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Spun Into Gold: The Secret Life of a Female Magician
Romany, a chubby child and overweight teenager dreamed of standing in the brightest spotlight on Broadway but ended up living a life she never wished for - selling telephones. Her true takes you behind the curtain, spilling the secrets of how she became a magician, plus revealing her secret rollercoaster ride caught on the paralysing barb of cruel and persistent eating disorder while reaching, always, towards a dream of Light.
Now Romany - Diva of Magic is one of the world’s favourite magicians and tours internationally with her one-woman comedy magic show.
Her true story is about magic: stage magic, real magick, and whatever other sort of magic you fancy. It contains dreams of theatre, meddling angels, love and marriage, heartbreak and divorce, a swirling sacred fire, extraordinary cosmic adventures, a helpful ancient-Egyptian Goddess, and handy detailed instructions on how to manifest the man (or woman) of your dreams.
This book is about keeping hold of your vision for as long as it makes you shiver with excitement any time you come close. It’s a story to convince you to ignore anyone who says “you can’t,” to ignore the even louder voices in your head that tell you in a million nasty ways that you’re never going to be or do what you’ve always dreamed of.
This book is about deciding that you’re going to walk stubbornly towards your heart’s desire and not stop until you’re there.
Where?
There.
Then deciding that same thing over and over again, damn it, until it’s done. Or you are. Hopefully it. My story is about trusting that the next step will appear. Yes, as if by magic.
And why draw the curtain aside just now? In magic, timing is everything. It’s time to share what I’ve learnt in the hope that it will help someone, somehow. That’s what my heart wants.
There is nothing more important in the world.
Now Romany - Diva of Magic is one of the world’s favourite magicians and tours internationally with her one-woman comedy magic show.
Her true story is about magic: stage magic, real magick, and whatever other sort of magic you fancy. It contains dreams of theatre, meddling angels, love and marriage, heartbreak and divorce, a swirling sacred fire, extraordinary cosmic adventures, a helpful ancient-Egyptian Goddess, and handy detailed instructions on how to manifest the man (or woman) of your dreams.
This book is about keeping hold of your vision for as long as it makes you shiver with excitement any time you come close. It’s a story to convince you to ignore anyone who says “you can’t,” to ignore the even louder voices in your head that tell you in a million nasty ways that you’re never going to be or do what you’ve always dreamed of.
This book is about deciding that you’re going to walk stubbornly towards your heart’s desire and not stop until you’re there.
Where?
There.
Then deciding that same thing over and over again, damn it, until it’s done. Or you are. Hopefully it. My story is about trusting that the next step will appear. Yes, as if by magic.
And why draw the curtain aside just now? In magic, timing is everything. It’s time to share what I’ve learnt in the hope that it will help someone, somehow. That’s what my heart wants.
There is nothing more important in the world.
296 pages, Paperback
First published April 15, 2018
About the author
Romany Romany
1 book4 followersAs child, Romany dreamed of a theatrical life but ended up selling telephones. Her true story takes you behind the curtain, spilling the secrets of how she became a magician, plus revealing her secret rollercoaster ride caught on the paralysing barb of cruel and persistent eating disorder while reaching, always, towards a dream of Light.
Romany - Diva of Magic is a successful award-winning magician and tours internationally with her one-woman comedy magic show.
Her true story contains dreams of theatre, meddling angels, love and marriage, heartbreak and divorce, a swirling sacred fire, extraordinary cosmic adventures, a helpful ancient-Egyptian Goddess, and handy detailed instructions on how to manifest the man (or woman) of your dreams.
This book is about keeping hold of your vision for as long as it makes you shiver with excitement any time you come close. It’s a story to convince you to ignore anyone who says “you can’t,” to ignore the even louder voices in your head that tell you in a million nasty ways that you’re never going to be or do what you’ve always dreamed of.
This book is about deciding that you’re going to walk stubbornly towards your heart’s desire and not stop until you’re there.
Romany - Diva of Magic is a successful award-winning magician and tours internationally with her one-woman comedy magic show.
Her true story contains dreams of theatre, meddling angels, love and marriage, heartbreak and divorce, a swirling sacred fire, extraordinary cosmic adventures, a helpful ancient-Egyptian Goddess, and handy detailed instructions on how to manifest the man (or woman) of your dreams.
This book is about keeping hold of your vision for as long as it makes you shiver with excitement any time you come close. It’s a story to convince you to ignore anyone who says “you can’t,” to ignore the even louder voices in your head that tell you in a million nasty ways that you’re never going to be or do what you’ve always dreamed of.
This book is about deciding that you’re going to walk stubbornly towards your heart’s desire and not stop until you’re there.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
March 29, 2023
I had the delight of watching Romany Romany (so good, they named her twice!) at the end of last year. Her book was on sale afterwards and I very much had to get a copy.
What a character this lady is! Both on stage and off, she is larger than life. A conundrum, yet also an open book, she defies definition. How did such an effervescent personality come to be the magical diva she is today, having performed all over the world and entertained thousands?
Her life story is really quite remarkable. A chubby girl, born in humble circumstances, but with a desire and flair to perform on stage, Romany almost seemed destined to be on the stage from the very first ballet lesson. Alas, not that simple. Her weight was perceived as a problem and this would prove to be her nemesis her whole life. She is open and brutally honest about her eating disorder and yet avoids ever getting heavy even in the darkest of times in her life.
And there we see where Romany the performer and Romany the real person meet. She is a genuinely lovely, bubbly and glass-half-full kind of person. Hope and love are her middle names. Much of this comes from her spiritual beliefs which leads her to believe there is a purpose and a plan that the universe has for you and you simply need to stop trying to grab the wheel; just sit back and let the universe guide.
Such beliefs are not for everyone and this magicienne can come across a little bit away with the fairies at times if you're sceptical of the spiritual realm. For me, I am sceptical, but I think being off the wall a little is a very healthy thing and I've been around the clock enough - and believed some crazy things in my time - to give the benefit of the doubt to anyone. Nevertheless, I think the many spiritual-seekers I have as friends would be quite at home with Romany's ideas and philosophies.
What I come away with, more than anything, is that Romany is a brave soul with a very innocent heart in many ways. It's not often you can find someone who has known fame and adulation yet somehow retains that wide-eyed wonder about life and people. There's nothing brash or obnoxious about here. She's really quite sweet without, for one minute, suggesting she's anybody's fool. It is immensely endearing.
Obviously, this woman is very talented. Less obvious - until you read the book - is how hard she has worked to make that talent seamless and appear natural. Her craft is well-honed and she's comfortable in her own skin - even with the demons which beset her at times. Romany believes as much in magic as she appears to on stage but works hard behind the scenes as though it doesn't. The result is a person as well as a performer who is truly magical. You have to admire her for that.
What a character this lady is! Both on stage and off, she is larger than life. A conundrum, yet also an open book, she defies definition. How did such an effervescent personality come to be the magical diva she is today, having performed all over the world and entertained thousands?
Her life story is really quite remarkable. A chubby girl, born in humble circumstances, but with a desire and flair to perform on stage, Romany almost seemed destined to be on the stage from the very first ballet lesson. Alas, not that simple. Her weight was perceived as a problem and this would prove to be her nemesis her whole life. She is open and brutally honest about her eating disorder and yet avoids ever getting heavy even in the darkest of times in her life.
And there we see where Romany the performer and Romany the real person meet. She is a genuinely lovely, bubbly and glass-half-full kind of person. Hope and love are her middle names. Much of this comes from her spiritual beliefs which leads her to believe there is a purpose and a plan that the universe has for you and you simply need to stop trying to grab the wheel; just sit back and let the universe guide.
Such beliefs are not for everyone and this magicienne can come across a little bit away with the fairies at times if you're sceptical of the spiritual realm. For me, I am sceptical, but I think being off the wall a little is a very healthy thing and I've been around the clock enough - and believed some crazy things in my time - to give the benefit of the doubt to anyone. Nevertheless, I think the many spiritual-seekers I have as friends would be quite at home with Romany's ideas and philosophies.
What I come away with, more than anything, is that Romany is a brave soul with a very innocent heart in many ways. It's not often you can find someone who has known fame and adulation yet somehow retains that wide-eyed wonder about life and people. There's nothing brash or obnoxious about here. She's really quite sweet without, for one minute, suggesting she's anybody's fool. It is immensely endearing.
Obviously, this woman is very talented. Less obvious - until you read the book - is how hard she has worked to make that talent seamless and appear natural. Her craft is well-honed and she's comfortable in her own skin - even with the demons which beset her at times. Romany believes as much in magic as she appears to on stage but works hard behind the scenes as though it doesn't. The result is a person as well as a performer who is truly magical. You have to admire her for that.
September 17, 2020
It's been quite a while since I read a book in one go, one of Murakami having been the previous one. But Romany's book was such a delight, there was no way to stop reading, until I finished it at 4am.
It describes a fascinating life and career (to date, I'm certain she is far from over surprising herself and others) with lots of ups and downs, successes, failures, il-logical but ultimately right decisions, struggles including bulimia - which takes a lot of courage to admit publicly and in detail- and above all an unrelenting passion and perseverence to put together that one superb, magical, magic act.
By pure coincidence I had admired her performance including her signature escape trick years ago on a cruise ship and I can attest that it is easily the best such performance in my memory. Her writing style is so natural that I felt less like one-way reading a book, and more like chatting with her over coffee and biscuits (or tea and scones - pick your poison) with a friend. There is wisdom in the book too, hers and others', so I'm going to read it again and slower a second time in a couple of days to absorb more of it.
It describes a fascinating life and career (to date, I'm certain she is far from over surprising herself and others) with lots of ups and downs, successes, failures, il-logical but ultimately right decisions, struggles including bulimia - which takes a lot of courage to admit publicly and in detail- and above all an unrelenting passion and perseverence to put together that one superb, magical, magic act.
By pure coincidence I had admired her performance including her signature escape trick years ago on a cruise ship and I can attest that it is easily the best such performance in my memory. Her writing style is so natural that I felt less like one-way reading a book, and more like chatting with her over coffee and biscuits (or tea and scones - pick your poison) with a friend. There is wisdom in the book too, hers and others', so I'm going to read it again and slower a second time in a couple of days to absorb more of it.
March 23, 2019
Spun Into Gold:The Secret Life of a Female Magician is aptly named: It is pure gold. Part biography, part documentary and fully entertaining, Romany brings readers into her life story of love, loss, redemption and magic. The author's main talent is that she guides you towards creating your own magic with practical how to's on proven techniques for spinning ones life into gold. For those who want an inside peek into the world of Magic, Romany's book is a delightful glimpse of the workings of the world of magicians, but from a woman's perspective. I could not put it down, and will be re-reading it again to savor every moment of this journey of the heart and soul of a truly remarkable woman.
July 30, 2019
Full disclosure, Romany is a friend of mine. That being said, it was a beautiful book. I gained a lot of insights about her that I had been unaware of before, and found that we've had some similar struggles.
I am inspired by her braveness. My anxiety often gets the best of me, and though she has struggled with some too, her ability to see what she wants and go toward that trusting that everything else will fall into place is enviable. I may try to incorporate some of that thinking into my own life... if I'm brave enough.
I am inspired by her braveness. My anxiety often gets the best of me, and though she has struggled with some too, her ability to see what she wants and go toward that trusting that everything else will fall into place is enviable. I may try to incorporate some of that thinking into my own life... if I'm brave enough.
December 23, 2019
Although this book was a little slow starting, I loved it. The reader quickly gets into the author's 'head' to live vicariously through her with all her hopes and dreams. I found it a 'page turner' and I am sure my car got some extra miles when I would come to an interesting part and I was a block from home. I found the book particularly interesting because I know the author and I have had a couple of opportunities to see her magic act (she's a magician - a very good one). The road to such a career is rocky to say the least and Romany is inspiring in her quest to become one of the best!
April 14, 2019
Brilliant, unputdownable!
I loved this book. I wasn't sure about what the book was about but just felt drawn to it when a good friend mentioned it. It just shows how amazing this life is and if you have tenacity and a desire to reach a goal, and a belief in something outside yourself then you cannot fail. I would highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone. Loved, loved, loved it!
I loved this book. I wasn't sure about what the book was about but just felt drawn to it when a good friend mentioned it. It just shows how amazing this life is and if you have tenacity and a desire to reach a goal, and a belief in something outside yourself then you cannot fail. I would highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone. Loved, loved, loved it!
August 13, 2023
I will start out by saying I absolutely loved this book. I had the good fortune of listening to it in audiobook form, which is read by the author herself. Listening to her words in her voice added a dimension to the message.
The life of a performer is never an easy one, and it is something that must be done with a love of the art. The personal struggles helped me relate to the character as a person and looked myself in my own personal demons. How many of them are of my own making?
The life of a performer is never an easy one, and it is something that must be done with a love of the art. The personal struggles helped me relate to the character as a person and looked myself in my own personal demons. How many of them are of my own making?
January 7, 2026
From burnout to standing ovations is an inspiring and candid memoir about Romany’s transformation from an overwhelmed corporate worker to an award winning magician. With humor and honesty, she shares her struggles with anxiety, self doubt, and identity, and how choosing reinvention rather than collapse , led her to a life of creativity, courage, and purpose. The story is uplifting not just because she succeeds, but because she learns to fully become herself.
May 13, 2018
An interesting and honest biography by Romany, the Diva of Magic charting her ups and downs as she chose to become a professional magician. Her sheer determination to move forward against many odds is inspiring. There are many funny stories and a few tragic ones as well. She deserves all her success given how hard she has worked in many ways to achieve it.
March 17, 2020
I absolutely loved this book! Romany is a master storyteller as well as a powerful voice for the possibilities of a magical life. Her story is both uplifting and raw, her energy and humour contagious. Brilliantly written and wonderfully inspiring! I read it faster than I've read anything for a longtime and cannot wait for the sequel!
July 3, 2024
Fascinating insight into Romany's life, I really enjoyed reading the twists and turns that she has been on to get her to where she is today. If you're going to see her show, you'll be able to get hold of a copy or if you have been and regretting not buying it - it's not too late to get yourself a copy, sit back and get a real glimpse into the magic of her life and work! Mesmerising show and magical book! ✨️ 💛 💖
April 19, 2021
What a wonderful tale of battle and triumph, finding your joy and creating magic. Apart from a most astounding life told in an almost conversational way, her ultimate message to find your joy, follow your passion and manifest your goals through action shines through.
April 3, 2022
Wonderful honest story by my friend Romany. Full of inspiration and courage.
May 26, 2018
What a great book and an amazing story. Really magical. Highly recommend.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews