new posts in all blogs
By: Elizabeth Varadan,
on 12/2/2011
Blog: Elizabeth Varadan's Fourth Wish (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: magic, cards, puppets, juggling, magic show, 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.
By: Elizabeth Varadan,
on 6/28/2011
Blog: Elizabeth Varadan's Fourth Wish (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: magic, interviews, sequels, magic show, performances, magician, illusion, magic tricks, illusionist, wishes gone wrong, abracadabra, Add a tag
I tweeted a new site about magic recently, but I want to discuss it at more length today: The site is The Magic Broadcast , where you can read about professional magicians and their events and listen to great interviews with top magicians.
Now why, you may ask, would a children's writer devote a post to a magic site? Well, in my first book, The Fourth Wish , a key character is a professional magician whose magic goes all wrong when a wish enables him to do the real thing. I'm finishing up two other books, a mystery and a historical novel, and then I've planned three sequels to The Fourth Wish -- so I need to understand my magician, The Great Mondo (aka "Pete Garrity") in more depth.
![](https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ceyede3RPto/TgoLN5Eu0SI/AAAAAAAAAfQ/Ww2AGxb6wkk/s1600/thumbnail.aspx.jpg)
The Magic Broadcast offers me (and any writer who has a magician as a character in a WIP) a golden opportunity to listen in on a professional magician's think
Viewing: Blog Posts Tagged with: magic show, Most Recent at Top [Help]
Results 1 - 2 of 2
![Blog Icon](http://images.jacketflap.com/images/ev.jpeg?picon=2694)
Blog: Elizabeth Varadan's Fourth Wish (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: magic, cards, puppets, juggling, magic show, 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
Display Comments
Add a Comment
![Blog Icon](http://images.jacketflap.com/images/ev.jpeg?picon=2694)
Blog: Elizabeth Varadan's Fourth Wish (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: magic, interviews, sequels, magic show, performances, magician, illusion, magic tricks, illusionist, wishes gone wrong, abracadabra, Add a tag
I tweeted a new site about magic recently, but I want to discuss it at more length today: The site is The Magic Broadcast , where you can read about professional magicians and their events and listen to great interviews with top magicians.
Now why, you may ask, would a children's writer devote a post to a magic site? Well, in my first book, The Fourth Wish , a key character is a professional magician whose magic goes all wrong when a wish enables him to do the real thing. I'm finishing up two other books, a mystery and a historical novel, and then I've planned three sequels to The Fourth Wish -- so I need to understand my magician, The Great Mondo (aka "Pete Garrity") in more depth.
![](https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ceyede3RPto/TgoLN5Eu0SI/AAAAAAAAAfQ/Ww2AGxb6wkk/s1600/thumbnail.aspx.jpg)
The Magic Broadcast offers me (and any writer who has a magician as a character in a WIP) a golden opportunity to listen in on a professional magician's think
8 Comments on It's Magic!, last added: 6/30/2011
Display Comments
Add a Comment
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.