Open To Persuasion: Its magic...

It was my day off yesterday, but I did go to the bookshop for an hour or so – madness but loads of fun because we had a new children’s author in to wow the crowds and sign books; John Lenahan and his book, Shadowmagic. Vicki had control of the event and a fine job she did too; when I arrived John was already entertaining customers and booksellers, young and old, with his humorous repartee and magic.

Yes, MAGIC.

John is also a very well known magician. He hails from Philadelphia but has lived in the UK for more than twenty years. He will tell you that his claim to fame is for being the voice of the Toaster on Red Dwarf (see below), but John is much more well-known than that. He has hosted his own BBC2 series Stuff The White Rabbit and starred in Secrets of Magic; appeared on Richard and Judy and How Do They Do That? among others and fronted ITV’s Hoaxbusters. The Guardian has hailed him "the mascot of a magical renaissance". He performs all over the world; has toured with the likes of Lenny Henry and Jack Dee; and has proudly held the title of Time Out Street Magician of the Year.

John is a man of distinction. He has achieved the distinction of being thrown out of the Magic Circle - the first I believe, for 85 years – for revealing a card trick to millions of television viewers - a trick is used by con artists around the world to cheat the unsuspecting shopper and holiday-maker. He also has the distinction of being the first magician to perform magic live over the internet – which he did for British Telecomm. His latest distinction is to turn into a children’s author.

The Friday Project and Scott Pack, never one to miss a good thing when he sees it - or so he tells me - have published Shadowmagic; a fabulous tale of myth and magic, fantasy and adventure (a review to come later).