And then this happened…

For about 20 years now, I’ve been writing regularly for magazines dealing with the topic of magic. Most of those pieces were for specialty magazines on the topic. I’ve edited magic manuscripts and consulted on live performances. I love the art form (I’ve even written a piece explaining why it is an art form).

I’ve covered some of the biggest names in the world as well as written the first articles on a number of up and comers. I think, with the exception of failing to get my friend Ian Rowland on the cover of the now defunct Magic Magazine, I’ve done okay.

All this to say, something happened last week which I never expected. Indeed, I never even knew it was a possibility. I won an award for writing about magic.

This goes back a few months, when Alan Howard, the editor of M-U-M, the membership magazine for the Society of American Magicians, sent me an email asking if I’d like to do a piece. Now, I’ve known Alan for a while. In fact, he was on the editorial board of Juggler’s World magazine way back in the early 90s when they published one of my first pieces of fiction. We met officially when I started writing for Magic Magazine, and when that publication ceased, he moved to take over the editorial top spot of M-U-M, and I’ve been writing a piece or two a year for him ever since. It’s a great way to keep my virtual hand in the game.

Anyway, Alan asked if I’d like to do a piece on John Gaspard, author of the Eli Marks books, a series of mysteries with fictional magician Eli Marks as the amateur detective. This was right up my alley for any number of reasons, so I readily agreed.

John and I met over Zoom and had a great conversation, like two old friends just reminiscing about shared experiences, lived independently. I wrote the article, turned it in, and, after getting a copy of how it looked in the magazine, promptly forgot about it.

And then a few weeks ago, Alan sent me another email with this bit of information:

Each year (more or less), the Society of American Magicians awards a prize for an article or series in M-U-M that shows some sort of literary merit. The Leslie Guest / David Goodsell Award of Excellence is named for two influential past M-U-M editors. This year’s winner is Jaq Greenspon for his article on John Gaspard.

So… yeah. On Saturday, July 5, 2025, at the banquet at the SAM National Conference in Nashville, TN, I won an award. I don’t have the actual award yet. Alan will send it to my folks in Vegas, and they’ll eventually forward it on to me, where it will take a place of honor on my shelf.

I just think it’s pretty cool.