A Month of TikTok taught taught me the ten ways it spreads wild anti-Semitic conspiracy theories about the Israel-Hamas war




 

No  calls for genocide here!

I’ve been on TikTok for the last month trying to understand how the social media site handles posts about the Israel-Hamas war. This came about because after the war broke out my niece asked me to educate people on the conflict. I usually post on TikTok, but I had a broken arm, so I decided just to comment. War sucks, but I do admit to a bias, I think Hamas must be destroyed along with all the terrorist groups wreaking havoc in the Middle East. There are so many conflicts Yemen, 377,000 dead, Syria, 306,000 dead, and Lebanon 150,000 dead, to name a few. Terrorists managed to gain control in Iran and Afghanistan. Terrorist groups don’t try to protect civilians, their main focus it to kill civilians and anyone who opposes them.

I have been to Israel four times and seen the transformation of the country into a modern technological powerhouse. It is not perfect but Jews, Druze, Christians and Bahia manage to live together in peace. It is the only country in the Middle East which allows religious freedom. I am also a history major and spent a lot of time learning about the region. If something caught my attention, I would investigate further using credible sources.

I am happy to share my top ten observations from the thousands of posts I watched. The posts were from Israel, Europe, ex-military, Iranians, Americans and anyone whose content I learned something from. If you look through my reposts at @carabertoia you can see my best of collection. There are some great contributors out there. I included links to many creators points so you can also enjoy their work.


1.      From the beginning of this war even before Israel invaded, I was curious at the lack of pressure in TikTok videos calling on Hamas to return the hostages. If this had happened to any other country, I think the calls would be loud and clear. In fact, from the first day, they were calling the attacks resistance. Since when is it permissible to classify terrible acts of atrocity resistance? If it happened to their family, would they feel the same way? https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT8mRMB76/     

2.      Very few people on TikTok realize Gaza was under the control of Egypt not Israel in 1948, and wasn’t occupied by Israel. In 1967 they won Gaza in a war, and in 2005 they left, but in 2007 Gaza elected Hamas and started bombing Israel. If Israel had been the occupiers there would have been no Hamas government, and they would have known where the 300 miles of tunnels were. There was a naval blockade to stop weapons from coming in, wouldn’t you do that to if people were firing rockets at you. https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT8uBdpNu/

3.      Many people have heard about the Nakba, but few realize a million Jews were ethnically cleansed from Arab countries in the Middle East after 1948 either by murder or expulsion. They lost their homes of over 3000 years with no compensation. No one has ever advocated for them, and they have no right of return.
https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT8mRNrck/     

4.      Somehow people think there were no Jews in Israel before 1948 even though they wrote the Old Testament in the land of Israel. Palestine is not the name of a people but of a place where Jews, Christians, Druze, and Muslims lived. In the 19th and 20th centuries Jews from Europe settled there but so did Egyptians and Syrians. Like in most countries in the world there were migrations of people across the region with all the tensions amongst groups that entails. https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT8mdCMKy/

5.      Most people on TikTok seem to think an independent Gaza would be some kind of Islamic paradise absolutely ignoring the brutality that already exists under Sharia law there now. Female circumcisions is practiced there as well as honor killing and child marriages. I’ve heard women in the United States say they want to date Hamas members and be taken hostage by them. I hope they get to fulfill their dreams.    https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT8ushVF5/  

6.      One of the main talking points is the children, don’t you care about the children. But they only mean the Palestinian children, and when I ask if their prayers include Israeli children they deflect. It is my litmus test. They never blame Hamas for this war, the only ones who can actually save the children by returning the hostages. https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT8mdQ2Ws/ 

7.      Most people hear the word genocide shouted over and over by Palestinian supporters. But most of these people don’t realize there is ethnic cleansing going on, but it is by Arab countries. Besides the numbers of Jews going down to almost zero, the Christian population have plummeted, the Yazidis, Baha’is in Iran, and atheists. And talk about apartheid Jews can’t enter Gaza while there are two million Muslims in Israel. They also talk about Israel being a colonial state while they are sitting in America another colonial state. But I haven’t seen any of them giving up their homes to Native Americans. https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT8mRNWxP/ 

8.      Western organizations don’t realize it but by not condemning Hamas they are setting new standards for warfare. Next time someone commits the atrocities like Hamas did on October 7 and they claim to be a resistance group this will come back to bite us! Muslim school children in France already beheaded a teacher. He showed a cartoon of the Prophet Muhamad during a class on freedom of expression. If Muslims object to that maybe France isn’t the country for them. https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT8mdWjbB/

9.      The have many forums called TikTok live where people are supposed to be able to discuss the war from opposing points of view. Mostly it is ill-informed people spouting wild conspiracy theories that could be disproved with a three-minute Google search. For example, some conspiracies about October 7th. It never happened, there were no rapes or beheaded babies, no terrorism at all, or the ever popular the IDF killed all the people. So, where did the hostages come from? The hostages were treated so well hostages didn’t want to come home. Really? Israel did it because they want the oil in Gaza. https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT8mRNjo8/ 

10.  Throughout all of the news casts well-funded shadow groups keep appearing such as my favorite Jewish Voices for Peace, an anti-Zionist, anti-Semitic group. They would never get so much attention if they didn’t have the word Jewish in their name. The condescending and insulting news media always trot them out to say, not all Jews agree with Israel. I can’t find out how many Jewish members they have, you don’t even have to be Jewish to start a chapter. But betraying your people will get you so much more publicity. Where do they get their funding, and why do they need millions for such a small organization? I bet some people are making a great living out of trying to destroy Israel. https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT8ukoMA8/

I’ve heard the debate, TikTok has removed so many Pro Palestinian sites. Many of those sites openly call for genocide and spew hate and conspiracy theories. But my experience has been quite the opposite. I’ve reported vile anti-Semitic remarks worthy of a good Nazi and been told they don’t violate community guidelines. So many time people on the site would say, not all Palestinians support Hamas. I tried to repost some screen shots from a poll sponsored by the Arab World for Research and Development that showed 80% support for Hamas. It was taken down in five minutes for violating community guidelines. I do believe TikTok is Pro Palestinian. They love anything that will divide Americans. If you think the Chinese allow their citizens to post such controversial views, you probably think there isn't Sharia law in Gaza.

For everyone who thinks it is about Israel and not Judaism if you could read the vile comments, I received over the last month you would know it is all about Jews! I can’t and won’t repeat most of them here but just go to any pro-Israel site on TikTok and read the comments. It seems like many of the accounts are bots with few followers, thousands of them. Who is paying them? I used to think these people would be more civil in public but I don’t believe that anymore. The more they say it is only about Zionism while being anti-Semitic the more they convince me Jews need the country of Israel. Sometimes I feel like I am a Jew in Germany in 1938 but now we are fighting back, and most of the American people have our back. Remember the leader of Hamas came out the other day and said there should be terrorist attacks in The United States, Britain, and the rest of the west. They don’t want to just destroy Israel they want to destroy our way of life.


                                                  Read the new short story from Cara Bertoia


A Short Story About Boobs!


The Perfect Breasts is a personal and raw short story about boobs, written to honor breast cancer awareness month. It is about the pivotal moments in Hannah Clein’s life. The moments that change everything. All proceeds from every page read on Kindle Unlimited to every book bought will be donated to cancer research. Thank you for your help.

Hannah Clein will always remember the day she went to a department store with her mother to buy her first bra as her last best day, “B.C.” before the cancer. She considered herself an ordinary child who loved challah bread, reading, and her family – often in that order.

With a normal life in the rear-view mirror, we follow Hannah over three decades, as she navigates the tricky transition from girlhood to womanhood. All her life, she just wants to belong. Be normal.

In a tale that explores a women’s complicated relationships with her body, and the love of her life, we learn the psyche is a funny thing. What are the perfect breasts? And how does the loss of a loved one affect those left behind?

The Perfect Breasts mixes family lore with imagination in a compelling tale of loss, longing, and love.

Early Editorial Reviews:

The Perfect Breasts is a book that should be required reading for every woman because it does not soft-soap the emotional effect of a life-threatening disease and forces readers to face a hard truth: The ultimate symbol of femininity and womanhood can either be a source of great strength and pride or when lost, a weapon to destroy one’s faith in life and one’s self. — Susie Black author of The Holly Swimsuit Mystery Series

The Perfect Breasts is a heartfelt story about breast cancer and how it affects all of our lives. Because, yes, almost everyone knows someone who has been diagnosed with breast cancer. 

Cara Bertoia handles the issue with sensitivity and compassion. She takes us on Hannah's journey. leaving us with hope and a promise for a good future.  This is a story which should be read by everyone. — Janie Emaus author of Latkes for Santa Claus

Links to the Perfect Breasts on Amazon Kindle and Kindle Unlimited: 

The Perfect Breasts Amazon

The Perfect Breasts by Cara Bertoia - BookBub

The Perfect Breasts by Cara Bertoia | Goodreads

 

 

 

 

 

The Perfect Breasts a short story about Boobs! All profits donated to cancer research!

 

 

A Short Story About Boobs!

The Perfect Breasts is a personal and raw short story about boobs, written to honor breast cancer awareness month. It is about the pivotal moments in Hannah Clein’s life. The moments that change everything. All proceeds from every page read on Kindle Unlimited to every book bought will be donated to cancer research. Thank you for your help.

Hannah Clein will always remember the day she went to a department store with her mother to buy her first bra as her last best day, “B.C.” before the cancer. She considered herself an ordinary child who loved challah bread, reading, and her family – often in that order.

With a normal life in the rear-view mirror, we follow Hannah over three decades, as she navigates the tricky transition from girlhood to womanhood. All her life, she just wants to belong. Be normal.

In a tale that explores a women’s complicated relationships with her body, and the love of her life, we learn the psyche is a funny thing. What are the perfect breasts? And how does the loss of a loved one affect those left behind?

The Perfect Breasts mixes family lore with imagination in a compelling tale of loss, longing, and love.

Early Editorial Reviews:

The Perfect Breasts is a book that should be required reading for every woman because it does not soft-soap the emotional effect of a life-threatening disease and forces readers to face a hard truth: The ultimate symbol of femininity and womanhood can either be a source of great strength and pride or when lost, a weapon to destroy one’s faith in life and one’s self. — Susie Black author of The Holly Swimsuit Mystery Series

The Perfect Breasts is a heartfelt story about breast cancer and how it affects all of our lives. Because, yes, almost everyone knows someone who has been diagnosed with breast cancer. 

In this story we follow, Hannah, a Jewish girl through three decades, from the death of her beloved mother from breast cancer to becoming a self-sufficient woman. Cancer itself becomes a character burrowing into Hannah’s psyche. Knowing oneself is difficult enough, but with this added fear, Hannah struggles to find happiness.    

Cara Bertoia handles the issue with sensitivity and compassion. She takes us on Hannah's journey. leaving us with hope and a promise for a good future.  This is a story which should be read by everyone. — Janie Emaus author of Latkes for Santa Claus


The six pivotal moments from my life Cara Bertoia

These are the Six Pivotal Moments of My Life from Cara Bertoia. What are the pivotal moments of yours? Everyone has those moments although we might not realize it at the time only years later.

I had documented six moments in Hannah’s life. But then I began to wonder how could I distill my life into six moments? The thing about pivotal moments is that you only realize they were pivotal looking in the rear-view mirror. Some are good and some are bad, but it is those moments that make a life. What were the pivotal moments of your life? 

1.     1.  The first disappointment in my life came at nine years old. My family moved from my beloved Charleston, South Carolina to Charlotte, North Carolina, only a four-hour drive but a world apart. Charleston was a walkable city filled with antebellum mansions, and beaches galore. And Charlotte a suburban ghost town where you never saw a human walking.

2.     2.  In my senior year in college my boyfriend decided he didn’t want to get married. Not sure what to do next I decided to spend my last semester at the University of the Americas in Puebla, Mexico. I loved it there. When I got home he proposed, but I decided I didn’t want to be married. I wanted someone to want me when I was there not because I went away.

3.      3. My first year after college I was teaching school and living in Charlotte. Then one day my father dropped dead from a heart attack while playing tennis. My heart broke because he was the parent that I felt the closest to. I joined the sad club that day, but it cut the ties that tethered me to Charlotte.

4.     4.  On a summer break from teaching, I traveled to Lake Tahoe to work as a blackjack dealer. I fell in love with the place, a crystal-clear blue lake surrounded by the Sierra Nevada mountain range. I never returned to teaching and spent the next three years dealing at Caesars Tahoe.

5.      5. Eventually I moved back east to Boston and took a job in hi-tech. A friend from Tahoe passed through town on her way to New Zealand to work for Princess Cruises. An adventure down under sounded like more fun than my job, so I applied to the cruise ships and got a job traveling the world.

6.      6. I had lived on cruise ships for five years when I decided I needed to leave and go back to living in the real world. I had been getting a bit anxious about my future. Three months before the end of my contract my Prince Charming appeared. We both worked on the Star Princess. When I left Ray jumped ship to leave with me. We married a week later. I discovered that although I had sucked at dating, I was great at marriage. We took jobs at an Indian Casino in Palm Springs, California. It turned out to be the best job of our lives. 


Links to the Perfect Breasts on Amazon Kindle and Kindle Unlimited: 

The Perfect Breasts Amazon

The Perfect Breasts by Cara Bertoia - BookBub

The Perfect Breasts by Cara Bertoia | Goodreads

I love interacting with readers. If your book club is interested in reading Casino Queen just email me at carabertoia@yahoo.com. I will provide your group with questions, and I will appear on Facetime, Zoom or WhatsApp to talk at your meeting. I will also answer any questions you have about casinos and gambling. 
 
Cara Bertoia is the author of the critically acclaimed Casino Queen, a new suspense novel published by The Wild Rose Press. She has drawn from her years in the casino industry to create a fascinating thriller. It is all true although the names have been changed to protect the guilty. It had been featured at The Big Thrill and Women Writers Women's Books and at many other sites. Read the blurb here.

Caroline Popov, alone, heartbroken, and deeply in debt ends up in glamorous Palm Springs, California where Native casinos have just opened, offering employment to thousands. She lands a job at the Palm Oasis Casino and is mentored by the charismatic tribal chairman, John Tovar.

Embraced by casino culture, Caroline works her way up to casino manager of the Night Hawk, in the High Desert town of Joshua Tree. There, she is responsible for managing multicultural team members, satisfying the demands of challenging guests, growing revenue while rooting out corruption. 

In the process of rediscovering her inner strength, she learns, you have to gamble like your life depends on it. With her life on the line can she pull out a win?

 

 

Click the link below to order at Amazon, enjoy your stay at the Night Hawk!

Casino Queen (Night Hawk Casino Series Book 1) - Kindle edition by Bertoia, Cara. Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.    

 

Click the link below to order at Barnes and Noble 

Casino Queen by Cara Bertoia | NOOK Book (eBook) | Barnes & Noble® (barnesandnoble.com)


Desert Sun article Casino Queen

An excerpt from the article:

Cara Bertoia stacks the creative cards in our favor in Casino Queen (The Wild Rose Press), a compelling mystery set in Palm Springs and Joshua Tree.

Bertoia lived in the Coachella Valley for nearly 22 years. In fact, she and her husband, Ray, were casino employees and long-time residents in Chino Canyon before moving to Florida several years ago. Casino Queen arrives at the perfect time when crime-solving tales that revolve around strong female protagonists aren’t just a luck of a draw. They’re downright successful. (See TV’s "Equalizer" and "Poker Face" for samplers.)

To that end, Casino Queen has the makings of a streaming series.

                         To check out my interview in The Big Thrill, click the link below.

 

Casino Queen by Cara Bertoia | THE BIG THRILL

About The Author:

When I was a child, I grew up in a very crowded house in suburbia. I have three sisters. The way I would escape all the mayhem was by reading. From the time I could read I became a voracious reader. By the age of eight I was reading my parents’ novels, whatever books I could find. I wanted to move to a big city like the ones in their novels. At night instead of counting sheep I would tell myself Cinderella type stories where I lived in a fabulous apartment and got to be the heroine.

After college I moved to a big city, Boston. My first real writing class was when I worked in high-tech in Boston. I took a class at Harvard Extension, and the professor read my story aloud to the group. He asked me to read it, but I was too self-conscious, because it was the first story I had ever written. From that day on I was hooked. I had finally earned my place in the big city.


 

 

Do You Know the Way to the Camino de Santiago?

 By Cara Bertoia

Last night my husband and I watched a movie we made when we walked the Camino de Santiago. It is an informative movie, not a religious one. You follow us as we walk across Spain, interview fellow travelers along the way, and document the journey each day. You will see the cities and countryside we pass through which will give a prospective Pilgrim an idea of the terrain they will encounter. We also offer travel tips. We didn't have a camera crew it is just us documenting our journey so it is raw footage but I think anyone who is curious about the Camino will learn from watching it. The best part is the movie is free, we have uploaded it to YouTube. You will find the link at the end of this article. 

The Camino De Santiago has attracted pilgrims for more than a thousand years. The path across Northern Spain leads to the tomb of St. James in Santiago, a beautiful walled city. After the death of Jesus, St. James one of Jesus's disciples traveled to Spain to convert the populace to Christianity. In medieval times so many Pilgrims were said to be cured by walking to Santiago that it became the most popular of the three major pilgrimage sites, including Rome and Jerusalem. As recently as 2022, over 400,000 people walked the Camino, some in search of a cure, but the majority for the love of walking.

2022 was a special year, a Holy Year. Santiago de Compostela celebrates a holy year whenever July 25th, the day of Saint James falls on a Sunday. Although it is a Christian pilgrimage it can be enjoined by anyone because most of the walkers aren't walking for religious reasons. Many historical sites in Spain represent three religions, Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Since all three groups have a long history of living in Spain.   

Never having walked more than five miles in a day, I was surprised when my husband asked if I would walk the Camino, to hear myself say "sure," and committing myself to walk 500 miles. This was to be truly the hardest and yet most rewarding experience of my life because it taught me anything is possible if you have the right attitude and good health. Having immersed myself in historical novels when I was young, following this path by foot was truly like stepping back in time. More importantly, it gave me confidence about what I can accomplish in the future.

Ray gets a well deserved rest after a long climb!
                                                                   
To begin our journey, my husband and I flew to Madrid, and then took a bus to Roncesvalles, a picturesque mountain village on the French border. This is the official beginning of the Camino in Spain. At the monastery there, we received the Camino Passport, which is stamped by hotels and churches all along the way. Pilgrims must present their stamped passports in Santiago to receive The Certificate de Compostela proving that they walked the Camino.

The Camino walk is not a tour. Pilgrims arrive independently and walk in small groups or on their own. The Spanish government, which helped revive the Camino in the '80s, provides a series of Refugio's - hotels along the way, as well. The Refugio's, or hostels, are strictly first come, first-served - and unisex, a new experience for most Americans, but quite common to Europeans. If a dormitory is not your style, a charming hotel room with all the amenities was less than $100 a day.

The Camino is designed to pass along medieval paths and roads and to bypass major roads and highways, so most of the day is spent walking through beautiful woods and fields. One passes through three or four villages a day that look as they did in the tenth century. There are also major cities such as Pamplona on the route, which are great places to take rest days.

The most amazing aspect about walking the Camino was in meeting people along the way. Most were from Europe, Australia, and Brazil. Although our Spanish was rudimentary, we had no problems communicating. While over 50 percent of the walkers were between ages 30 to 60, many were over 60. The numbers of women, many of whom walked alone, reinforced what I felt about attitude. Most were world travelers with interesting careers. To the Europeans, walking is no big deal; it's an intrinsic part of their lives. And walking the Camino is very safe, partly because the Spanish people believe it is good luck to befriend a pilgrim. We are still in touch with friends we made on this Journey.

An average day on the Camino would see us waking up early, packing our backpacks, putting on our hiking boots, picking up our walking sticks, and being on our way. After walking for a few hours, we'd stop for thick Spanish hot chocolate and a pastry. Later we would lunch on fresh bread and ham to fortify us for the next five miles. We would reach our destination around 4 p.m., having walked between 10 and 15 miles, check into a hotel, and then soak in a tub. Around 8 p.m., the restaurants would open and we would enjoy a typical pilgrim's meal, consisting of three courses and a bottle of wine - all for a special price. After a long day's walk, nothing could have been better. And it was great not to hear the word "diet" for six weeks!

Here is the link to watch:


Cara Bertoia is the author of the critically acclaimed Casino Queen, a new suspense novel published by The Wild Rose Press. She has drawn from her years in the casino industry to create a fascinating thriller. It is all true although the names have been changed to protect the guilty. It had been featured at The Big Thrill and Women Writers Women's Books and at many other sites. Read the blurb here.

Caroline Popov, alone, heartbroken, and deeply in debt ends up in glamorous Palm Springs, California where Native casinos have just opened, offering employment to thousands. She lands a job at the Palm Oasis Casino and is mentored by the charismatic tribal chairman, John Tovar.

Embraced by casino culture, Caroline works her way up to casino manager of the Night Hawk, in the High Desert town of Joshua Tree. There, she is responsible for managing multicultural team members, satisfying the demands of challenging guests, growing revenue while rooting out corruption. 

In the process of rediscovering her inner strength, she learns, you have to gamble like your life depends on it. With her life on the line can she pull out a win?

 

                         To check out my interview in The Big Thrill, click the link below.

 

Casino Queen by Cara Bertoia | THE BIG THRILL

Cara Bertoia's first book is Cruise Quarters - A Novel About Casinos and Cruise Ships. Her novel is really a travelogue, a narrative, a romance, a self-help manual for gambling and cruising, and a real-life story all rolled into one funny, obsessive, and entertaining story of two people whose separate life journeys meet at a crossroads. Kindle Fire Dept. says, "This novel is a gem that is nothing short of a vacation in a book!"
                                                                


Below is the links to Cruise Quarters - A Novel About Casinos and Cruise Ships to buy at Amazon or read as a part of Kindle Unlimited. Cruise Quarters Amazon

 







BEHIND THE SCENES OF THE CASINO INDUSTRY: WRITING CASINO QUEEN


Me in my beautiful garden in Palms Springs!


A few weeks ago, I was interviewed by The Desert Sun. The main theme of their interview and all the articles that have been written about Casino Queen is that this is a story about a strong woman. Here is an excerpt from their review, “Casino Queen” arrives at the perfect time when crime-solving tales that revolve around strong female protagonists aren’t just a luck of a draw. They’re downright successful. (See TV’s "Equalizer" and "Poker Face" for samplers.)

Booksbywomen.org is the online magazine for the Facebook group, Women Writers, Women’s Books. It’s creator Barbara Bos wanted to have a supportive place for women to talk about books and the writing process. I wrote an article for them in which I explained the inspiration for my novel. With their permission I am reprinting it here at my blog. Hope you enjoy it. If you like to write or you like to read be sure to check them out. 

WOMEN WRITERS, WOMEN’S BOOKS

I worked in the casino industry for a long time. As a child watching Ocean’s Eleven, casinos seemed so grown up and glamourous. They were open 24 hours, which made them so alive. On a summer hiatus from teaching school, I drove to Lake Tahoe Nevada and quit my job. I never felt lonely working in the casino. I later worked for Princess Cruises traveling the world as a croupier. I met my Scottish husband on the Star Princess, and when we left ships, we moved to Palm Springs where Native American casinos had just opened. Since we were experienced dealers with connections, juice, we were hired the first day we arrived in town. It was boom time in America, the economy in overdrive, it seemed like the party would last forever.

We were in good company, at the same time thousands of people from all over the world had the same idea and were flocking to the desert to find work. Some of those people had escaped from some of the most oppressive regimes on the planet. Compared to that, handling an unruly gambler probably seemed like a piece of cake. What I admired about my co-workers is that most of them arrived in the United States penniless and worked hard to make their American dream come true. A casino is a multi-cultural environment where every day I learned a lesson about their culture and their stories. I found myself in awe of their resilience. Whether they came from Afghanistan or Communist China, everyone quickly adjusted to life in America. They just got on with it, they didn’t have time for self-pity. 

The characters in my book were familiar to me from my two decades working in the casino industry. Fortunately, my boss was the most charismatic tribal chairman in America. I really loved my employers and my job. People always asked me, “What’s a nice girl like you doing working in a place like this?” Now I can honestly say, “Research.” Through the years I took writing classes to hone my craft. The characters in my head just kept letting me know how they wanted their story told. All the pieces of the story came together in an organic way to capture that special time and place when gaming arrived in Southern California. 

I wanted to tell the story of a strong but relatable woman, because I worked with so many smart independent women. When my main character Caroline Popov loses everything Tribal Chairman John Tovar throws her a lifeline. The other reason I wrote Casino Queen was to give the readers an insider’s look of what really goes on behind the scenes in the gambling industry. I know that I like to learn something when I read a novel, and from the reviews, I know that my readers really love that aspect of the book. I want them to step into Caroline’s shoes and feel like they have a connection with the Shotowa tribe. 

I found the perfect backdrop for Casino Queen in the High Desert of Southern California. A refuge for artists, ex-Marines and desert rats. The brilliant blue sky framed the chocolate mountains in the distance. The rocks at Joshua Tree National Park looked like giant Jenga pieces precariously balanced, ready to fall. Located about an hour from Palm Springs, we loved hiking in the park, an isolated place near the largest Marine base in the world. The Night Hawk casino near that base became the setting for my novel. 

Writing a thriller, is like designing a jigsaw puzzle where every piece has to fit, but it can’t be too obvious. The most challenging scene I wrote was the climax of the book. You know the place in the thriller where the crime and the villain are revealed and the protagonist lays her life on the line. For me it was important to write a realistic novel, one that could actually happen. I also had to tie up all the plot points. But most importantly I wanted the ending to be a surprise and you can tell me if I succeeded once you read Casino Queen. 

What you don’t know reading my novel is that the series was inspired by actual incidents so coincidental that if you put them in a novel, they would sound like a contrivance. We arrived in Palm Springs and got married three weeks later. My husband’s roommate from the cruise ships was the best man at our wedding. Dave, left his job at our casino and moved to Albuquerque to take a job as a shift manager there. Working there he met Julian and encouraged him to move to Palm Springs for greater opportunities. Even though they switched places they couldn’t avoid their fate. They were both murdered under mysterious circumstances. 

The casino industry has been good to me, but I always witnessed corruption just perfect for a thriller. Schemers and thieves operated on both sides of the tables. Millions of dollars passed through the casino every week, casino fleas operated their personal side businesses on the gaming floor, and you never knew who might walk through the door itching for a fight. My hope is that after reading Casino Queen you will walk into a casino more aware of what goes on behind the scenes.

Here is the link to the original article in Women Writers, Women's Books

Behind the Scenes of the Casino Industry

I love interacting with readers. If your book club is interested in reading Casino Queen just email me at carabertoia@yahoo.com. I will provide your group with questions, and I will appear on Facetime, Zoom or WhatsApp to talk at your meeting. I will also answer any questions you have about casinos and gambling. 
 

Cara Bertoia is the author of the critically acclaimed Casino Queen, a new suspense novel published by The Wild Rose Press. She has drawn from her years in the casino industry to create a fascinating thriller. It is all true although the names have been changed to protect the guilty. It had been featured at The Big Thrill and Women Writers Women's Books and at many other sites. Read the blurb here.

Caroline Popov, alone, heartbroken, and deeply in debt ends up in glamorous Palm Springs, California where Native casinos have just opened, offering employment to thousands. She lands a job at the Palm Oasis Casino and is mentored by the charismatic tribal chairman, John Tovar.

Embraced by casino culture, Caroline works her way up to casino manager of the Night Hawk, in the High Desert town of Joshua Tree. There, she is responsible for managing multicultural team members, satisfying the demands of challenging guests, growing revenue while rooting out corruption. 

In the process of rediscovering her inner strength, she learns, you have to gamble like your life depends on it. With her life on the line can she pull out a win?

 

                         To check out my interview in The Big Thrill, click the link below.

 

Casino Queen by Cara Bertoia | THE BIG THRILL

Cara Bertoia's first book is Cruise Quarters - A Novel About Casinos and Cruise Ships. Her novel is really a travelogue, a narrative, a romance, a self-help manual for gambling and cruising, and a real-life story all rolled into one funny, obsessive, and entertaining story of two people whose separate life journeys meet at a crossroads. Kindle Fire Dept. says, "This novel is a gem that is nothing short of a vacation in a book!"
                                                                


Below is the links to Cruise Quarters - A Novel About Casinos and Cruise Ships to buy at Amazon or read as a part of Kindle Unlimited. Cruise Quarters Amazon

 


To Win at Romance You Need a Basic Strategy of Love -- Cruise Quarters on sale for $.99 at Amazon and on KU

 


RAY AND I ENJOYING A DAY OFF IN THE CARIBBEAN

I love reality shows like 90 Day Fiancé, Love Is Blind and my all-time favorite, Married at First Sight. I will watch anything if the goal of the show is a good relationship, love or marriage. I call myself The Hopeful Romantic, because I met Ray and married him four months later. We could have qualified for 90 Day Fiancé because he was from Scotland. So, I hold these shows close to my heart.

On Married at Frist Sight couples meet at the altar. They have never seen their person before and don’t know anything about them except for the fact that they have been matched by experts. If one of the partners doesn’t like the looks of the other one there is almost no chance that the marriage will survive. Chemistry can make or break the relationship. In Nashville when Gina told Clint that she didn’t like gingers my heart broke for him. I thought he was really cute. Then the next day he said she wasn't as slender as the girls he usually dated. I see divorce in their future. The dynamics of how couples do or don’t make things work fascinates me. Especially if I can watch their stories safely from the comfort of my living room.

The show brings back that terrifying time after college when life was full of possibilities and fraught with loose connections. I dated guys when I didn't know if they were my boyfriend or not, but I was too afraid to ask. I also dated guys who I promptly dumped because they were too nice. Sometimes a bad haircut was all it would take and once a guy got dumped for bringing me a single rose, a very nice gesture. I would have happily signed up for the show because my picker was definitely broken. The experts had to do a better job than me.

In my twenties I was teaching high school and though I loved my students, why wouldn't I, we were about the same age! But the thought of staying in my hometown and teaching for the next forty years filled me with torschlusskpanik, the German word for the fear of missing the boat. I left for California, got a job dealing in a casino and never looked back. My job was sorted out but I still kept dating the bad boy, the elusive, uncommitted one I was going to make fall in love with me.

It took me a long time to sort myself out get married and live happily ever after, but I finally met my Mr. Right, while working on a cruise ship. We decided to tell our story in Cruise Quarters - A Novel About Casinos and Cruise Ships. Stand behind a blackjack table for years, deal to thousands of couples and you learn a thing or two about people. Gamblers know that to win at blackjack you have to play basic strategy. In our novel Sarah (my alter-ego) learns from her past mistakes to write her own basic strategy of love. Maybe hers can help you take some shortcuts, but probably not, we all have to suffer our own heart breaks. Everyone needs to throw away the self-help book they are reading and write their own.

Below is Sarah's, if you come up with a new strategy leave a comment here or e-mail me at carabertoia@yahoo.com. I have put Cruise Quarters on sale for $.99 this week (Feb 10 to 17) to celebrate Valentine’s Day.

                           SARAH SELDON’S BASIC STRATEGY OF LOVE

 1. It’s a sure bet that if someone doesn’t introduce you to his family, he thinks there is something wrong with you -- or his family.

 2. It is a mistake to fall for a strong silent type; you will get tired of doing all the talking, and he will get tired of doing all the listening.

 3. Don’t fall in love with someone who is a challenge; if you want a challenge, go climb Mt. Everest.

 4. It is not important that you share all the same interests, only that you are both open to new and different things.

 5. Some people think a relationship has to include drama; without drama it can’t be love. Drama is just drama, not love. If you want drama, go see a play.

 6. The first time someone cheats is never the last time someone cheats; it is just the first time someone cheats.

 7. Never get involved with someone who blames all his problems on others; you will soon be one of the others.

 8. If there is something wrong in a relationship, you know it. He stops looking you in the eye, he doesn’t call every day. People always have a tell. They always leave a clue, you just have to look for it.

9. In love as in cards, it's hard to walk away from a winning streak, even harder to leave the table when you're on a losing one. Always know when to give up the dream and walk away.

 10. The golden rule of love is this: always be with someone who likes you just the way you are, quirks and all. Always love someone just the way they are. You can change sheets, not people.


Cara Bertoia is the author of Cruise Quarters - A Novel About Casinos and Cruise ShipsHer novel is really a travelogue, a narrative, a romance, a self-help manual for gambling and cruising, and a real-life story all rolled into one funny, obsessive, and entertaining story of two people whose separate life journeys meet at a crossroads. Kindle Fire Dept. says, "This novel is a gem that is nothing short of a vacation in a book!" She would be happy to do an online chat with any book club reading her novels. Contact her at carabertoia@yahoo.com



Cara Bertoia is the author of Cruise Quarters - A Novel About Casinos and Cruise ShipsHer novel is really a travelogue, a narrative, a romance, a self-help manual for gambling and cruising, and a real-life story all rolled into one funny, obsessive, and entertaining story of two people whose separate life journeys meet at a crossroads. Kindle Fire Dept. says, "This novel is a gem that is nothing short of a vacation in a book!"She would be happy to do an online chat with any book club reading her novels. Contact her at carabertoia@yahoo.com


Below is the links to Cruise Quarters - A Novel About Casinos and Cruise Ships




Her second novel, Casino Queen is based on the many true stories she lived through in her many years in the casino industry, although the names have been changed to protect the guilty. 

"Glitter, grifters and greed collide with high stakes mystery and suspense in Casino Queen. With her in-depth knowledge of the casino world, Cara Bertoia takes readers on a wild ride through the High Desert that leaves you hungry for more." - Rob Samborn, author The Prisoner of Paradise

Caroline Popov, alone, heartbroken, and deeply in debt ends up in glamorous Palm Springs, California where Native casinos have just opened, offering employment to thousands. She lands a job at the Palm Oasis Casino and is mentored by the charismatic tribal chairman, John Tovar.

Embraced by casino culture, Caroline works her way up to casino manager of the Night Hawk, in the High Desert town of Joshua Tree. There, she is responsible for managing multicultural team members, satisfying the demands of challenging guests, growing revenue while rooting out corruption.

In the process of rediscovering her inner strength. With her life on the line can she pull out a win?

Click the link below to order at Amazon

Casino Queen (Night Hawk Casino Series Book 1) - Kindle edition by Bertoia, Cara. Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

Click the link below to order at Barnes and Noble 

Casino Queen by Cara Bertoia | NOOK Book (eBook) | Barnes & Noble® 




.

What Not To Do If Your Cruise Ship Is Sinking

 

Ray attending a lifeboat drill.

Cruise season is here, and I decided to update a blog I wrote about, what not to do if your cruise ship is sinking. Because safety is always important. I worked for Princess Cruises for five years happily traveling the world when I met my future husband Ray on the Star Princess.

Cruise ships have excellent safety records in fact the last time one sank was in 2012. That year the Costa Concordia sank off the coast of the island of Giglio, enroute to Civitavecchia, a port I had visited many times working for Princess Cruises. I would like to say that in all my years at sea I never encountered a captain like Francesco Schettino who abandoned his ship. I considered all the captains I worked for kings of their ship, they were all very professional, attentive and if I have to admit it, a little bit scary.

While normally I am not one to comment on ship safety the lack of knowledge of some of the press made me feel I had to write this post. A newscaster was interviewing some passengers after they had made it back to safety in the US. They told him that when they realized that the ship was in trouble they were dressed in formal wear, an evening gown and high heels. Reasoning that this was not the proper attire for lifeboat travel, they returned to their cabins and changed their clothes.

The commentator congratulated them, "What clear thinking,"

NO, NO, NO, it was not clear thinking returning to their cabin. It was a horrible idea. It is never a good idea to return to your cabin when a ship is possibly sinking. There are just too many things that can go wrong, What if the ship is on fire? What if the electricity goes off? What if the ship tilts, and you can't open the door to your cabin? When you hear any kind of alarm you should proceed to your muster station and if you don't know where it is then proceed to the highest open deck.

Even though international law states that a lifeboat drill has to be held at most 24 hours after a boat leaves port, every ship I ever worked on held an emergency drill as soon as the ship sailed. As a crew member I also attended many drills over the course of my career at sea. If you read my book Cruise Quarters - A Novel About Casinos and Cruise Ships, I talk about the 'how to board a lifeboat drills', 'how to locate a bomb drills', 'how to crawl out of your cabin in case of a fire drills', and even a drill about the proper way to jump off the side of a ship without breaking your neck!

The following story perfectly illustrates my point.
Ray had been working on a Greek ship for three months and was very familiar with his surroundings. One day while the ship was docked in Patras he went out to lunch with a friend. Returning to the ship, they learned the engine room was on fire and the ship had been evacuated. After a few hours the fire had been extinguished but the ship was declared out of service for repairs. They allowed the crew to board so that they could collect their belongings.

There was no power or lights working on the ship. When Ray left the ships entrance and headed to his cabin, he became disoriented walking down the pitch-black corridor. He found his cabin by counting the doors. Once inside he relied on the light from the porthole as he gathered his belongings but leaving his cabin, he found it very difficult to find his way back to the gangway. His walk was further complicated by the debris that had been dropped in the hallway, by the other crew in their scramble to get off the ship.

My main point is that even in this situation when the ship was stable and upright and there was no immediate danger or rush and no crowd of panicking passengers, finding his way around the corridors of the ship was no easy task - and he was a crew member. So imagine the problems a passenger would have in the middle of an emergency situation.

Although ships are very safe and safety is taken very seriously on a cruise ship, accidents can still happen. We hope this helps you if you ever find yourself on a sinking ship. Please share this information to anyone you know going on a cruise.

As an update to this article in 2015 a court found Captain Schettino guilty of manslaughter, causing a shipwreck, abandoning the ship before passengers and crew were evacuated and lying to authorities about the disaster. He was sentenced to 16 years in prison.

Cara Bertoia is the author of Cruise Quarters - A Novel About Casinos and Cruise ShipsHer novel is really a travelogue, a narrative, a romance, a self-help manual for gambling and cruising, and a real-life story all rolled into one funny, obsessive, and entertaining story of two people whose separate life journeys meet at a crossroads. Kindle Fire Dept. says, "This novel is a gem that is nothing short of a vacation in a book!" She would be happy to do an online chat with any book club reading her novels. Contact her at carabertoia@yahoo.com

Below is the links to Cruise Quarters - A Novel About Casinos and Cruise Ships




Her second novel, Casino Queen is based on the many true stories she lived through in her many years in the casino industry, although the names have been changed to protect the guilty. 

"Glitter, grifters and greed collide with high stakes mystery and suspense in Casino Queen. With her in-depth knowledge of the casino world, Cara Bertoia takes readers on a wild ride through the High Desert that leaves you hungry for more." - Rob Samborn, author The Prisoner of Paradise

Caroline Popov, alone, heartbroken, and deeply in debt ends up in glamorous Palm Springs, California where Native casinos have just opened, offering employment to thousands. She lands a job at the Palm Oasis Casino and is mentored by the charismatic tribal chairman, John Tovar.

Embraced by casino culture, Caroline works her way up to casino manager of the Night Hawk, in the High Desert town of Joshua Tree. There, she is responsible for managing multicultural team members, satisfying the demands of challenging guests, growing revenue while rooting out corruption.

In the process of rediscovering her inner strength. With her life on the line can she pull out a win?

Click the link below to order at Amazon

Casino Queen (Night Hawk Casino Series Book 1) - Kindle edition by Bertoia, Cara. Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

Click the link below to order at Barnes and Noble 

Casino Queen by Cara Bertoia | NOOK Book (eBook) | Barnes & Noble®