Note From the Editor: You might remember back in the February Issue of The Saga that I tipped my secret to writing The Saga stories each month. I wrote one on the spot to show my son Michael how I did it. A few moments later, he took a crack at writing one. We’ve saved it to come forth this month, so ladies and gentlemen I present to you my son, Michael Stone and his debut (and only other person in the Universe to write a Saga story besides me) as a “The Saga” writer . . . A long [...]
This month’s Saga has an extra twist in it. The effect itself comes from Jay Sankey’s Underground Jam. Two days after the filming of the Underground Jam my father passed away. He was the man who showed me my first magic trick, and was a total chess nerd. So I named this trick for him. It just so happens that his birthday is this month, so the timing of the release of this Saga Story is perfect . . . What’s black and white and lame all over . . . yep a chess board. Or rather a chess “bored.” [...]
Every week, I spend time hanging out with my groovy kids. It just happens, tonight, to be my night with my oldest son, Michael. He likes writing and is very creative and sneaky, so I offered to let him take a crack at writing a saga story. However, when I told him the rules (more on that in a moment) he decided to wait and watch me write one. So, what are the rules? Well, Rule #1: Since each Saga is a story that belongs to an effect I’ve created, the name of the effect MUST be used somewhere in [...]
Look man . . . It’s not what it looks like. Sure . . . you’ve heard that before, but this time I mean it. Sure I was born a Diamond, and through my pre-arranged marriage, I end up with the Queen of Diamonds, but isn’t that like marrying my cousin or something? Anyway, that all-thumbs “magician” did some “every card has a mate” trick, and next thing you know, I’m stuck next to the Queen of Hearts. She smells nice and is certainly hot, but I didn’t put her there. Then of course, here comes my wife, wondering how [...]
Well folks, I don’t know what to tell you. I was sitting there minding my own business reading my sister’s diary like any good brother should, when suddenly I hear her approaching. Having no time to hide I dive behind her bed which conveniently happened to be kitty-corner leaving a nice hiding space. However, the unfortunate situation began getting worse and worse by the minute as I realize that my sister was sitting on her bed and wasn’t planning on leaving any time soon. Clearly the choice was clear. I had to jump up from behind the bed and scare [...]
If you can remember way back when to the days when I released my Stone Cold Magic DVD, you may remember the effect Little People which was also the Free Trick of the month in August 2009. On the DVD, the original artwork shown for this effect was later used in The Saga story, For Sale By Owner (Magicians Only). Originally, however, that image was meant for this effect. This is also one of the effects that I used to audition for Jay Sankey’s Underground Jam. Though I created the effect many moons ago, no saga story was ever written [...]
You have got to be kidding me! Third Time’s a Charm? Once, Twice, Three Times a Lady? Yet two’s company and Three’s a Crowd . . . four leaf clovers, lucky . . . three leafs, not so much. Third world country . . . not a lot of fun, yet Triple Threat is awesome, so is a triple scoop. Didn’t Peter deny Christ after the cock crowed three times? So people let’s make up our minds. Is three a good thing or a bad thing? You can find me out in the barn sitting on my three-legged stool working [...]
Like a tuning fork and a pitch pipe, we are in sync . . . well, maybe the backstreet boys. Wow, did I say that out loud!? The New Kids Got Run Over By a Reindeer. Look, I don’t know what I’m talking about any more than you do. All I know is that things were blurry where they once were clear. Time is different. I look at my watch and it’s noon, but I look at the clock on the wall and it’s midnight. I think I’m loosing my mind . . . though, “loosing” implies that I had [...]
Ping . . . Ping . . . Ping . . . What is that noise!? Why is my head cold? I should be wearing a hat right now, but somehow I’ve been placed inside of this box . . . for safe . . . key . . . Ping . . . I guess. What the heck is that noise! Ok. This is NOT funny. I’m cold; I keep sliding around in this box . . . it’s smells like Hoyle. Man it reeks. Somebody get me out of here. Woah! That was weird. Where did this come [...]
Have you looked at those things!? They claim to come from some alternate dimension . . . the E-Verse or something like that. A place where the magicians are supposedly better and more hip. Though I knew something was wrong when I saw the first performance by some guy who stood there emotionless, expressionless and just kept saying, “watch this.” Then suddenly people nearby started screaming and wetting their pants while shouting profanities. It was very odd, and artificial. I knew then that something was wrong. Turns out I was, of course, right. These demon-backs, and circus-backs and banana-backs and [...]
Ah crap! Here we go again . . . I just can’t seem to avoid that guy. There I was minding my own business eating a Cherry Pie thinking that Heaven isn’t too far away. Then suddenly in bursts Mr. I’m-So-Rich – Dirty Rotten Filthy Stinky Rich. So rich that it makes me angry . . . So angry that I Saw Red. There’s a Warrant out for his arrest, but that doesn’t stop him from coming in here and using my uncle Abe for kindling or my Uncle Tom and his cabin . . . God Rest their souls. [...]
This is the second time I’ve done this . . . written a saga story for a trick, then later wrote another one for the same trick. I did that for Miser’s Nightmare: July 2010: Miser’s Nightmare September 2010: Miser’s Nightmare too This time, I was even more bone-headed because in April 2011 (last month), I wrote Burnin’ Time. Then this month, I wrote it again. At least last time there was a 2 month gap. This time there was only about a 3 week gap. Who knows what’s going on in that little brain of mine. And of course [...]
Chocolate . . . wax . . . liver . . . bronto-burger . . . these are just a few of the things I’ve tasted in my travels. One day I’m being fed grapes by Weena; the next day I’m watching the moon fall apart; then suddenly I’m running for my life hoping to avoid being the main dish on a Dino Dinner menu. My head is spinning down on fascination street. I hope they can Cure me. Anyway, I’m kind of losing my mind in case you haven’t noticed. The light is light and the walrus is a [...]
I don’t know what it is these days . . . Everywhere I looked I saw red. For years I thought I had anger issues . . . I thought I was a hater . . . I thought it was my fault. After many years of therapy, and being shuffled around – a lot – I had come to realize that this was the view I was born with . . . no it wasn’t a metaphor. I literally saw red. Then one day I felt different . . . like today would be different. Suddenly I find myself [...]
Dude . . . I can’t believe what I just witnessed. It was like a “some” that was full of awe. Like there was this dude – he was all crusty and stuff. He was totally like the old philosophy dude, George Burns . . . yeah; he was like that dude, but only way more non-non-non-heinous. So he was like deckin’ out the deck and suddenly there was like this other dude that broke up the deck deckin’ . . . I was like, “Bummer dude!” He was like, “Gimme those cards crusty old George Burns-like dude.” The Burns-like [...]
