My Vegas Life

When Walter Stahl was five-years-old, his mother drove away in the family's blue Volvo and never came back. Now seventeen, living in the dregs of Las Vegas, taking care of his ailing father and marking time in a dead-end job along the Strip, Walter's life so far has been defined by her absence. He doesn't remember what she looks like; he's never so much as seen a photograph but, still, he looks for her among the groups of tourists he runs into every day, allowing himself the dim hope that she might still be out there, somewhere. But when Walter meets Chrysto and Acacia, a brother and sister working as living statues at the Venetian Hotel, his world cracks wide open. With them he discovers a Las Vegas he never knew existed and, as feelings for Chrysto develop, a side of himself he never knew he had. At the same time, clues behind his mother's disappearance finally start to reveal themselves, and Walter is confronted with not only the truth about himself, but also that of his family history. Threading through this coming-of-age story are beautiful, heart-wrenching graphic illustration, which reveal the journey of Walter's mother Emily: how she left everything to chase a vision of Liberace across the country; and how Walter's father Owen went searching for her amongst the gondolas of the Venetian Hotel. In James Sie's debut novel, Still Life Las Vegas, the magical collides with the mundane; memory, sexual awakening and familial ties all lead to a place where everything is illuminated, and nothing is real.

After growing up in a rural area of Montana, I became an avid reader of 30 years plus! Retired in Las Vegas. Met Phyllis. Asked to read Book one of "Las Vegas Life" series. Read it in 3 days! Unlike any normal life read! Loved it! Entertaining, thrilling, informative, compelling, fun. A range of emotions! Great woman's book! Anxious for Book Two! --Norma DeVries, Business Entrepreneur I never knew of the exciting life of a Las Vegas cocktail waitress. Cece, who is "Las Vegas Life" Book One's main female character, is a strong and honest woman, who finds herself in the midst of many circumstances, including times of danger and corruption. She risks her life on a daily basis to help support her family, but always shares lessons of faith and honesty. The series of "Las Vegas Life" is exciting, fun, entertaining, and inspirational! --LAURA H. Casino life, the knowledge of Las Vegas, and the curiosity about the people living in Las Vegas have mesmerized worldwide tourists for many years. Gambling has been a part of Nevada's Wild West long before this "Silver State" joined the United States of America in 1864, yet gambling only became legal in Nevada in 1931. Book One, in the trilogy of the "Las Vegas Life" books, portrays the beginning of an exceptional lifelong love story of two, young, and beautiful Las Vegas, Nevada teenagers, Cece and Ian. Book One starts in the mid-1960s and on through their many years together in Las Vegas. The twists and turns throughout the trilogy are completely unexpected as each story continues on to unfold into the many exciting, thrilling, and emotional experiences in the couple's lives together, while continuously introducing you to their ever growing personalities, their happy and evolving love story, their futures, their family, their true friends, as well as other interesting, kind, and/or deceitful acquaintances along their life journeys in their casino environments and in their casino experiences. So sit back, relax, hold on, and enjoy!

ñOn October 1, 2017, Las Vegas, Nevada suffered the worst mass shooting in modern American history, resulting in 58 deaths and over 500 injured. It broke my heart. Las Vegas is my home. I felt like something needed to be done to help in a unique way. JH WILLIAMS III, Artist and Curating Editor This "unique way" was the genesis of the WHERE WE LIVE anthology„a riveting collection of both fictional stories and actual eye-witness accounts told by an all-star line-up of the top talent working in comics today. All the creators have graciously volunteered their time and talent to help bring some sense to this senseless act and, in the process, raise money for the survivors and their families. The book will include a variety of perspectives with key themes exploring gun violence, common sense gun control, value of a compassionate society, mental health stigmatization, aftermath of tragedy and how individuals and communities persevere and an appreciation of Las Vegas as a vibrant community. 100% of the proceeds for the WHERE WE LIVE anthology will be donated to Route 91 Strong, a non-profit organization.

Every year, more than thirty-five million people from all over the world visit Las Vegas; only two million call the city home. Everyday Las Vegas takes a close look at the lives of those who live in a place the rest of the world considers exotic, even decadent. Using broad research, including interviews with more than one hundred Las Vegans, Rex Rowley--who grew up in Las Vegas--examines everyday life in a place that markets itself as an escape from mundane reality. Rowley considers such topics as why people move to Las Vegas, the nature of their work and personal lives, the impact of growth and rapid change, and interaction with the overwhelmingly touristic side of the city. He also considers the benefits and perils of living in a nonstop twenty-four-hour city rich in entertainment options and easy access to gambling, drugs, and other addictions. His examination includes the previously unstudied role of neighborhood casinos patronized by locals rather than tourists and the impact that a very mobile population has on schools, churches, and community life. Rowley considers the very different ways people perceive a place as insiders or outsiders, a dichotomy that arises when tourism is a mainstay of the local economy. His work offers insights into what Las Vegas can teach us about other cities and American culture in general. It also contributes to our understanding of how people relate to places and how the personality of a place influences the lives of people who live there.

Take a look beyond the bright lights to see an ever-growing human population and big business in the Las Vegas area. In-depth interviews and photo-biography reveal an unusual but quite metropolitan city that is more than just tourists. 32 illustrations.

Scott Crisci's life goes full circle as he battles a crapshoot of medical maladies and rises from a busboy to a high-stakes dealer.

Discover one of !--?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /--America's most fascinating cities through 30 dramatic true stories spanning Las Vegas's 150-year history. James Roman takes readers on a tour through the glamorous and sometimes sordid history of Las Vegas and explains how a railroad town transformed itself into "the Entertainment Capital of the World." Essays explore the major historic events from the founding of Sin City and the building of the Hoover Dam to the rise of the Rat Pack at the Sands and the establishment of the Mafia-controlled casinos. Also included are intriguing tales of Vegas celebrities from Frank Sinatra and Liberace to Siegfried and Roy, as well as numerous historical photos and full-color maps.