Book cover by Fon Lum at creative2u.com
From the Author
I love the magic of movies and the energy of Las Vegas. The Showgirl began as a screenplay, blending these two passions, but evolved into a novel to create a richer experience for readers. The story is filled with engaging dialogue, carried over from its script origins, and features a cast of intriguing characters. While entirely fictional, it does include a few anecdotal moments inspired by my roughly 50 trips to Vegas. I hope you enjoy reading this book as much as I enjoyed writing it.
Glenn
Synopsis
The Showgirl drips with passion and deception in the sweltering summer of 1980, where seduction is currency and trust is the ultimate gamble.
Las Vegas is a city of bright lights and darker secrets. Janice, a showgirl with worn-out heels and an eviction notice taped to her door, refuses to fold. Armed with wit, charm, and sheer determination, she fights not just to survive, but to reclaim the dream she once chased down the Strip.
One night, during a calculated hustle, she crosses paths with Jim, a gambler with his own shadows. What begins as a scam—$50 gone in a blink—ignites into a volatile affair, equal parts passion and peril.
But when Janice’s closest friend, Latisha, a keno runner, falls into the orbit of a dangerous man, Janice is drawn into a game far riskier than any she’s played before. Determined to protect her friend, Janice makes choices that strain her relationship with Jim—who remains unaware of the full truth. And when he finally learns the depths of her involvement, it drives an even deeper wedge between them.
As she navigates the ruthless underbelly of Vegas—where hustlers, criminals, and high-stakes gamblers prowl beneath the glitz—Janice must decide what she truly wants, and what she's willing to risk to get it.
Introducing The Showgirl
Janice Hastings, a tall, attractive blonde with the quintessential Vegas showgirl figure, drags a large suitcase across the parking lot of her now-empty apartment. She lifts the hatch on her blue Toyota Corolla, affectionately named "Veronica," and struggles to heave the heavy case into the trunk. Years of bad decisions have condensed her life into this one battered piece of luggage. The rest of her belongings? Gone to hock.
A debate rages in her mind. Fire up Veronica and skip town? Or return to her apartment and deal with the storage men she can’t afford to pay? In Vegas, dilemmas like these are often decided by chance. Janice flips a coin, watching as it lands in her palm before rolling onto her forearm. Taking a deep breath, she lifts her hand. Tails. She’s heading back inside. With no cash, she’ll need to negotiate another way to take care of the movers.
Janice steps inside and faces the two men. “Hey, fellas, let’s renegotiate my down payment.”
One of them shakes his head. “I don’t think so. We want our money.” Janice smiles, undeterred. “Guys, how about a Vegas-style offer? You cover my down payment, and if I don’t pay you back in thirty days, you both get a special date with me.” She punctuates her pitch with a slow, sexy wink.
The movers exchange glances, skeptical. “How do we know you won’t back out?” Janice turns away and begins to unbutton her blouse. It slides down her shoulders and onto the floor, exposing a black bra that accentuates the small of her back. She reaches behind and unhooks the clasp, letting the sheer fabric slip down. The men catch a glimpse of the curves that tease beyond her ribcage.
“Still think I’d chicken out?”
They hesitate. “We need more convincing.”
Janice responds by unzipping her skirt and letting it pool at her feet, leaving her in only a sliver of lace. “How about now?”
They nod, the deal sealed.