Beth Raymer

Beth Anne Raymer[1] (born in 1976, in Steubenville, Ohio) is an American writer and journalist. Her work in both fiction and non-fiction explores subcultures and issues relevant to the lives of lower and middle-class families. Raymer received an MFA[2] from Columbia University.[3] As a Fulbright fellow, she studied offshore gambling operations in Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Panama.[3] Raymer is the author of a number of books including Lay the Favorite, a memoir of her experience in the sports-betting industry. The memoir was adapted into a film in 2012.[4] Her journalism has been published in The Atlantic,[5] Lapham’s Quarterly,[6] Sports Illustrated,[3] and The New York Times Magazine.[7]

American author Beth Raymer. Manhattan, 2023

Books and screenplays

Lay the Favorite

Raymer's book, Lay the Favorite, was published in 2010.[8] It follows Raymer as she navigates the legal and illegal world of sports gambling. It has been described as a "tragicomic biography" [9] and a "Dickensian picaresque that paints an entertaining view of sports gambling and her own unconventional character."[10]

In 2007, Focus Features and Random House Films acquired the rights to produce a movie adaptation of the book.[11] Stephen Frears directed the movie, also called Lay the Favorite, which premiered at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival.[12] Rebecca Hall plays Raymer, starring alongside Bruce Willis, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Vince Vaughn.

Fireworks Every Night

Raymer's debut novel Fireworks Every Night, Random House (summer, 2023),[13] explores class differences, the lasting effects of childhood dysfunction, and complex family bonds.[14]

The Lingerie Show

Raymer is the writer and narrator of the short film The Lingerie Show, 2015.[15] This film about addiction, loss, and a new start, debuted at the New York Film Festival and was an official selection of the Ottawa International Animation Festival, Melbourne International Animation Festival, Madrid International Film Festival, the Chicago Underground Film Festival, and the Los Angeles Film Festival.

Head of Household: A Journal for Single Moms

Head of Household: A Journal for Single Moms, Princeton Architectural Press, May, 2023[16]

Nuclear: Family and its Aftermath

Nuclear: Family and its Aftermath, Random House, Spring, 2025.[17] This book explores the diverging destinies of two sisters growing up in poverty in 1980s Florida.[17]

Education and early life

Education

Palm Beach Community College, Associate degree

Florida State University, Bachelor of Arts in Social Work

Columbia University, Master of Fine Arts in Nonfiction Writing

Early life

Raymer grew up in West Palm Beach, Florida, where she attended community college. Her work often draws on her challenging childhood and the struggle of maintaining a relationship with her homeless father.[18]

Raymer worked her way through Florida State University as an "in home stripper" and later managed, and modeled for, adult websites. After being fired from a social work job[19] Raymer moved to Las Vegas at the age of 24 and found work in the world of high-stakes gambling and bookmaking.[20][18]

Awards
  • Yaddo Fellow, 2016, 2019[21]
  • MacDowell Fellow, 2010, 2013[22]
  • Jack Kerouac Writer-in-Residence, 2011[23]
  • Florida Arts Council Grant Recipient, 2009
  • Fulbright Fellow, 2009[24]
  • Hertog Fellow at Columbia University, 2007 - 2008

References
  1. "Beth Anne Raymer - Artist". MacDowell Colony. Retrieved 17 February 2022.
  2. "Interview: Beth Raymer, author of Lay the Favorite: A Memoir of Gambling". SMITH Magazine. Retrieved 17 February 2022.
  3. "Beth Raymer, author: spotlight". Random House. Retrieved December 11, 2010.
  4. Lay the Favorite (2012) - IMDb, retrieved 2023-04-16
  5. "All Stories by Beth Raymer". The Atlantic. Retrieved 17 February 2022.
  6. Raymer, Beth. "The Best of It". Lapham’s Quarterly. Retrieved 17 February 2022.
  7. Raymer, Beth (8 April 2011). "The Upside of Foreclosure". The New York Times Magazine. Retrieved 17 February 2022.
  8. Raymer, Beth (June 2010). Lay the Favorite: A Memoir of Gambling. Spiegel & Grau. ISBN 978-0-385-52645-6.
  9. Harris, Lynn (July 9, 2010). "Taking a Gamble". New York Times.
  10. Burke, Jeffrey (June 28, 2010). "Ex-Stripper Crams Sports Betting, Golden Gloves Into Hot Memoir". Bloomberg News. Retrieved December 11, 2010.
  11. "Random House and Focus Features Are Going to Take the Dog". MovieWeb. October 24, 2007. Retrieved December 11, 2010.
  12. Bornfeld, Steve (July 1, 2010). "Author Beth Raymer recounts quirky adventures in sports betting world". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved December 11, 2010.
  13. "Fireworks Every Night by Beth Raymer: 9780812993165 | PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books". PenguinRandomhouse.com. Retrieved 2023-04-17.
  14. FIREWORKS EVERY NIGHT | Kirkus Reviews.
  15. The Lingerie Show (Short 2015) - IMDb, retrieved 2023-04-17
  16. "Head of Household". PA Press. Retrieved 2023-04-17.
  17. Deahl |, Rachel. "Book Deals: Week of April 10, 2023". PublishersWeekly.com. Retrieved 2023-04-18.
  18. "Gal writes the book on bookies". New York Post. 20 June 2010. Retrieved 17 February 2022.
  19. Raymer, Beth (July 7, 2010). "Excerpt from Lay the Favorite by Beth Raymer". Random House. Retrieved November 20, 2011.
  20. Raymer, Beth (March 1, 2010). "Google Books excerpt from Lay the Favorite". Random House. ISBN 9780385526456. Retrieved November 20, 2011.
  21. "Writer – Yaddo". Retrieved 2023-04-18.
  22. "Search MacDowell Artists, Events, News, and more". MacDowell. Retrieved 2023-04-17.
  23. "2011-2012 Archives". The Kerouac Project. Retrieved 2023-04-17.
  24. "Beth Raymer | Penguin Random House". PenguinRandomhouse.com. Retrieved 2023-04-17.
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