Top Five Questions I Get Asked as a Magician's Wife

My husband Joe Skilton has been a full-time professional magician for several years, and whenever I tell people this, they inevitably want to know five things:

1. Does your husband tell you how he does his tricks?

No, and I prefer it that way. If I reaaaaallly want to know, I can scour through his books, DVDs, and lecture notes, or beg incessantly until he throws me a crumb, but I'd rather not know. The few times I've found out the secret to a trick, it's either been a bit of a letdown, or, more often, it's been even more mind-boggling to realize what he's trained himself to do. The tricks he performs are the result of skill and practice, honed over months or years, rather than pre-bought gimmicks from stores.

2. Is your husband always showing you new tricks and ideas?

He stops when I'm sleeping. I used to be more "pure" to him as an audience member, because I was clueless, but now I can spot certain elements at play and point them out from time to time.

3. Do you get sick of watching him perform the same shows over and over?

If I've seen a particular set many times, I'll stop watching him and watch the audience instead. It thrills me to see people's reactions: gasps, "No way!"s, "You did not!"s,  clutching their seats, etc. And it makes me happy that he's made so many other people happy.

4. Are you his secret assistant?

Yes but only secretly! Actually, no, not at all. He doesn't do tons of big stage illusions, and even if he did, I'm not the right body type to be a box jumper (women must be small and limber to fit inside boxes; I'm kind of tall and gangly).

5. What's the weirdest thing about being a magician's wife? (This is my favorite question.)

A) Props everywhere! The other day I saw two perfect peas on the carpet and went to pick them up, wondering how they'd traveled from the kitchen. Then I realized they weren't actual peas but part of a
"pea and shell" game. There are playing cards in the laundry room, office, kitchen, den and bathroom. There are bits of rope throughout the house, as well as antique coins, close-up pads (velvet portable squares perfect for close-up magic shows), and a beautiful wooden magic wand that seems to travel from room to room.

B) Clown insurance. Let me preface this by saying there is no love lost between magicians and clowns. A few years ago, Joe was asked to perform at a hotel in Beverly Hills. The hotel required proof of liability insurance. Since there is no Magician's Alliance (unlike in Arrested Development), he needed to get performers' insurance, fast. The only place that fit the bill was the Clown Association, so he purchased a year's worth, which came with a free subscription to a magazine called Clowning Around. When the first issue arrived, I screamed and dropped the magazine. (Like many people, I have a fear of clowns.) Soon, however, I was hooked. The masthead and columns included pictures of the writers in full clown regalia. Since then, Joe has found another insurance provider that, shall we say, lets him keep his dignity.

C) He works evenings and weekends, so we're often ships passing in the night with our schedules. The holidays are his busiest time of year, so we don't always get to hang out on Thanksgiving, New Year's, or large portions of December. He's got lots of corporate parties, holiday cocktail parties, and New Year's celebration shows he needs to focus on. He's always supported my writing so I don't mind the "ships in the night" schedule or the crazed Decembers but I'm always happy when I get him back in January :)

"The Magicians" Redux

(The following pseudo-essay contains spoilers for Lev Grossman's 2009 novel, The Magicians. It does not contain spoilers for the sequel, The Magician King, which is due out August 9th.)

I had a love/hate relationship with The Magicians a few years ago.

I loved the writing, but the ending of the book (literally the last page) infuriated me. Also, I felt like the inside jacket flap gave away absolutely everything about the plot. See me rail about that here.

When I found out there'd be a sequel to the book, I was conflicted. Do I read?? (How can I not??) I finally decided to re-read the first book this weekend in preparation for the second, and to my surprise, I found the experience to be completely different than it was two years ago. I wholeheartedly enjoyed the experience.

Reading the book this time around, I was able to distance myself from the emotional aspects that had overpowered me last time. I realize these are somewhat arbitrary and bizarre things to fixate on, but you'll see why in a second: I, too, went to college in upstate New York. The boy I met at 19 (who eventually became my husband) is a magician who can do all the things Quentin does for his entrance exam. We, too, didn't date immediately but after a couple years of friendship and classes together. I also lived in a house off-campus with 4 other people, like the Physical Kids. As a result, after Quentin and Alice cheat on each other, I had a hard time concentrating on Fillory; I was that upset. The ennui and depression Quentin faces were familiar as well. And because Quentin's mistakes and decisions were so boneheadedly realistic, they hurt that much more to read about.

This time I focused on the whole story and didn't fixate on the character interactions as much. Since I knew betrayals were coming, I was able to shrug them off and better appreciate the intricate plot threads and call-backs to cleverly laid out clues.

Most importantly, I no longer dislike the ending -- it makes sense to me now, and I was relieved, in fact, that it didn't end the way I believed it should have before. See, the first time I read the book, I thought the "lesson" (for lack of a better word) was that you can't live in Fillory / Fillory-substitute-allegory / Fantasy Land / Childhood forever -- you must eventually leave; you must eventually grow up.

Martin Chatwin decided to live in Fillory forever and it warped him into a hideous monster. Quentin, who used to envy Martin his ability to leave the real world behind, comes to realize what a mistake it was. Because Quentin does leave (as a broken man who has suffered great losses and become a momentarily wiser person because of it) I figured that was his arc; he'd avoided Martin's fate. So when his friends show up, flying outside the office window, and invite him back to rule Fillory, I was like YOU HAVE TO BE KIDDING ME, NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. I felt it ruined everything that had come before.

This time, however, it felt satisfying to me -- I was able to see that Quentin had still grown, he had learned things, and Emily Greenstreet was wrong; magic hadn't ruined everything. It was the people who'd ruined things, as people often do*. So now I find myself eagerly anticipating the next book. Hurry up, August 9th!

(This time I will avoid the inside jacket flap and all Amazon summaries.)

Have you ever re-read a book a few years later and had a completely different experience with it?

*This doesn't mean I believe the adage about guns being blameless, btw. 

Lotsa Updates

Hey there! I'm back from my writing retreat, and about 2/3 done revising my YA novel. My friends Amy, Kristen and Heidi were the perfect companions. We were very focused (my parents were a bit scared, I think) and got crazy amounts of work done.

Here was our schedule of insanity for about 4 days straight:

8:00 a.m. - Wake up
8:30 a.m. - Walk into town for Starbucks or Coffee Bean, walk back, cook some eggs for breakfast
9:30 a.m. - Briefly discuss goals for the day; head to separate rooms/corners/outside shade tables
1:00 p.m. - Reconvene for lunch (Mom set out salad, bread, cheese, cookies, chips & salsa - Go Mom!)
2:00 p.m. - Read, write and revise more (I also played hooky one or two days and went swimming)
5:30/6/6:30 p.m. - Reconvene for a glass of wine, walk back into town for dinner (thanks, Dad!!) or farmer's market with my parents
8:00 p.m. - Hit Borders or head home, read, write and revise a bit more
10:00 p.m. - Meet up again, discuss our day, and read excerpts from past or present work. This was such a fun way to end the evening.

On Friday we stayed up till 2 a.m., like a slumber party. Special thanks to Heidi for flying out from Seattle. It felt like a real retreat with an out-of-stater and I think it motivated us to work harder.

Since then, I've learned that my blogging buddy Caroline Starr Rose sold her middle-grade novel. Big congrats to her! Looks like she'll be able to put all her publicity ideas into motion.

I won't be able to update my blog very much during the month of April. Two reasons:

1. My tendonitis is flaring up again (this tends to happen when I revise; it's not the typing, it's the scrolling, text-highlighting and clicking with the mouse that gets me)

2. My husband Joe will be in Boise, Idaho, performing his awesome magic for the lucky patrons of Mystique. Check out his video blog on the subject here. He's bringing the desktop computer with him, so I'll be limited to weekday usage and some weekends at the library. I think it'll be good to give my hands a bit of a break (and finish unpacking) while I wait to get feedback on my YA novel.

The Trouble With Vintage Magic Posters

My husband and I would really like to decorate part of our new place with vintage magic posters, sort of like the ones seen in the gorgeous Taschen coffee table book, "Magic 1400s to 1950s."

The problem is, many of the promo sheets from a hundred or two hundred years ago feature demons or devils whispering in the magician's ear. Ideally we'd like a wall-spanning image of Carter or Thurston. Nothing says, "Welcome to our home!" like a 9 foot tall demon with gleaming eyes.

(I guess the search continues...)

Recommended Read: "Freakonomics" by Steven D. Levitt & Stephen J. Dubner

Bought this book for my dad a few years ago, but never got around to reading it myself. Now it's in paperback, so my husband picked it up at the airport. We've been trading it back and forth and reading the most surprising portions to each other out loud (we also did this with the last "Harry Potter," by the way. We are cheesy).

"Freakonomics" analyzes "the hidden side of everything," by challenging conventional wisdom and asking questions like "What do schoolteachers and sumo wrestlers have in common?" and "Why do drug dealers still live with their moms?"

I'd like to pose a question of my own: What do magicians and writers have in common?

1. Use of misdirection, suspense, and metaphor
2. Incredulous looks at parties when you tell people what you do (just kidding; writers never go to parties)
3. Liver failure / cold pizza and coffee for breakfast

Halloween Magic

My husband, L.A. magician Joe Skilton, is performing tomorrow night at the Magic Castle for the Magic of Jazz event. The evening begins at 8 with the musical stylings of the Janis Mann Quintet, followed by Joe's show at 9:30 down in the WC Fields Bar.

October is fantastic time to visit the Magic Castle. Besides the insane amount of decorations (every inch of the mansion is covered in cobwebs, skulls, and other spookiness), Halloween weekend is packed with parties, awards for best costumes (including Scariest, Most Magical, and What The Hell Is It?), and a Cabaret Macabre. Also, from October 26 - November 1st, you can see the awesome Rob Zabrecky in Early Close-Up.

Red Alert: Do Not Read the Inside Flap Jacket of "The Magicians"

OH ARGH

I really enjoyed reading "The Magicians" by Lev Grossman this weekend. It was extremely thought-provoking and emotional. But I bet I would have enjoyed it even more if I hadn't read the inside flap, which tells you OH I DON'T KNOW the entire plot.

My husband, a wise man indeed, never reads inside flaps, so his experience of "The Magicians" was entirely different than mine. I'm deliriously jealous.

Take my advice: Buy the book. Read the book. FOR THE LOVE OF GRYFFINDOR, DO NOT READ THE INSIDE FLAP. Learn from my mistaaaaaaaaaaake.

Comedy Magic Done Well

On Sunday at the Castle, I had the pleasure of seeing Dana Daniels in the Palace of Mystery. Usually the Palace shows are divided into three acts with at least three different magicians, plus an MC who binds the show together and also performs shorter bits of his own magic. But Dana got the entire 45-minute slot to himself.

There's a reason: his show is brilliantly scripted and serves the same function as the more standard Palace structure. He plays a non-magician who's forced to perform when none of the (three) scheduled acts show up. It's tough to blend comedy and magic -- most magicians are better at one than the other -- but Dana's show is hysterically funny and magical, and his various magician characters all stand out.

(For a glimpse at what happens when a comedy-magician gets angry, PLEASE check out Patton Oswalt's "My Weakness is Strong" special on Comedy Central. You won't regret it.)

The Best Nights For Magic

Whenever I have guests visiting from out of town, I like to take them to the Magic Castle. But weekend nights are actually not the best. On Fridays and Saturdays, the place can be overcrowded and rowdy, which makes it difficult to see all the shows you want to see. Sometimes the crowds, people watching, and costume gazing is a fun atmosphere, of course, but only if you've had the chance to explore the Castle before. For first-timers, weeknights are definitely better.

Mondays signify the first night of the scheduled magicians' one-week runs. The mansion is usually uncrowded, which is fantastic for seeing all the showrooms, the piano bar with Irma the invisible ghost, the parlours, hidden hallways and magic acts. However, some magicians are a bit nervous that night and still finding their stride, especially if they're from another country or have never worked the Castle before.

Wednesdays are Magician Member nights (special deals on restaurant fare for magicians), which means the Castle will be filled with more magicians per square foot than most other nights. If you've ever wanted to see a bunch of magicians scrutinize a bunch of other magicians, Wednesdays are the perfect opportunity. Also you'll get some bonus magic from impromptu shows pretty much wherever you are. Fun!!

Thursdays are great because the place is a bit more crowded but not as crowded as Friday or Saturday. You'll be able to see any show you want, usually with supportive audiences.

Richard Turner, Expert Card Mechanic

At the Magic Castle last week, I had the good fortune of assisting expert card mechanic Richard Turner in the Close-up Gallery. My husband Joe had told me the guy was amaaaaaaazing, and when one magician says that about another magician, you tend to pay attention.

The Close-up room is the smallest of the Castle's performance venues for scheduled acts, with usually two assistants called up from the audience to sit on either side of the magician's table. Richard Turner is not someone you want to plays cards with -- his maneuvers were incredible, and he can even deal cards from the center of the deck. No matter who shuffled the cards, or how many times, he was able to select the cards he wanted from within the deck. I was completely blown away.

Now add to this the fact that Richard has become blind, and you take his skill level to unimaginable heights. He's also a 5th Degree Black Belt, an author, an instructor, and a favorite of the late great Dai Vernon, master card magician.

Yeah.

How'd you spend your morning?

The Business of Magic

Over at Pub Rants, Kristin Nelson has been posting about writing as a business, and the importance of investing, keeping track of finances and creating a budget, especially before you quit your day job.

This made me think about all the different skills you need for a successful creative career. When my husband Joe became a full-time magician, his background in sales and advertising proved to be invaluable. A lot of magicians and other performers worry only about perfecting their craft and artistry, believing that clients will just -- wait for it -- magically appear (I apologize for that. It'll never happen again. Probably).

This couldn't be further from the truth. Without a website, marketing strategy, firm goals and deadlines, newsletters, brochures and business cards, it wouldn't matter if Joe were the greatest sleight-of-hand artist in the world, because no clients would know about him.

A Wee FAQ About Magic

Q: What's it like being married to a magician?
A: It is magical.

Q: Seriously now.
A: It's like Hogwarts. All the time. (Seriously, it's great.) Joe's got mad skillz and it's fun to see his routines before anyone else. One of my favorite things when I'm at his shows is to scan the audience for people's reactions. I love seeing how astonished and happy he's made them.

Q: Does he tell you all the secrets OMG?
A: I prefer not knowing, and I rarely figure things out on my own; my brain simply doesn't work that way. I spent several months researching magicians for my novel, and that was a blast -- but I wasn't looking much into the how-to's of tricks. It's more fun for me to wonder.

Q: Do you hang out at the Magic Castle (private Hollywood club for magicians) a lot?
A: I used to go once a week, but now it's more like once a month. Joe understandably likes to talk shop with other magicians, so I try to give him space to do that. I love bringing people who've never been before, and seeing the place through their eyes -- there's no club like it in the world!

Q: Which style of magic do you like best?
A: I'm sort of biased, but I think close-up magic can be the most amazing to witness live. I also have a soft spot for Vegas-y shows that use big cats.