In case any of you are interested, or have nothing better to do, I'll be doing three lectures later this year. Blackpool Magicians' Club, Tue Oct 11th / South London Magic Society, Fri Oct 14th / Magic Circle, Mon Dec 5th. I don't have anything to do with these lectures apart from turning up, so please refer questions to respective organisers.

For the Circle lecture, I was asked to supply a title and some promotional blurb. After giving the matter lots of careful thought (about 10 seconds), I came up with the following.

Title of Event: 'Because John Archer Was Sadly Unavailable'

Blurb: 'Ian Rowland has lectured at the Magic Circle once before. The Circle said, 'Ian, if you're any good at all, we'll be keen to get you back in a year or two'. That was in 1998. (This is true.) Hopefully, we're not rushing things by having him back so soon. Ian does mind-reading tricks and talks a lot. It promises to be an evening.'

It really is true that my previous lecture for the Circle took place in 1998. Do you know how long ago that is? That's before Google. I guess I didn't want to risk over-exposure.

Timings?

Which part of 'please refer questions to the respective organisers' is hard to understand?

This is great news. I really hope to get to the South London lecture.

But Ian - may I please ask ... do you intend to do your Alpha Series Mentalism lecture, or your more recent lecture (I think the notes for this one are emailed to attendees in an encrypted format - and you did it last year in Dorset)? Or maybe even a new lecture? Or is that a question for the organizers as well?

Thanks

Olly

Olly: the lecture bears little or no relation to anything else I may have done prior to 2011. At the heart of the lecture are 3 or 4 routines that I have only really included in my lectures this year (in Finland, Turkey and at the recent 'Magic Live' convention in Las Vegas). I may stick in a few older items here and there for good measure, or just because I feel like it.

I do not understand your reference to lecture notes being emailed to attendees in an encrypted format. I have never done this, whether in Dorset or anywhere else. I'm not even sure I know HOW to do it!

I will not be selling anything or trying to make any money at these lectures, other than whatever appearance fee may be on offer. I don't know if I will be producing any lecture notes, since there seems little point. However, if I do produce some, my intention is to simply give out a URL where people can download the lecture notes in .pdf format in return for a donation to a charitable cause (how much they give is up to them).

Olly you could always sign up for Ian's Applied Cold Reading Masterclass and spend 2 days with the Master, I am sure others who have attended like myself will say for what you learn it is well worth the investment.

Regards
Dr Rob.

Dr. Rob: thank you for your kind words about the ACR Masterclass. However, given that this IS a mentalism forum and because we don't want misunderstandings, let me just state for the record that the ACR Masterclass has nothing whatsoever to do with 'cold reading' in the context of entertainment, performance or shows, not even shows given by a 'psychic entertainer'. It's about some principles of cold reading applied to work and professional contexts such as management, sales and marketing.

Thank you for the clarification Ian and for the suggestion Dr. Rob.