Way of the Warpsmith

[Tom Stone]

First, I'm not totally sure that this is the right place for this post. If not, let me know and I'll make sure that it gets deleted.

I have some ideas and routines that I'm thinking of selling as PDF-files, under the header "Way of the Warpsmith".
I've put together the first volume a couple of days ago, which I have titled "A Toast for Charon", and the topic it deals with is a coin effect for parlor and stage.
I'm not really interested in becoming a dealer, so I'm only going to hawk 40-45 copies.
However, if it gets a good reception, it will be followed by other volumes.

More info can be found at:
http://shop.tomstone.se

Feel free to ask me anything about it, and I'll do my best to answer in an open and honest manner.

Tom Stone

[Richard Morrell]

Hi Tom,

Is 'A Toast for Charon' similar to your column in Channel One Issue 3?

I really enjoyed reading your thoughts behind that effect, what if anything differs in your manuscript?

Rich.

[Pete McCabe]

I was fortunate enough to get a copy of this manuscript from Tom, and I must say it is a very rare thing indeed.

In it, Tom discusses the long and twisting road he took in developing this wonderful effect, starting with a single question ("Dr. Sawa's Hot Slot for the stage: How?") to the final product, a beautiful multiphase routine (which has, really, almost nothing of Hot Slot in it) suitable for performance in just about any standup venue. (Tom has performed the routine on a cruise ship with audiences in a balcony behind him!).

Whether you are trying to create a new routine or to simply modify an existing routine to suit yourself, if you want to be original, you're going to have to go through this process yourself, many times. And yet I know of virtually nothing in the magic literature that discusses the process. The Books of Wonder includes three methods for the Watch in Nest of Boxes effect, but even here the focus is on finished products.

Tom's manuscript is the only one I know that focuses on the development process: the false starts, dead ends, good ideas that just didn't fit, and other things that make this process so interesting and frustrating at the same time.

Fortunately, Tom is one of magic's most [exaggerated praise deleted at Tom's request] thinkers. Everything in this manuscript reflects a combination of free association, thorough planning, and most importantly, real world experience.

Highly recommended. A must for any magician who likes to think.

[Tom Stone]

Originally posted by Rich Morrell:
Is 'A Toast for Charon' similar to your column in Channel One Issue 3?
I really enjoyed reading your thoughts behind that effect, what if anything differs in your manuscript?

Some parts of the Channel One essay is included, but with new illustrations and more detailed text. It is the intro of the manuscript.

What differs is what I've done with those thoughs since I wrote it in 1999 - which the remaining 16-17 pages describes.

A few people have bought it already, and hopefully they will say what they think about it here.
I'm very flattered by Pete McCabe's comments, but he seems to like everything I do, and have a penchant for exaggerations.
(Come on Pete: "Tom is one of magic's most original and deepest thinkers."? How could I possibly live up to a statement like that? As I view it, I'm neither more deep nor original than what any magician should be.)

However, I agree with Pete that manuscripts dealing with the development process are very rare. Since I've been searching for books like that for a long time, without finding any, I had no choice than to write about it myself.

[Pete McCabe]

Per Tom's request, I have edited the offending phrase from my previous post.

I stand by the rest of the review though.

[Ruben Padilla]

Pete's endorsement is good enough for me. I'm in.

[Pete McCabe]

Ruben:

I've got some land you might want to buy. It's a small island off the coast of Montana.