The new gambling memoir by Beth Raymer tells the story of how she ended up working as a professional gambler in Vegas–after waitressing, stripping, and running a porn site, among other things–and finally follows her into her life as a writer.

“A nun from the orphanage called my parents and told them there was a two-week-old baby girl available…The next morning they picked me up from Catholic Social Services, named me after the Kiss song “Beth,” which was playing on the radio, left me with Aunt Bonnie, and took off to Vegas.”