ALL ABOUT DIVA (IN DEMAND)
I’ve been reading your blog for a long time now. I love your rawness and honesty about everything you go through. I have a sister who deals with depression and I’ve often had trouble relating to how she feels. Your blog has given me a greater understanding of what she might be going through.
~ K.L.
The Name
What is your definition of a diva?
Definitely confidence and being comfortable enough in life to go after what you feel you deserve. When I look at my diva idols I see confidence, fearlessness, and determination. A Diva makes no apologies for living life how she wants to and not doing what makes other people comfortable or happy. At the end of the day, a Diva is defined by her guts and glamour.
Where did (in Demand) come from?
I give the people what they want….I am the voice for divas out there who haven’t found their own voice yet.
Who are you diva idols and what makes you the Original Diva?
Oh no….I’m not THE Original Diva, I am AN Original Diva. Just like Diana Ross, Reba McEntire, and Diahann Carroll (Dominique Devereaux to be specific), I march to the beat of my own drum and make no apologies for doing so.
The Person
I was born and raised on the east side of Fort Worth, Texas. I spent my first 4 years growing up on an air force base and every summer until I was a teenager on the ranch of a well known wrestling family in the DFW area (if you pick up the family history book you’ll see a picture of a young diva with a thousand pigtails sitting and grinning atop a horse when she was supposed to be doing chores). Music has been in my soul since I was born. My father nicknamed me Boogie because I’d stand up in my crib and bounce up and down when he played music and I’d fall asleep humming in my own little baby way. Growing up I was too short and “chunky” to take up dancing so I dreamed about being an attorney but by the 5th grade it was obvious that writing and math were my strong suits so I followed that path to what I thought would be the gravy train. I have Bachelor degrees in both Accounting and Finance and an MBA with a concentration in Entrepreneurship. I’m currently using my powers of influence over numbers to pay the rent as an analyst in the transportation industry and a Professor at a well publicized university (wink wink).
The Entrepreneur 
My great great grandmother was the woman that everyone called to cook for funerals, weddings, and family reunions. Now my family has one of the most successful catering and event planning businesses in the state of Oklahoma. My specialty is floral design and pastries. After seeing one of my arrangements at a wedding, I was personally contracted by the governor of two states and I worked on a large scale project for O Magazine. My event design firm, D. Renee’ Designs, has been nominated for several industry awards and in 2006 I was a finalist for a Spotlight Award in the Rising Star Category. Six years ago I told my father that I wanted to open a cupcake business and he laughed at me…..six years later I am finally listening to my gut and looking for a storefront to launch my bakery. I specialize in gourmet cupcakes, elaborate cake design and flavored cinnamon rolls and am perfecting my French and Italian cookies.
The Book
After years of relaying stories about my younger years and relationship soap operas (including the sex with mooing cows as background noise) everyone kept saying that I should write a book. My short stories from the 8th grade still pull in a pretty decent round of applause and when my husband asked for a divorce, I dealt with my problems by escaping into a notebook with a pen. Chapters of Her Heart is the result and will be on sale worldwide this fall (worldwide being limited to wherever Amazon.com ships). Chapters of Her Heart is the story of college socialite in training, CeeCee Kennedy. CeeCee has taken to using men and violence to deal with her abandonment issues but has she bitten off more than she can chew when she seduces Brandon who is violently angry in his own right? Is she ready to go toe to toe with her equal for the sake of love?
The Site
D. Renee’ is Original Diva, a woman who has lived many lives in the past three years: professor, entrepreneur, advocate. My experiences have taken me to four states (seven if you include my summer excursions to Atlanta, New Orleans, and Las Vegas in 2008), and have included several awards for achievement in recognition of my professional endeavors. I spent 2 years as a 99er (that’s unemployment talk for the not so lucky) and just recently moved into my own home again. You can find all of those stories here on this site as well as my attempt to explain to the rest of the world how people diagnosed as manic depressive deal with life’s ups and downs. I have sponsored Divas Night Out events in Chicago and Schaumburg in conjunction with such sponsors as Aveda, Godiva, and The Body Shop and will be hosting one in the Tulsa area in 2011. I live my life as honestly and fearlessly as I can. Features in my blog are inspired by my unique perspective and passion for news, health, relationships and sex. Since the inception of Diva in Demand in 2003, the word has reached 611,174 people, with a unique monthly readership of 9,079.
When I’m not working or blogging, I spend my free time reading my favorite authors, scrapbooking, and expressing my creativity and originality in the kitchen.
If you are interested in discussing a public speaking opportunity with me or want to make sure that your HBCU or book club is on my fall book tour schedule, please contact me using the information or form below. You can also use this form to request a media kit for possible sponsorship or advertising opportunities.
