A bit about Sid Lorraine and Ring 17

From Reality Based Magic:

In just over two weeks, a new season of the Sid Lorraine Hat & Rabbit Club will be starting. [Edit: after a weird scheduling snag which forced us to push our opening lecture back a week... sorry for that]

Sid Lorraine, was a prominent figure among Toronto magicians. The Club was half-renamed after him (It was always the Hat & Rabbit Club) after he passed away. I was four years old when he passed away, and had never met him, but I had the odd chance to get to know him as I had to transcribe his handwritten memoirs (assembled from taped interviews with another past-president, Peter Isaacs) for a memorial blog. The blog, or “ChatterBox” as it’s properly called, is a fun read and paints a fascinating picture from the early part of the Twentieth Century of magicians in particular and Canada and England in general.

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Erin Thomas at Sorcerers Safari

This summer I had the good fortune of meeting author Erin Thomas, while she was doing research for her book about a teenaged magician.  She blogged about her experience at Sorcerers Safari Magic Camp:

For some time now, I’ve been working on a book about a teenaged magician. Magician as in sleight-of-hand, not as in Harry Potter. It’s slated for publication sometime in 2014, as part of Orca’s new performing arts-based series, Limelights.

And as I’ve been researching the book, I keep coming to the same conclusion:  I really like magicians. As it happens, they’re a lot like writers. For one thing, there’s an awful lot of work behind the scenes before anything ever reaches an audience.

I’ve had the chance to interview a lot of people, about a lot of different things, over the past few years. Being a writer sometimes feels like a get-out-of-jail-free card for nosiness. And people are generally happy to talk about what they do for a living, or what they care about. But magicians… they go beyond that.

Read more.

I'm eager to get a look at the book she's finishing up!

Toronto: Friendly reminders from the Browser's Den

From the Browser's Den Facebook group:

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22-Bobby Motta Lecture. Only $10.00. Please visit the homepage of our website for full details.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 29-Jay Scott Berry Lecture. Only $15.00. Mr. Berry is from Australia and has not given a lecture in Toronto for more than ten years. Please visit the homepage of our website for full details.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 5-Special Guest Visit for our Magic Club-TYLER WILSON will be spending the afternoon at our shop from 2:30 until 4:30pm to talk magic and show some stuff.

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 17-Browser’s Den 38th Store Anniversary Party! All invited to attend (Mini Auction in Morning, Discounts, Prizes, Trivia Quiz, Len Cooper Memorial Award, Sandwiches, Birthday Cake AND…BERNICE COOPER THE WIFE AND PARTNER OF LEN COOPER WILL BE HANDING OUT FOR FREE A SPECIAL MOMENTO OF LEN COOPER FOR ALL WHO CAN ATTEND. Bernice will be at the shop in the middle of the afternoon).

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Kickstart the Can-eh-diana deck

The previously mentioned Can-eh-diana deck is now an official KickStarter project.

From KickStarter:

I have been a deck collector for quite a while now, and have yet to find a Canadian deck that isn't filled with stock photos of scenery (basically a souvenir deck).   So, having combined that fact and my passion for playing cards, I have designed a deck of playing cards with a Canadian theme.

The deck will feature maple leaves instead of the the typical spade suit.  The suit colours will be two shades of red (bright red, and maroon), instead of red & black like in a typical deck of cards.

The most customization for the deck can be found on the court cards.  I have featured nine world famous Canadian magicians.

Read more and pledge.

Rogers TV: Behind the Magic with James Harrison

From Rogers TV:

Using some of Barrie's well known facilities, James Harrison entertains us with his magic. You may even learn a trick or two.

Read more.