Sad news from The Browser's Den of Magic

Updated at 5:15 PM to add:

• From the Facebook post of Aaron Farberman:
  
  For anyone who wants to watch
  Topic: Shawna Ross-York Funeral Service
  Time: Jul 23, 2020 10:00 AM Toronto
  
  

From the July 19th post by Jeff Pinsky at The Browesr's Den of Magic Facebook group:

Today was one of the most difficult days I have ever had at the shop.

Marvin York called me before we opened the magic shop to inform me that Shawna Ross York died last night... a couple of days after her knee surgery. She was only 54.

Shawna worked at Browser's Den of Magic for fourteen years.

And though she never learned how to do magic she became a part of the magic community.

She met her husband Marvin through the shop.

Shawna waited for the knee surgery for so long and now this disaster.

Life just sucks sometimes.

Jeff Pinsky, Browser's Den of Magic.


Leave your comments on Jeff's Facebook post.

Our sympathies to Shawna's family and friends at this difficult time.

Book launch: "The Lives of a Showman"

Last Friday I had the pleasure of attending a book launch party for “The Lives of a Showman” by Mark Lewis. (I live tweeted the event with the tag #TLOAS though I missed tagging a few tweets here and there.)

Upon entering Browser’s Den of Magic, I was instructed to direct my attention upward. Hanging from the ceiling were more than a dozen cheerful Lee Asher sign creations containing “Markisms” such as “If they were all the nine of hearts it would look like this” and “You're quite slow, do you work for the post office?” The mood was set!

It was clear that Mark has a tremendous amount of support in the local magic community! I found myself shoulder-to-shoulder with Jeff Pinsky, Jeff Hinchliffe, Ariel Fralich, Mia Ngueyn and Adam Harmes who had all made contributions to, or were mentioned in, the book. Other notables present include*: Gordon Precious, Owen Anderson, Paul Pacific, Chris Westfall, John Pellatt, Richard Lyn, John Michalson, Shawna Ross-York, Dan McLean, Steve Shrott, Joe Schwarcz and young Daniel (one of Mark’s students).

While reading from his book, we were regaled with stories of Mark’s experiences with The Worst Audience Ever at The Blue Angel and his early days of (not so) psychic readings in Ireland with Adam Harmes. Mark also read a piece written about him by Mai Nguyen, winner of the Jerry Gladman Memorial Scholarship in Journalism.

To round out the evening we were treated to James Alan’s rendition of Mark’s “Pig Trick” and then we all laughed ourselves silly through Jeff Hinchliffe’s impersonation of Mark doing his Svengali deck hustle.

It is always a delightful experience to hear an author read his own words. If the rest of the book is even half as entertaining as the launch party, it should be a good read indeed!

To purchase “The Lives of a Showman” visit Mark's website, Browser’s Den of Magic or contact your local magic dealer.


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* If I’ve missed listing anyone who was there please send me an e-mail or leave a comment below! Thank you to John Pellatt, Ariel Fralich and James Alan for providing attendee intel on the parts of the room I didn’t make it to.