Today is one busy day. In less than 24 hours I’ll be off to the UK for the world’s largest magic convention in Blackpool, England. I’m not sure where all the time went, but the convention crept up on me fast and I still have a lot to do before leaving.

Even still, I didn’t want to let the month get away from me without getting a new Paul’s Picks up on the blog. That’s commitment ladies and gents. So at the risk of missing a flight, here are some great new items at the shop...

• Ignition: When Chris Smith first told me about this idea I was certain I knew the method that would be used. As it turns out, I was wrong - and I'm so happy about it! Chris has created a real worker and the method is far more practical then anything I imagined. The effect is very visual and can easily be carried with you at all times. The handling is easy and it can be used for a wide range of penetration effects. As with all of Chris’ items, Ignition is well made and built to last. I think you will be pleasantly surprised by this effect, I know I was!
• Long Beach Mystics DVD: Looking for a little inspiration? Then pick this up NOW! Not a single trick is taught but you’re still in for a magical experience. If you’re not familiar with the legendary Long Beach Mystics then I’m certain you’re familiar with their ranks. Among the list of members you’ll find Michael Weber, Mike Caveney, Stan Allen, Armando Lucero, Mark Kalin & Jinger, Dana Daniels, Kevin James….and on it goes. Some of the greatest minds in magic were born and nurtured in this amazing group. You’ll find countless insights on this disc about how to improve yourself and your magic. This should be required viewing for EVERY magic club on Earth. Once that’s done, we can share it with the other planets too.
• Allan Ackerman, A Material: Over the years Allan Ackerman has created some of the strongest card magic you’ll ever see and it’s not all knuckle busters. In fact, some of my favorites use almost no sleights at all. Case in point, his work on the 10 Card Poker Deal. I brought Ackerman into Buffalo many years ago to lecture and for me it was one of the highlights of a remarkable lecture. His work on the plot is some of the most refreshing and deceptive I’ve ever seen - and I think you’ll agree. For me it’s worth the price of admission. Of course the good times don’t end there. You’ll get the full details on his BUZ Shuffle (a killer full deck false shuffle), a very commercial spectator finds the Aces, a great card to pocket routine, and much (MUCH) more. I should mention that these DVDs were created from the footage of The Lecture Network created Jeff Hobson and Loren Christopher Michaels. They have a very loose conversational style and feature Paul Kozak as the host. Since there were shot live for the internet, the production quality is not always the absolute best - but the content is killer. The only real issue I have is that there is no DVD menu so you can’t go to specific items on the discs. Frustrating, but ultimately it’s an issue I can live with.
• CCSB, The DVD: Bizzaro’s Color Changing Sponge Ball is without a question the best selling sponge ball item in years. This new DVD is jam packed with a wide variety of routines and bits for Bizzaro’s balls. (Stop snickering; there was no other way to write that.) If you liked the CCSB, you’ll love this DVD. You also get a nifty little gimmick for changing the color of a Sharpie marker! Bizarro has brought in the help of a number of his magic buddies for this project, which makes it not only chock filled with magic but also very entertaining. Great stuff...
• Big Reaction: I’m a big fan of Andy Nyman. He’s a very clever thinker with a knack for making mentalism entertaining. (He’s also in one of my favorite comedies, the 2007 UK version of Death At A Funeral...seriously, go rent it!) This effect is Andy’s take on Roy Johnson’s Lucky Card. The original was a fabulous trick with a downer ending for the audience. Andy has transformed the plot so that it’s fun, upbeat, involves the entire audience, and best of all creates generates instant audience response at the end. Priming an audience to respond is never easy and this effect makes light work of it. If you work for real people – you’ll love it.