5 Stars Silly Frilly Grandma Tillie Laurie A, Jacobs Anne Jewett Flashlight Press 32 Pages Ages: 5 and up Inside Jacket: Sophie and Chloe are lucky that their Grandma Tillie knows how to be royally silly. To their delight, whenever Grandma Tillie babysits she seems to disappear, only to be replaced by a parade of [...]
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By: Elizabeth Varadan,
on 12/2/2011
Blog: Elizabeth Varadan's Fourth Wish (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: magic show, puppets, cards, juggling, magic, magic tricks, Grand Illusions, The Magic Broadcast, Add a tag
Last June I blogged about a great radio site for listening to interviews with professional magicians, called The Magic Broadcast. (You can read the post here.) The Magic Broadcast is hosted by Steve Johnson, a local (Sacramento area) magician, who owns the fabulous magic shop in Carmichael, Grand Illusions. This shop has everything that would interest a budding magician: Books, tricks, costumes, juggling lessons, puppets. . . . For those of you in the general area, you can read reviews of the shop and get driving directions here.
Which brings me to the book itself. The story takes place over Christmas vacation, so this is a good time for eight-to-twelve-year-olds who like magic to get this for a Christmas present.
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By: Cindy Jefferies,
on 8/23/2011
Blog: An Awfully Big Blog Adventure (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: cindy jefferies, book festivals, advertising, lemmings, juggling, Add a tag
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By: KidLitReviews,
on 12/8/2012
Blog: Kid Lit Reviews (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: 5stars, Children's Books, Library Donated Books, Anne Jewett, baby powder, bag of tricks, balancing, bath time, baths, bedtime, bedtime story, bubble bath, characters, chef, children's book, chocolate milk, conga line, costumes, dancing, Darling Clementine, diners, dinner, Flashlight Press, frilly, grand-daughters, grandma, grandmothers, grilled cheese and potato chips, hair dryer, jokes, juggling, kitty, Laurie A. Jacobs, pickle, picture books, pink, pink hair, pink shoes, roasted snake toes, senior citizens, silly, singing, sleepy, sweet dreams, take a bow, Tillie Vanilly, towel dry, turban, worm chili, Add a tag
Blog: Kid Lit Reviews (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: 5stars, Children's Books, Library Donated Books, Anne Jewett, baby powder, bag of tricks, balancing, bath time, baths, bedtime, bedtime story, bubble bath, characters, chef, children's book, chocolate milk, conga line, costumes, dancing, Darling Clementine, diners, dinner, Flashlight Press, frilly, grand-daughters, grandma, grandmothers, grilled cheese and potato chips, hair dryer, jokes, juggling, kitty, Laurie A. Jacobs, pickle, picture books, pink, pink hair, pink shoes, roasted snake toes, senior citizens, silly, singing, sleepy, sweet dreams, take a bow, Tillie Vanilly, towel dry, turban, worm chili, Add a tag
By: Elizabeth Varadan,
on 12/2/2011
Blog: Elizabeth Varadan's Fourth Wish (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: magic show, puppets, cards, juggling, magic, magic tricks, Grand Illusions, The Magic Broadcast, Add a tag
But I'm personally excited, because on Monday this week, Steve interviewed ME on his magic broadcast station. Normally his interviews are with professional magicians, like Lee Asher. Why me? Because I wrote a book that featured a fictious local magician, and Steve was interested in how tips on fiction writing could translate into the story patter all good magicians use in order to fool audiences with their tricks.
It was an enjoyable interview for me. I always love talking about writing, but I've never had to think about how writing might pertain to a magician's performance. The more I thought about it, the more parallels I could see. You can listen to the interview here. Just scroll on down to November 28th interview, and click the play button.
There was an added enjoyment for me when Steve told me that the magician in my book was believable. I'm used to people telling me the kids in the story are believable, but I was especially pleased to hear that about the magician as well.
13 Comments on Do You Believe In Magic?, last added: 12/6/2011
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Posted on 8/24/2009
Blog: Time Machine, Three Trips: Where Would You Go? (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Humor, amusing, Arts, circus, Clown, evil, funny, humorous, Juggling, list, Performers, Performing Arts, Possessed, witty, Add a tag
Blog: Time Machine, Three Trips: Where Would You Go? (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Humor, amusing, Arts, circus, Clown, evil, funny, humorous, Juggling, list, Performers, Performing Arts, Possessed, witty, Add a tag
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Clowns are fun. We laugh and are amused by their antics. However, we are frightened by clowns that are evil or possessed. Here are ten things that you should not say to a possessed clown:
1. You have great makeup. I especially like your red teeth. They’re so colorful.
2. Would you like to have dinner at our house? Why are you looking at me like I’m a piece of meat?
3. Will you quit growling. It’s not nice to scream bloody murder. Come on, lighten up.
4. Did you say I’m smart? I see. You said that you’d like a piece of my heart.
5. Why are you juggling chainsaws?
6. Please don’t spray seltzer water at me. I see. It’s not seltzer water. It’s blood.
7. What do you look like when you wipe off your makeup? I see. You look like a Zombie.
8. Why do you wear such big shoes? I see. It’s to hide your hairy, curled up feet.
9. Can I be in your act? I see. You’ll perform magic and saw me in half.
10. Are you married? I see. Your wife has flaming red hair, a bright red nose, and a ghoulish white face.
By: Cindy Jefferies,
on 8/23/2011
Blog: An Awfully Big Blog Adventure (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: cindy jefferies, book festivals, advertising, lemmings, juggling, Add a tag
As soon as humans had something to trade, advertising must have been invented. Maybe the first flint knappers didn't need to take a full page advert in the Avebury Argos, but they must have somehow let people know what they were making, whether it was demonstrating their skill directly, or hoping that work of mouth would communicate where to go to trade for the best skinning flint available to man. As soon as print was invented the possibilities increased dramatically, and in more recent centuries the need to advertise has spawned a plethora of agencies, all falling over each other to create ever more effective ways of selling us almost anything. I think it was Lord Lever who said something to the effect that fifty percent of his advertising was wasted, but he didn't know which fifty percent.
I was thinking about this recently while updating my Facebook page, and wondering what to Tweet next. As writers we are all used to self promotion, whether we like it or not. We phone the local paper with news or send them copy, do school visits, turn up for book signings and attend festivals.
But this is no longer enough. Now we must also diligently Tweet, update our websites, keep our Facebook pages interesting, link to Linked in, and do whatever it takes to keep ourselves 'out there' on Bebo. And of course Google + is coming, and who knows what the next thing will be.
Maybe we don't all do all of these things, while some of us may do others, but whatever we do, and however we link it all together it steals writing time, and increasingly, I fear that although we're all waving like mad, we are in danger of drowning in advertising.
I make a special case for blogs which, although sometimes considered advertising, at least have the advantage of being much more than simple slogans. There are some brilliant blogs out there, written by people who can be erudite, informative, provocative, all the things I love. But then I would say that, wouldn't I, as I'm writing this in a blog? Of course, doing these things can be enjoyable, and enjoyment is its own justification for all of this online activity. In that case it matters little if it eats into other activities.
I look admiringly at book trailers. There they are, in links or to be found directly on You Tube. They're wonderful, aren't they? Seriously, they really are. The best are tiny jewels of creativity. I want one. I do. But isn't part of their allure the fact that they are new and exciting? Will they still have the same impact once we all have book trailers? I suspect not. Once we all have them there will be something else we really ought to be doing to keep up. Maybe I'm wrong, but I'm beginning to wonder if all this activity is worth it. Sometimes I feel a bit like a lemming; not suicidal, but pressured into behaviour that isn't normal, or wise.
10 Comments on Waving or drowning? Cindy Jefferies, last added: 8/26/2011
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How exciting for you Elizabeth. Not only the interview but to be told by such an expert your magician was believable. Good for you! Your book sounds great. Will have to check it out, even though I don't have anyone in that age group!
Ooh Elizabeth! How exciting for you! You must have had so much fun...I love magic, always wished I could transport myself to other places whenever I wanted. Cleopatra's Egypt perhaps?
xx Tee
That is so amazing!! What fun for you :)
That is very cool.
Depending on the magic, I might believe in it. :)
Not exactly related to your post, but I've been meaning to ask you if Daisy's is based on a real place.
What a good interview. You brought my attention to things I never thought about.
How fun and exciting. I remember as a kid I just had to have this magic set and I was so happy when I received it as a gift. It had really cool tricks. :)
Elizabeth,
I've awarded you an award on my blog.
Ah, Mitty, this is just...magical!
Richard and Rosi, glad you enjoyed it. Richard, thanks so much for the award.
Kimberly, I've always been fascinated by magicians, as a kid, and as an adult. If I see a show, I'm spellbound.
Tee and J. A., it was fun. Normally, I'd be a little nervous, but not this time, thanks to Steve's ability to put an interviewee at ease.
Ann, yes, that meant a lot, having a magician validate that character. BTW, quite a few adults have liked the book, too.
Andrew, nope. Daisy's is an entirely fictitious donut shop that is placed in an empty building in the exact location as in the book.
David, just be careful if you are offered three wishes.
That is so exciting... huge congrats. Sounds like a lot of fun:)
Thanks TF, it was.
You must be excited, Elizabeth. Happy for you. Kindle sales are doing well.