By the way, the publicity photo above shows me pouring lager into a glass from a fan of Heineken cards. The caption was... Stephen Tucker... refreshes the parties other magicians simply cannot reach.
Feel free to steal the idea!
      I took up magic after seeing a magician at one of my dad's annual factory Christmas parties. My dad was a further influence, as he had mastered various card routines that depended on the stacked deck principle.
      At grammar school I met David Britland, who eventually introduced me to my first magic society... The Mahatma Magic Circle of Liverpool, where I met (amongst many others) future friends... Bob Ostin and the late Joe Dignam.
      In the early 1970s I was involved, with David Britland and John Brown, in the Talon close-up magazine. A little later I published my own close-up orientated magic magazines, Spell-Binder and Chicanery. After that I was the editor of the Pabular magazine for a number of years.
      Over the years I have written a number of books (including Cardinal Sins, Cardiac Pacemakers, Cardiac Stimulation, Cardiac Arrest, The Gemini Book, Thought Waves and Card-Bored), produced various videos and DVDs, marketed numerous effects and published routines in most magic magazines. I am proud to have been honoured with two one-man issues of Harry Lorayne's Apocalypse magazine. I have lectured at magic societies and conventions throughout the world, though these days I am no longer willing (inclined?) to travel overseas.
      I have worked for several magic dealers (and stores) as a demonstrator or using my writing talents with regard to tricks, catalogues etc. These have included Paul Stone's Ace Place in Liverpool, Hamleys of Regent Street in London, and also in London for Martin Breese and Davenports.
      In the 1980s - early '90s - I competed in virtually every close-up and stand-up magic competition going, and was lucky enough to win (or be placed in) most of them. In 1984 I was even luckier to meet (and later marry) magicienne Maggie Bonner. At the 1987 British Ring Convention in Harrogate, I was delighted to win The Dealer's Trophy (for the best stand).
      In 1994 I appeared on BBC television, on The Paul Daniels Magic Show, and these days, in addition to being, for the past twelve years, the editor of The Budget - the magazine of British Ring 25 of the I.B.M. - I am also a magic dealer/lecturer with my own range of magic.
      Throughout the 1990s, having retired from competing, I started teaching others who wanted to 'make a name for themselves'. My pupils have virtually all gone on to win close-up/stand-up magical competitions and become professional performers. My greatest successes were Maggie Tucker, Alistair Cook (of TV fame), and Ron Popple (formerly 'just' a children's entertainer [his description] who now also lectures and performs in the close-up arena).
      I was very pleased when Wayne Dobson asked me to write his Dobson's Choice trilogy of books, devoted to his incredible close-up and stand-up routines.
      I was even more pleased when my friend, Bob Ostin, asked me to compile, partly write and illustrate his life's work [since his 'Fingertip Fantasies' book] into his new book, Bob Ostin - "A Lifetime Of Magical Inventions".
      In January 2004 I joined The Magic Circle and was surprised, but delighted, to be awarded the AIMC with silver star. This honour, I was later told, was due to my achievements in the world of magic.
      On September 23rd 2005, Maggie and I celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary, having honeymooned at the 1985 British Ring convention in Southport.
As Paul Harris once said, "Nothing flies like time flies, but fruit flies like bananas!"
      For personal reasons, I let my membership of The Magic Circle lapse when it became due for renewal in 2008.