each of the routines within the act.

In the first effect, Mirror Image, the performer removes the
spades and hearts from a freely shuffled pack and hands them
to a participant. Without looking, one of these cards is
selected. The performer looks through the other half for
one card. When both cards are revealed, they are the mates.
This is David Eldridge's favorite of the bunch, according to
what he wrote. Though good, I'm not as enthusiastic about
it as the other two effects in the book. It just doesn't
make sense to me for the performer to find the mate. Why
doesn't the performer simply call out the card selected?!

The second effect, Mindability, is Jules' clever
presentation of the classic The Twenty One Card Trick, which
many laymen know and is the bane of many cardicians.
Unfortunately, when most present it, the presentation sucks
(and I'm being kind). This is one of the card effects that
has a terrific principle but the presentation was never
fully thought through. But I've been having fun performing
Jules' version for about ten years now. Unfortunately, I'd
never perform this professionally because of its
recognizability, or recommend doing so. I usually perform
this for my students, friends, and family, and work in
patter that it's an exercise that a colleague used. This
way, if anyone recognizes it, I can claim that my colleague
wasn't using real psychic powers, etc. Still, it always
entertains, even when laymen or others recognize it as a
card trick they know. It's a very strong presentation and
an invaluable lesson in how to take old tricks and make them
fresh.

The final effect is my favorite and, according to David
Eldridge, is one that Jules often used to close his shows.
It's Jules' version of the classic Twenty-Card Trick,
recently
featured by Richard Osterlind on his No Camera Tricks DVDs
and appeared originally in The Jinx. The basic routine is
that over a dozen people select cards which are shuffled
back into the deck. The performer is blindfolded and is
able to find each selected card. When magicians perform
mulitiple card selection routines, it is always very strong
and well-received. This is a mentalists' version of that
and it is equally powerful. What Jules has done is bring a
method and handling that makes it even easier to do. To the
audience, it would appear to be exactly the same as the
classic, but due to a different handling which leads to an
easier use of memory, it facilitates a much smoother
performance.

Sadly, David didn't think much of Jules' work to put decent
production values into this booklet. It looks like a grade
schooler's report with the plastic cover and plastic slip-on
binding. Worse, the darkened edges on the paper reveals it
was made on an inferior copy machine. The layout is, well,
non-existent. I can also note that I'm not entirely
convinced that Jules Lenier gave David permission as this
book's byline is clearly marked "by David Eldridge," and not
"by Jules Lenier and David Eldridge," as it should be.
However, since I have no proof one way or the other, and
since the book is very clear that these effects were created
by Jules, I'm not going to press the matter. Finally, I'm
not so sure that the three routines presented here go well
together, since one is clearly close-up and another is
clearly for a parlor-sized audience, but that is entirely a
matter of style and taste and is a very minor quibble.

Mentalism lost a very valuable creative asset this year when
Jules Lenier left us, but hopefully we can see more of his
work released so his legacy can continue. If you're a
mentalist who doesn't mind using playing cards, you'll
probably like this material.

*********

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