Merry Christmas & Happy New Year 2010

Time really flies and we've reached the end of the year. I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2010!

I believe everyone has their new resolution in 2010. I hope in the year of 2010, I would be able to bring more quality card magic products for those who support me over the years. For that, I really would like to say thank you and appreciate so much for supporting me otherwise, I lack the momentum of publishing my materials.

I have a few projects still in the process and hopefully next year would be a fruitful success.

Andrew Loh

David Gemmell's "Pasteboards Paradise"

Today I managed to secure a new copy of "Pasteboards Paradise" e-book from one of the greatest mind in card magic, his name is David Gemmell. Well, you may think what's so special about this new e-book with this title "Pasteboards Paradise?"

I really like the front cover of showing the waterfall which is serene in view. As I have been reading most of his works and I am so used to his front cover e-book. What I mean is that David will usually put an image which in-sync with his main theme of his e-books. Only when you read further of his works, then you will get to know more about his approach in magic and why did he put the waterfall image as the front cover of his e-book? It's a riddle. Of course, there's a reason for that and I will let you to find out yourself.

When I opened the e-book, I was intrigued by the number of effects contained in this document. There are more than 25 effects in this e-book. Don't you think is a great deal? I haven't started my reading yet but I believe David's works are truly remarkable. You will realise that his thinking and approach in card magic are truly unique. At times, you will surprise how David tackles some complicated card effects and tranforms them into simple versions or even spice up the whole effects.

I will post up my next mystery e-book review on next week so keep coming to my blog for more interesting tidbits.

Andrew Loh

51 for Two - My Review

This is my first review on David Gemmell's "51 for Two" ebook. To be honest, I really have no idea about his work as this is my first time to come across his work. But, I would like to say I'm impress of his work. This effect is a solution for the classic Open Prediction (Paul Curry) / 51 Faces North (Steward James) effect.

This is a 6-page ebook, the document is well-laid out as well as credits and sources are provided very detail I would say. For those of you who think that this routine is achieved by using palming or awkward sleights, well, I have a good news for you as this is not a knuckle-busting effect. However, it does involve some clever use of forces to achieve this effect.

I was really surprised of the simplicity of this effect which two spectators do all the work. Another strength for this effect is that, it works 100% on an incomplete deck. You can even perform this effect using a borrowed deck. Best of all, you never even touch the cards throughout the process. Or did I mention that you don't even need to pre-set the deck? Without doubt, this is a very strong effect and only will work when an effective presentation is incoprated in this routine.

Well, his work doesn't end here which I believe he has other excellent card magic ebooks on sales and I have read many rave reviews about his work particularly his "Lecture Book 2009" and others. I really look forward to reading his other ebooks.

All in all, I would say this is an excellent version of the above mentioned plot. If you are like me, sometime I like my hands to rest for a while during my act, I would recommend you this effect as I said, all the work is done by the spectators. So, just concentrate your presentation and let the miracle happens in their hands.

Highly recommended!

Andrew Loh

Turbulence - My Review

Let me start off by reviewing this excellent "Turbulence" routine by Peter Duffie and Cameron Francis. 2 brilliant minds are actually working here as they had come up a truly marvellous piece of card magic. Don't believe me? Just visit Peter's site at www.peterduffie.com and view the performance clip.

One particular thing that I like about this routine is each of the phases involved. For instance, the first phase where the Kings trap the 3 selections and just in a few seconds, the selections seem to have vanished. I really like the disappearance of the 3 selections here.

The next phase is using the "coincidence of luck spelling" in locating those 3 selections. I am really impress this phase I mean from a layman's perspective, it seems very magical the performer produces the 3 selections by just merely spelling out the value of the cards. Again, this phase really caught my attention. Then for the ending phase, transposition takes place between the Kings packet and 3 selections which is very magical. All in all, this is an excellent routine.

Since the format is a video clip, it's very easy to learn and you can see how's the effect looked like during in the performance section.

However, this is not an impromptu routine which you are required to use special cards which I believe most of you will have at home. As you know, being as an ardent lover of impromptu card magic, I really don't hesitate to perform this effect in my act because I think this is a truly wonderful routine which plays very well to laymen. I just cannot wait to try out this effect to my circle of friends.

Highly recommended!

Andrew Loh

New Columns for my Upcoming Homepage...

Just recently, I redesigned my whole personal site and I realised I should at least try to add value by including some useful information such as history of cards moves, credits, and the like. However, I do know that having a personal site is not an easy task which you have to maintain them from time to time.

I hope my this idea at least can help some magicians out there in terms of expanding their horizons of knowledge such as history of card moves, plots, presentation, ideas and many other interesting things.

I look forward to hearing some feedback regarding my this idea and hope it would be a fruitful effort.

Thanks!

Andrew Loh

Work, work, work...

For the past few weeks I was extremely busy with my personal matters in school and at home. Anyway, I am still on with my card magic stuffs and the ebooks are still in the process of making.

For those of you who have been trying to access my website, I hope this week the site will be up as I am still doing some editing works at my site. I am really sorry for the inconvenience caused.

Andrew Loh

Personal Card Magic - Coming Soon!

It has been a long time I never post my thoughts here as I am working on my new card magic ebook. This time I will include 5 routines which are directly from my working repertoire.

3 routines can be done in an impromptu situation and the remaining 2 will require you to set-up in advance or special card. None of them is difficult to do and as always, I promise you the routines end with a surprise ending.

Regarding my "Majestic Jesters" ebook, this ebook would be on hold as I need some time to research and I think it's worth the wait. I promise you this routine is totally devastating which I have performed many times in my act. In addition, it serves as my great closer in every act that I do.

Personal Card Magic ebook is still in the process of making and once it's done, I will update you guys.

As always, thanks for all the support.

Andrew Loh

Majestic Jesters - Coming Soon!

My next ebook "Majestic Jesters" would be out soon. Basically, this effect is involved with the essential elements such as transposition, vanishes, colour changes, production, royal flush production and two big surprises as a killer climax which the spectators would never be realised until the end of the routine. Sounds complicated?

At the end, the Jester (in this case Jokers) have a different colour backs and can be given out as a sourvenir. I am not going to reveal much of this routine but when the time I feel is right, I will tip out some information.

I incorporated some other elements into my this routine to make it more interesting and to me, killer climax is utmost important because if you want to end a routine, it should end with a "big" climax that your spectator will remember your magic.

It is not difficult to do and the best part is, it's instantly reset and you may go through your next favourite stuffs.

I think I will release this ebook perhaps 2 months time and I still have some research to go through in this routine and when the time is right, I will release to the magic fraternity.

Andrew Loh

Divide & Conjure - New E-Book

Just would like to let you guys know that my new ebook "Divide & Conjure" is now on sales. You can get this ebook exclusively at: www.elmwoodmagic.com

I have been reserving my this pet routine for many years ago. It is easy to perform and there is 100% no setup. You can perform this effect with a borrowed deck and strictly there is no crimp involved. You can perform this effect anytime and anywhere.

Some magicians think that when there is a cutting sequence involved, crimp may come into play. There is no need for crimp in this effect. In addition, the spectators' selections can be signed and there is no "forcing" technique used in this routine.

I offered a few methods for the revelations but I believe reader will be able to add their own personal favourite methods for the final revelation.

Here's what a few of them say:

This is an excellent trick! One of your best yet! -- Peter Duffie

The effect of "Divide & Conjure" is attractive. Congratulations. -- Didier Dupre

Thanks very much and congrats for your very nice effect, I like it! -- Hari Dominique

Andrew has another clever e-trick that is very, very good and easy to do. -- Cameron Francis

It's great as it's simple, impromptu, involves more than one person and packs a punch! -- Matthew Lingard

I like "Divide & Conjure" very much because it is easy and direct to the point; these are the effects that I favor. Keep up the good work! -- Aldo Colombini

Thanks folks for all the supports and most imnportantly, my objective is I sincerely hope you enjoy my card magic and have fun in performing.

Andrew Loh