Can Casinos Cure Writer's Block?

By carl Austin

Having played professional blackjack all around the world for more than 20 years, means that writier's block is never an issue.  Any time I run out of inspiration, all I need to do is venture inside the closest casino and make lile a railbird for an hour or so.  Sooner or later something memorable is bound to happen.  That's because any time you put people and the lure of easy money together, drama is bound to occur.

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Take my latest novel, Chinaman's Chance.  While it only took six months to write, the characters and escapades contained therein were gleaned from playing and living in Las Vegas.  Back in the 1990's when the town was just starting to go theme park, I lived just off Tropicana on Parnell Drive for a year.  Across from my development was the toney enclave of Spanish Trails, where million dollar homes were the norm.

The reason I moved to that particular locale was due to the fact that at the time it was the furthest residential area from the runway at McCarran Airport.   Anyone who has ever lived in Vegas knows that every few minutes jumbo jets taking off from McCarran will rattle your windows.  I emphasized this fact when Dennis and Ming first make it to Vegas and Ming practically jumps out of his skin when a jet takes off right next to him when he and detective Delaney are looking for a hotel.

While I never knew a detective turned dice player, I have encountered more than my fair share of people who think they have a sure fire way of making money in any casino.  The problem with most of them is that what works on a computer doesn't necessarily work in real time, which causes most to head back home a few days later.  That's why pit bosses love systems players.

What most people don't know about the casinos can and does fill numerous books.  Literally everything from the color of the carpets to the chips on the table games are designed to get you to let down your guard.  This is how the casinos turn yuor money into their money.  That's also why they can afford to spend a billion dollars or more on a casino.  They know if they can get you to play their games long enough, the house edge will grind you down.

That's also why there are people who make money by hustling the players...and I'm not talking about the croupiers. Just as Ming learns a hard lesson the first time he walks into a casino, if you don't keep your eyes on your chips while you stand at the craps table, someone with slippery fingers is likely to pluck them from right under your nose.  I have seen players get their pockets picked right on the casino floor, or while they walk to their car after making a big win.  I have heard stories from players who had been mugged inside casino restrooms where there are no eyes in the sky.  Most players have no clue about the other "games" that go on in and around casinos until they find out the hard way.

Want to see a classic barroom brawl?  Hang out at a few off-Strip casinos at midnight on Friday or Saturday night.  All those free cocktails work their magic at the witching hour. Looking to watch a billionaire drop a bundle?  Whales are easy to spot in a casino.  Just look for a roped off table with but one player, surrounded by dozens of railbirds.

Midnight is also the best time to watch men and women put the moves on one another.  I've always said that casinos are some of the best pickup joints in the world.  The only thing you have to worry about is whether you're going to get lucky, or whether you're going to get rolled on the way to your hotel room.

Yeah, there's nothing like a casino to guarantee a little action. While my novels are fictional, the tales told in them have more than a smattering of fact.  One of the games I play with readers and friends alike is to dare them to guess which chapters were based on fact and which were pure fiction. They nearly always guess wrong.

While my first 2 novels are due out in 2017, I currently have outlines for 8 more.  If I need more material, all I have to do is walk into the nearest casino.  One thing for sure is that I'll never suffer from writer's block.

Looking for a sure thing?  Carl's author website contains a wealth of information about his novels, his life and his exploits in the green felt jungle.  If you're a casino player, check out Carl's other website Big Game Blackjack. There you will learn the ins and outs of what it takes to play to win.