Born and raised in New York City (125th street & Amsterdam Avenue), Tony Bertot, saw firsthand the tragedies of city life. Raised by strong, caring and responsible parents, Tony and his siblings escaped the pitfalls that so often befall those growing up in crime infested environments.
Honorably discharged from the United States Navy in 1965, Tony went right to work for Bankers Trust as a keypuncher. After a few moves and some college, Tony ended up working for an international bank where he remained for approximately 32 ½ years before retiring in 2008.
Tony had written a short story for the son of a friend, who posed as a clown (Dipsy Daisy) over the weekends. Her son asked her to come to his class as a clown. She came to Tony concern about how to entertain the kids, since she didn’t know any magic tricks. Tony suggested telling them a story. After obtaining the names of all the kids in the class Tony wrote Mrs. Puntillo’s Circus. The story consisted of the kids becoming the performers at a circus they were visiting. It was a hit. In 2008 Tony retired and it was this friend who, as he walked out of the office for the last time, suggested he become an author.
Tony moved to Surprise, Arizona in 2010 from Cheektowaga, New York where he lived for approximately 20 years. Prior to that he had lived in Brentwood, LI.
Besides writing, he spends much of his time playing pickleball, racquetball and paddleball. He is also involved with sharing the care for his greatest fan, his 92 year old mother, Elena Bertot, who lives with his sister, Gertrudis Rivera, in Phoenix, Arizona.
Honorably discharged from the United States Navy in 1965, Tony went right to work for Bankers Trust as a keypuncher. After a few moves and some college, Tony ended up working for an international bank where he remained for approximately 32 ½ years before retiring in 2008.
Tony had written a short story for the son of a friend, who posed as a clown (Dipsy Daisy) over the weekends. Her son asked her to come to his class as a clown. She came to Tony concern about how to entertain the kids, since she didn’t know any magic tricks. Tony suggested telling them a story. After obtaining the names of all the kids in the class Tony wrote Mrs. Puntillo’s Circus. The story consisted of the kids becoming the performers at a circus they were visiting. It was a hit. In 2008 Tony retired and it was this friend who, as he walked out of the office for the last time, suggested he become an author.
Tony moved to Surprise, Arizona in 2010 from Cheektowaga, New York where he lived for approximately 20 years. Prior to that he had lived in Brentwood, LI.
Besides writing, he spends much of his time playing pickleball, racquetball and paddleball. He is also involved with sharing the care for his greatest fan, his 92 year old mother, Elena Bertot, who lives with his sister, Gertrudis Rivera, in Phoenix, Arizona.