4 minute read
The Magic of Show & Tell - interview with cover bloke Charles Spratley
The Magic of Show & Tell
with our cover gracer, Charles Spratley
Advertisement
When I first met Charles Spratley, he was gleefully helping in the kitchen at a beloved tearoom in a nearby town. The moment I heard he was conversant in matters paranormal, I was intrigued, but that was the extent of our interaction at the time.
Years later we reconnected when he was engaged to give a ghost tour to our social group as part of a theme event. I’ve hung on his every word ever since.
Promo from Charles’ sold-out Houdini storytelling performance
After I rooked Charles into serving as la Vie Sirene’s first male cover model, I informed him he would be interviewed, as readers naturally would want to know about the person selected to represent the issue’s theme. He kindly answered my niggling questions as follows:
In what way(s) is magic part of your life?
Magic is a huge part of my life. It helps me focus and communicate my ideas into a new medium of wonder.
What are your favorite forms of magic, and what about them do you enjoy most?
My favorite form of magic is what is called bizarre magic. Originally it was very dark but now focuses on magic that is based on storytelling and drawing people into an emotional journey. It can be funny or dark.
What draws you to magic?
My biggest draw into magic is the same as my historical tours, both regular and ghost tours. I enjoy sharing wonder and giving people a part of my world they can partake in and not just read about but experience.
Who are your favorite magicians, and why?
My favorite magicians are Howard Thurston and Harry Kellar. This is magic from the Victorian Age that really knew how to capture audiences without all the modern techniques that magicians use today. Their style of magic is classy, romantic and speaks of a bygone era.
As you've studied magic and its practitioners, what has surprised you?
What surprised me so much in my studies of magic is how some magicians were more showman
than actual magician. I myself, I suppose, am a bit of both. But then again, I never say I’m a magician or that I do magic. I tell a story…with some very visual aids.
What are the most unusual forms of magic you've encountered?
The most unusual forms of magic are also sometimes the simplest. I’ve seen literally what someone would call a legit miracle and then spend months trying to wrap my head around it. Did I just see that? Did that really happen? The thin line between magic and paranormal.
Who would you say is the most magical person you know?
The most magical person I know? It sounds strange but guess what everyone…I’m a total introvert. All the magical people I know are dead.
Any advice to others on how they can bring more magic into their lives?
I can only give one piece of advice. It works wonderfully for bringing more magic to your life but also enhances your life in general. Realize your life is short, never say, “I will do something tomorrow.” Tomorrow may never come. I never practice for an event. I practice. Period. Live every day as if it was your last.
In the last couple of weeks, Charles has seen a dream come true after fifteen years of patiently working and waiting. He is now the caretaker of the historic Villa Montezuma, a Queen Anne Victorian house museum in San Diego.
Keep up with his talks, tours, and caretaking activities via his Illusions of the Past site, Facebook, and Instagram.
⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
“Interesting stories of the history of San Diego. Well researched and more thorough than the tourist presentations you hear at the actual locations.
A must read for anyone who lives in Southern California.” —CJ from CA
Many people search to find a good – and true – ghost story in San Diego. It might surprise you to find that some tales you thought were true, may be created from misconceptions, distortions, and even made-up historic events. Find the scoop here as some of the ""truths"" of San Diego's most famous haunts are debunked and stories set straight via historical research. Just how haunted is the Whaley House? Was "Yankee Jim" really hung on the property.
Piercing the Veil: Examining San Diego's Haunted History is available in paperback on Amazon. Signed copies available in person during the Tea Travellers’ Spirits of San Diego weekend.
― Charles de Lint
