July 2, 2008
Here's what's in this edition of
Jheff's Marketplace of the Mind Newsletter
*** MIND INDEX - Dr. Bill
*** DUCT TAPE BLINDFOLD - Kenton Knepper
*** TIME MACHINE & TOUCHES - Kenton Knepper
*** WORD IN A MILLION - Nicholas Einhorn
*** THE LOSANDER FAMILY needs help
To make a purchase of any item in the JMOM newsletter,
please go to http://www.MarketplaceoftheMind.com
and use the shopping cart. If you're unable to do
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.
*********
It's another long few weeks since the last newsletter. I do
have to find a way to put these things out more regularly.
In any case, there's a whole bunch of stuff that's new and
exciting.
Luke Jermay's EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE is getting a lot of
buzz. I won't have my stock until Friday, but after
speaking with Luke when he played the Castle a few weeks
ago, it's sure to be one of the most talked about routines
this summer.
Also, one of the best book tests around is Nicholas
Einhorn's WORD IN A MILLION. It's been around awhile, and
many are now just discovering it. For many years, the
manufacturer had an exclusive deal with another distributor,
but now I am fortunate enough to be able to provide you with
this. If you don't have it, you need it, especially
considering the ridiculously cheap price. It should cost
much more.
The Max Maven documentary, MAX MAVEN: A FABULOUS MONSTER, is
still on special as a pre-sale item. See the details below.
The free shipping is ONLY for U.S. customers and I've
already had a few non-U.S. customers order using that.
Honestly, I can't honor those orders. However, if you are a
non-U.S. customer, simply order $100 or more worth of items
and you'll get the DVD at 50% off (U.S. customers have the
same deal, too). The instructions are below.
There's lots more stuff coming this summer and I really am
trying to play catch up. You can see a bunch of stuff is
already on the website (and listed below in the product
updates).
**** THE LOSANDER FAMILY NEEDS HELP
This is not mentalism, nor mentalism related. This is just
plain old being nice and asking all my readers to do the
same. Dirk Losander, famous for his floating table, and his
wife recently were blessed with a baby girl who needed heart
surgery. That medical procedure has already been done and
all the reports are that she is doing fine. However, their
medical insurance is not covering it.
To find out how to make your donation, please visit their
website:
http://www.helpione.com/
**** PRODUCT UPDATES
Other new items that will be discussed in upcoming
newsletters and/or added soon to my catalog are Nicholas
Paul's TH1RTE3N, Luke Jermay's EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE, Jason
Palter's THE SPACE BETWEEN, Jerome Finley's THOUGHT DIAL,
Menny Lindenfeld's PSYCHIC CREDIT CARD, Sean Field's
EXPLICIT FOOTAGE: TOME and EXPLICIT FOOTAGE: BENZ, John
Sheets' NAILED IT, Haim Goldenberg's INSIDE THOUGHTS and MY
PRECIOUS, Rachel Colombini's WORDS OF WISDOM, and a bunch of
cool stuff from Craig Browning. Some of this stuff is
already on the website with comments. Some of this stuff I
will not catalog.
**** REGAL'S APPROACHING MAGIC
David Regal is one of magic's most innovative creators and
he just loves to come up with some intriguing mentalism
routines. Though the magic far outweighs the mentalism in
his newest work, the section on mentalism that is there has
some jewels. Also, David has written some very important
essays, most notably one on scripting, which I found to be
even more invaluable. For now, this book is only available
by ordering through David Regal's website.
http://www.davidregal.com/
**** MAX MAVEN: A FABULOUS MONSTER
Lots of people e-mailed me earlier this year inquiring about
the Max Maven documentary that was glowingly reviewed in
Genii magazine. I did obtain a copy from Max about that
time, but could not get quantities at wholesale. Next
month, probably around the middle of July, I've learned that
this exhilarating documentary will become available to the
general public and be available from your favorite magic
dealer.
Here's the important part: Until it's released, you can
pre-order it now at the usual discounted price, PLUS FREE
SHIPPING! Yep, that's not a typo! FREE SHIPPING!
Unfortunately, the FREE SHIPPING offer is ONLY available to
U.S. customers.
To take advantage of this offer, simply go to the webpage
and click on the Special Offer banner. Here's the link:
http://www.marketplaceofthemind.com/Max_Maven_fm.html
But how about getting the disc at 50% off the SMRP?
This is an offer for subscribers only, and does include all
customers. The disc itself is $20 (MSRP) and I'll sell it
to
anyone, including non-U.S. customers, for $10 if your
purchase exceeds $100. Of course, this means that you don't
get free shipping on the other items in your order that will
require shipping and handling charges. Also, the order will
be shipped when the Maven DVD is released. Finally, this is
still a pre-release sale, so when the disc is released,
whenever that will be, the sale is over.
To take advantage of the offer, please use "FABULOUS OFFER"
as the coupon code. DON'T FORGET TO CLICK THE APPLY BUTTON!
If the special offer isn't applied to your order, I cannot
change it to give you the discount. PLEASE check your order
before you finalize the payment. Contact me if you have any
problems.
**** PAST NEWSLETTERS NOW ON-LINE
Finally, I broke down and just decided to be plain lazy.
Instead of taking the time to re-format the newsletters and
make them all pretty looking for the blog, I decided I'd
rather spend the time on other more important things like,
oh, keeping the website up to date with the current
mentalism products and my comments.
So, there's a whole new section where you can see all the
past newsletters. If you subscribed and aren't receiving
them, either check to make sure that the newsletters aren't
being considered spam by your Internet provider, or
re-subscribe (which is the easiest).
***** MARKETPLACE MEMBERSHIP CLUB FOR 2008 AVAILABLE NOW!
For the $47 cost you get a subscription to the 2008 issues
of Jheff's Journal of the Mind, an all-new e-zine for
mentalists, an additional 5% discount off merchandise from
the Marketplace of the Mind, and many other very cool
features. If you want a taste of what you get, 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 ILLUSIONS OF INFLUENCE by Samuel Catoe, a
wonderful exploration of the art of equivoque. Two other
recent additions are THE SAFWAN PAPERS by Bryn Reynolds and
RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS by Jerome Finley, both solid
collections of memorable, mentalism material. Also, new to
the section are BILL MASON'S SENSATIONAL by E. Raymond
Carlyle, which is a wonderful Q&A act, and Dr. Bill's
MIRABILL, an elegant update on a Stewart James classic.
Outlaw-Effects have a beautiful new aged book called THE
WITCHES' ALMANAC and it is their best aged book yet. Enrique
Enriquez has a wonderful new e-book on the Tarot, LOOKING AT
THE MARSEILLES TAROT, which is suitable for both beginners
and experienced readers. Also new to the section are Ron
Martin's THE TAROT READER'S NOTEBOOK, a must-have for Tarot
readers; Joshua Quinn's DUPLICITY, which takes your favorite
drawing dupe routine to the next level; 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
*********
DR. BILL
MIND INDEX
Suggested Retail Price: $40
Available at:
http://outlaw-effects.com
THE BLURB:
Over 50 pages showcasing 8 mind bending effects with index
cards from Dr. Bill, the creator of Mirabill and co-creator
of The Witches’ Almanac. This innovative ebook includes a
reprint of Millard Longman’s original Acidus Novus as well
as an instructional video of AN in action produced by
Millard just for Mind Index.
Song & Dance teaches you how to divine both a participant’s
cell phone number and ring tone as verified when the phone
rings, playing their song.
In Heart2Heart you tell a participant if a past love was
reciprocated or unrequited as well the secret name of the
object of their desire.
In 7 Deadly Sins, Dr. Bill shares one of his most cherished
presentations and teaches The Cognitive Shift, a “sleight of
mind” method that transforms a basic experiment in mind
reading into a journey inside your participant’s
imagination.
Free Willy is a unique, single question Q & A stressing the
sitter’s influence over the answer to their question.
Epic Index introduces a testing kit from Duke University and
recreates test condition experiments, culminating in the
“subject” overcoming odds of 3000 to 1.
School Dazed, in collaboration with Millard Longman, takes
your guest back to memories of their first days of school.
The intensity of the method makes for a powerful
mind-to-mind connection that will be remembered for a long
time to come.
The title effect, Mind Index, directs the participant to
make up a set of personalized word cards. He concentrates on
any one, creating a mental image and exploring it with all
of his senses. You depict the sensations in startlingly
vivid detail as they occur and ultimately reveal precisely
what is being imagined. Via Dr. Bill’s Guided Imagination
Process © you get into the guest’s head and describe his
very thought processes.
In Mentalink you borrow a pen and draw the five Zener
symbols. An audience member chooses one of the signs and it
promptly disappears!
Shh…this next revelation is a secret! All the effects in
Mind Index can also be performed with business cards. Some
can be accomplished simply with paper. Dr. Bill just really
liked the title Mind Index!
Many of the principles found within have multiple
applications and will stimulate your creativity as you find
ways to create new effects and enhance those already in your
repertoire.
This is especially true of The Cognitive Shift and The
Guided Imagination Process ©.
Read Mind Index over a couple of times. It contains very
thoughtful (that's a joke son) and well constructed
performance pieces built around established methodology that
well versed mentalists are familiar with, but all too often
don't explore deep enough to extract maximum entertainment
value.
With no freaky looking apparatus, and using the simplest of
materials you have presented a fine assortment of mysteries
for the minimalist that are well thought out and
professionally presented.
Larry Becker
Bill,
What a delight to find an eBook containing superb material
with practical applications. That it is well-written is a
bonus. Congratulations.
Regards,
Lee Earle
I must tell you, Mind Index is, in all likelihood, the most
brilliant manuscript I've read since Banachek's first
Psychological Subtleties (a book that changed my life). I
have not come across anything so immediately useful,
practical, and brilliantly clever as your book. I can't
thank you enough.
Gabe Ableson
I liked the Epic Index routine and I really liked the ideas
behind School Dazed. The title effect, Mind Index, is also a
stand out inspiration.
Song & Dance... loved it as I did the 7 Deadly Sins routine.
Mentalink is nice and I know many that will love this idea.
I really liked Mind Index and I'm sure it will do well.
There are lots of great ideas and routines and thinking
behind all the effects.
Greg Arce
MY COMMENTS:
I've never been disappointed by Dr. Bill's material, but I
feel like a party-pooper because I'm not quite as enamored
with this e-book as the folks above providing testimonials.
Oh, I like it very much. Truly, I do. But what I mean is
that while I think the material in this e-book is very
strong and quite worthwhile, I wouldn't put it in the
classic must-have category.
For instance, his "Epic Index," Dr. Bill's version of
Richard Osterlind's Steno ESP using index cards, really
doesn't offer any improvements upon the original. With
Richard's version (the most recent one in No Camera Tricks),
there are no forces and anything can be named. That's not
the case with this version. It's very controlled. It does
have some great, solid thinking though and has a different
presentation in that the participants are reading the
performers mind. However, that premise can be used with
Steno ESP, too. Still, it's a solid routine.
Mind Index is a very strong impromptu routine that reminded
me a lot as a sort of impromptu Osterlind Design Duplication
System. It certainly can be used that way, though this
routine goes for something other than a design duplication
routine. It does require work to do, though Dr. Bill
provides a variation for those that want an easier time of
it.
I suppose, being a high school English teacher, I'm drawn
the most towards "School Dazed," though it does evoke
memories of grade school, not the later grades which I deal
with on a daily basis. The presentation serves to justify
the use of a pencil and that is important to this routine.
This is a nice elegant routine. It's not too strong in
comparision with others, because what is being thought-of is
a limited set of objects, but it's very well thought-out and
a clever presentation.
This e-book contains 54 pages and comprises eight routines
in four sections (two each). One section covers routines
with Millard Longman's brilliant Acidus Novus, which is
explained with the generous permission of Millard. Another
section covers two routines using the center tear. The
third section has Mental Epic variations. The final section
has two routines based on indexes. As I wrote above, I've
never been disappointed with Dr. Bill's material and this
one certainly shouldn't disappoint you, either. It's well
worth ordering.
*********
KENTON KNEPPER
KENTON'S DUCT TAPE BLINDFOLD
JMOM Price: $32
Suggested Retail Price: $35
THE BLURB:
Filmed live in several locations...
Kenton's own unique Duct Tape Blindfold Method fully
revealed at last!
PLUS
Kenton's incredible Blindfolded Three Card Discovery with
three free selections, found while blindfolded !
Details:
Kenton's unique blindfold method uses legitimate gaffer's or
duct tape. This tape is universally acknowledged as the
strongest tape known to man.
This can be performed entirely impromptu. No preparation of
the tape. The performer can act as if legitimately
blindfolded because the performer actually cannot see...
until desired. The performer can be blind or see in an
instant, at any time, without touching the blindfold at all.
This blindfold is as real as it gets!
The audience will wince and some nearly faint as the
performer slowly removes the duct tape blindfold from his
eyes. There is no doubt in anyone's mind that it would be
impossible to see.
Now Get This:
NO Nose peeks.
NO Seeing through the tape.
The eyes, nose and even mouth may be taped (as long as there
is enough of a hole to keep breathing easily!) and yet
Kenton's Blindfold can still be used for:
*Drawing Duplications
*Determining audience members
*Naming number of fingers held up by a spectator
*Determining who is "Queen For The Day" or the "Guilty"
party
*Unlimited routines and effects will come to you once you
learn Kenton's secrets with his original Blindfold creation.
Unlike other versions, the performer can look straight down
to the ground and Kenton's Blindfold will still allow the
performer to see writing, people and more easily.
It's all very simple and direct - the sort of devious
solution you would expect from Kenton.
Note: While this special blindfold has endless applications
it is not suggested for use in a blindfold drive.
PLUS
Kenton's 3 Card Blindfold Location routine is tipped in its
entirety for the first time ever.
This routine and original method has blown pros away for
years. Kenton's secret was mentioned only in part
previously, causing a slew of supposed creations and
imitations by others who did not know the true secret. The
result was inferior gimmicks and difficult moves never
needed in Kenton's original work.
3 freely selected cards are shuffled into the deck, while
the performer is legitimately blindfolded. The performer
truly cannot see. The deck is actually shuffled and cut - NO
false shuffles, finger breaks, etc.
Still... The performer finds all three cards, handing each
to the proper person WHILE BLINDFOLDED, even causing one
card to change to another's spectator's card in their own
hands, while the original card ends up in the performer's
pocket... all while legitimately BLINDFOLDED... and with no
palming required!
This is pure Kenton. You can even name a card during the
revelations, although no card is forced and you really
cannot see the card. Yes, there is a gimmick, but it is
easily made and Kenton's original method will clean up loads
of other card work and card gimmicks you have purchased from
others too. Combine this with Kenton's Blindfold and you can
hand the correct cards to people in a row who mix themselves
around freely too.
Get Kenton's ORIGINAL method and see for yourself why all
other imitations never could come close.
Remember: This 3 Card Blindfolded Location is in addition to
the explanation of Kenton's Original Duct Tape Blindfold
method . You get the full work on BOTH the 3 Card Blindfold
Routine AND Kenton's Original Blindfold Method on this one
DVD.
Performers, amateurs, mentalists and magicians alike have
been floored by these presentations. When they learn the
inside work, they are even more impressed with the direct,
simple and practical solutions Kenton has created.
We know you too will be scratching your head and then
smiling a wry smile of glee as you learn at last...
Kenton's Duct Tape Blindfold secrets
(This is shot in live performance so you can see actual
reactions. Additional information and applications are
included. Priced to stay out of the hands of the common
curiosity seeker.)
How strong is just the mere suggestion of duct tape as true
security in real life? The U.S. Government issued the
suggestion of using DUCT TAPE to tape up doorways to be safe
and secure from a chemical attack!
Another example:
Question. Besides The Force from Star Wars, what has a light
side and a dark side and holds the Universe together?
Answer? Duct tape!
From a science store: "Nuclear physicists speak of five
fundamental forces: weak, strong, electromagnetic, gravity,
and duct tape."
These sorts of comments from daily life are in the back of
the minds of audiences, continually suggesting that duct
tape is the most secure material well-known and familiar to
us. Imagine then how much more power there is in a blindfold
of duct tape versus a cloth blindfold or unnatural metal
one!
Kenton has taken assumptions and suggestion and made them
his favorite blindfold. We think it will be one of your
all-time favorites too.
This devious secret is simple and easy to perform. The power
and believability of it however is beyond compare.
THE PERFECT AND BELIEVABLE SOLUTION FOR REALISTIC MENTALISM
WITH BLINDFOLDS AT LAST.
MY COMMENTS:
This is exactly what the blurb says: a blindfold method
using ordinary duct tape. There is nothing extra you need
to do and it's all in the handling. Just grab a roll of
duct tape and go. That said, putting duct tape on your head
may cause some to be nervous and you do have to careful
putting it on or off, but Kenton explains how to do it so
that you shouldn't have much anxiety. Also, it's an extreme
benefit that putting the silver duct tape on your head
actually suggests, and in photographs looks like, a metal
blindfold and that can definitely provide the same impact as
having a metal blindfold.
Also, and perhaps this is most important, the "seeing," or
the perspective you're seeing when blindfolded, is different
from any other technique. Some may find it bothersome,
especially if you're used to traditional techniques. Some
may find that it makes it much easier and more practical
than any other method. The bottom line is that I think this
method is a stylistic choice that will depend on comfort and
your particular eyesight needs.
The card effect that Kenton uses on this DVD while
blindfolded is certainly unique, fascinating, and
well-crafted, but I know that many mentalists will use other
routines. The card effect and the blindfold work are
independent techniques and you don't have to do the card
effect while using the duct-tape blindfold.
If you do blindfold work, or are considering blindfold work,
this DVD is certainly recommended to check out. I can't
guarantee that this method will suit your style, but I think
you'll be glad you checked it out and, if it does suit you,
it will be one of the best investments you'll have made this
year.
*********
KENTON KNEPPER
TIME MACHINE & TOUCHES
JMOM Price: $32
Suggested Retail Price: $35
THE BLURB:
A Kenton Classic come to life in living color at last!
Filmed live in several locations...
Kenton's Original Time Machine effect was first revealed to
performers in rare lectures and workshops. It became a
staple (still is) of Kenton's performances. Time Machine
finally made it's way into Wonder Words... but few performed
it until NOW.
For the first time ever Kenton has allowed the filming of
Time Machine in action.
What is "Kenton's Time Machine?"
Completely under the performer’s spell, the spectator thinks
of a time to travel to in a different country.
She holds tightly to a coin from the U.S. and a more modern
time, and then goes into a trance...
When the spectator snaps out of her trance, she is shocked
to find she is holding a coin from the place she traveled to
in her mind ... and confirms the date on the coin is the
exact year she imagined !
Finally, everything you need to know about this Kenton
Klassic at last.
But that's not all.
Kenton also included his devious ways of apparently making
his spectator forget their own name - sometimes twice in a
row! Yes, you CAN do it. You'll see for yourself once you
learn Kenton's sneaky secrets.
PLUS
Kenton shows additional "touches" he uses when he performs
his Time Machine effect. This includes invisible touches on
the arm and head - in real time. No delays, no stalling.
This is as direct as can be. For those wondering how it
would look and play in real life - see for yourself at last!
These secrets are essentials in all of Kenton's trance
illusion and "Kentonism" performances. Now they can be yours
as well.
You get the name forgetting sequence, Kenton's original
hypnosis coin illusion as designed for television, Kenton's
"Touched in the Head" and "Heightened Arm Sensations" - with
no gimmicks whatsoever, and Kenton's Time Machine with
touches not even explained in Wonder Words... fully revealed
for the first time on this DVD.
You will see Time Machine performed live, with additional
details and bonus work explained too. It's everything you
could want and more so you can properly learn this effect
and its many related sub-effects, all on one DVD. See and
learn it live - as if you were right there yourself.
Kenton's Time Machine and Touches - available at last.
Running Time Approximately 32min
MY COMMENTS:
Technically, and based on the performance, this is a magic
trick, though the blurb doesn't really give you all the
details to understand that. In the performance that Kenton
gives on the DVD, a half dollar given to the participant
changes into an English penny with the freely thought-of
year on it. Now, you can certainly alter the presentation
so that a transposition doesn't take place. While the
participant's eyes are closed you can take one coin from a
bunch of different ones, place it in their hand, and have
them imagine a year. When the participant opens the hand,
the date is seen to be the correct one imagined as well as
the imagined place.
As for the "Touches" part of the DVD, that is definitely
Banachek's, but Kenton isn't using Banachek's routine. He's
just using parts of it, and some techniques that are his, to
put the participant in a trance, or in a specific mental
state of being, to do the Time Machine routine.
That said, the routine is easy to do technically. You will
require a small envelope for the coin and some preparation.
You also need a specific coin which you may already have in
your collection. If not, they're easy to obtain. Kenton
also provides additional information such as his
name-forgetting technique. There's some good and strong
material on this DVD which makes this worth your while
checking out.
*********
NICHOLAS EINHORN
WORD IN A MILLION
JMOM Price: $18
Suggested Retail Price: $20
THE BLURB:
The Any Word, Any Book BOOK TEST
ANY book is casually flicked through by your spectator and
ANY page is stopped at. ANY word is looked at and
remembered, the book is snapped shut. While you turn away
the thought of word is written down on any a piece of paper
or a napkin etc, the paper is rolled up into a ball. WITHOUT
ANY questions, guidance etc you name out loud the word they
are mearly thinking of. The paper is un-rolled it says the
word you NAMED.
Can be performed with a different book each and every time
if you wish and ALWAYS a different word.
Complete with gimmick that fits any hardback book and
complete handling at an unreal price! Dvd includes Mark’s
tapping move, this little piece of business is excellent.
* NO Adding Numbers to Force Words, Lines or Pages!!
* NO Memory Work, Questions or Fishing of Any Kind!
* ANY Language Book & Prediction!
With Instructional DVD Included!
MY COMMENTS:
This has been around for some time now, but finally it's
available for me to provide you. This is a brilliant
concept, but the ad is a bit misleading. First, you can't
use ANY book. It must be hardcover of fairly standard size
or larger and have a dustjacket. Plus, it must be prepared,
although the preparation takes less than a minute and it
must be done before the performance. The ad leads you to
believe that this can be totally impromptu with a borrowed
book and it can't.
However, ANY word can certaily be chosen and from anywhere
in the book. There are no forces at all, as the ad
proclaims. This will work with any good-sized,
dust-jacketed hardcover in any language. This is one of
those ideas that when you get it, you'll think the method
obvious and childish (pun definitely intended), but I've
seen professionals, including Mark Mason, fry audiences with
it. For the price, this is probably one of the best
"ungimmicked" book tests available.
*********
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