Plano Profile November 2009 : Page 84
reading room Deedee Divine’s Totally Skewed Guide to Life T oss your yellow for dummies book aside and lift your spirits with Deedee Divine’s Totally Skewed Guide to Life. a zany and down- to-earth character, Deedee Divine is author Diana Estill’s alter ego, and between managing her flamin’ Hot Author Diana Estill. Profile photo Cheetos cravings and $697.67 electricity bills, Deedee Divine overcomes life’s challenges with a sense of humor as her shield. The title, Deedee Divine’s Totally Skewed Guide to Life, clues readers in that Deedee Divine is no expert at saving the world, but her “skewed” perception is quite the armor in battle. “i’m the last person in the world to think of myself as an expert,” says the author and jokes, “i’m an expert in trying to find my way out of trouble.” apparently, Deedee has always been lurking around the corner; she’s just finally making an appearance. Says the author, “i didn’t have a name for her yet, but she was there when i was writing my first book.” Driving on theWrong Side of the Road is another collection of tales to steer readers around life’s potholes, but Deedee Divine’s Totally Skewed Guide to Life is more amusing. With chapters like “father Knows frugal,” “eaters Can Be Cheaters,” and “Halloween ‘Hoochies,’” topics deal with nuisances that everyone can relate to, including family, food, fitness…and flatulence. Deedee Divine says she’s not a risk-taker—she won’t walk within 1,000 feet of a roller coaster—but she’s certainly not afraid of calling her husband the “wind beneath my sheets.” “That story on flatulence was a big risk,” she admits. “initially, i said, ‘i could never put that story out there, but my editor, Matthew Dewald, director of the erma BombeckWriters’ Workshop, said, ‘it’s one of the funniest parts of the book.’ So i had to trust him on that.” Jim, Diana’s husband of nearly 20 years, had to trust her that it was all in good fun. “He’s a good-natured man,” she says with a hint of relief. Diana and Jim have four children, two of whom are noted in the chapter called “Daredevil Children.” family feats are interlaced throughout the book, and so is self- sacrifice. Take, for example, when Deedee Divine visits the grocery store and the corn chips, chocolates, and mixed nuts “whistle” as she passes by. “Snack items…[have] long been attracted to my thighs,” she quips. it’s this light-hearted sense of humor that the author hopes readers grab on to. “The breakaway message with this book is that it’s really not what happens to us in life that determines how happy we are; it’s how we process those events. almost anything—no matter how frustrating or mind-numbing—if you can take one step backwards and ask, ‘What’s funny about this?’ you’re going to get through it.” for Diana, writing helps her make sense of the world. “i’ve been writing since i could put a pen in my hand. it’s the way i process everything,” she says. “everyone has a way to process their feelings. Some people talk to friends; others escape into a book or a movie. But writing, connecting the dots on the page, or at my computer, allows me to walk away and say, ‘ah, now i get it.’” observing the book’s cover, Diana explained that the picture of a woman peering through binoculars is symbolic. “You’d be surprised how many people think that is actually me on the cover, and if i could lose about 30 pounds, it could be,” she laughs. “really, the picture is someone who’s desperately searching the horizon for something. i think that’s 84 Plano Profile NOVEMBER 2009
Author, Author
Deedee Divine’s Totally Skewed Guide to Life
Toss your yellow for dummies book aside and lift your spirits with Deedee Divine’s Totally Skewed Guide to Life. A zany and downto- earth character, Deedee Divine is author Diana Estill’s alter ego, and between managing her Flamin’ Hot Cheetos cravings and $697.67 electricity bills, Deedee Divine overcomes life’s challenges with a sense of humor as her shield.
The title, Deedee Divine’s Totally Skewed Guide to Life, clues readers in that Deedee Divine is no expert at saving the world, but her “skewed” perception is quite the armor in battle. “I’m the last person in the world to think of myself as an expert,” says the author and jokes, “I’m an expert in trying to find my way out of trouble.” Apparently, Deedee has always been lurking around the corner; she’s just finally making an appearance. Says the author, “I didn’t have a name for her yet, but she was there when I was writing my first book.” Driving on the Wrong Side of the Road is another collection of tales to steer readers around life’s potholes, but Deedee Divine’s Totally Skewed Guide to Life is more amusing. With chapters like “Father Knows Frugal,” “Eaters Can Be Cheaters,” and “Halloween ‘Hoochies,’” topics deal with nuisances that everyone can relate to, including family, food, fitness…and flatulence.
Deedee Divine says she’s not a risk-taker—she won’t walk within 1,000 feet of a roller coaster—but she’s certainly not afraid of calling her husband the “wind beneath my sheets.” “That story on flatulence was a big risk,” she admits. “Initially, I said, ‘I could never put that story out there, but my editor, Matthew Dewald, director of the Erma Bombeck Writers’ Workshop, said, ‘it’s one of the funniest parts of the book.’ So I had to trust him on that.” Jim, Diana’s husband of nearly 20 years, had to trust her that it was all in good fun. “He’s a good-natured man,” she says with a hint of relief.
Diana and Jim have four children, two of whom are noted in the chapter called “Daredevil Children.” Family feats are interlaced throughout the book, and so is selfsacrifice.
Take, for example, when Deedee Divine visits the grocery store and the corn chips, chocolates, and mixed nuts “whistle” as she passes by. “Snack items…[have] long been attracted to my thighs,” she quips.
It’s this light-hearted sense of humor that the author hopes readers grab on to. “The breakaway message with this book is that it’s really not what happens to us in life that determines how happy we are; it’s how we process those events. Almost anything—no matter how frustrating or mind-numbing—if you can take one step backwards and ask, ‘What’s funny about this?’ you’re going to get through it.” For Diana, writing helps her make sense of the world. “I’ve been writing since I could put a pen in my hand. It’s the way I process everything,” she says. “Everyone has a way to process their feelings. Some people talk to friends; others escape into a book or a movie.
But writing, connecting the dots on the page, or at my computer, allows me to walk away and say, ‘Ah, now I get it.’”
Observing the book’s cover, Diana explained that the picture of a woman peering through binoculars is symbolic. “You’d be surprised how many people think that is actually me on the cover, and if I could lose about 30 pounds, it could be,” she laughs. “Really, the picture is someone who’s desperately searching the horizon for something. I think that’sHow I’ve gone through most of life, and probably most of us do. We don’t set out knowing what direction to go, and most of the time we head one way and end up going another.” In Diana’s case, she got pregnant, married young, and dropped out of high school at age 16. Then she received a Business Administration/Management degree from Amberton University.
A journalist for more than a decade, her work has appeared in The Dallas Morning News, The Washington Post, and numerous other publications. In addition, Deedee Divine’s Totally Skewed Guide to Life is a fi nalist for ForeWord Magazine’s Book of the Year Award.
So who’s to say Diana took a few wrong turns? Perhaps she took the scenic route and Deedee Divine was good company along the way.
Deedee Divine’s Totally Skewed Guide to Life is available online at Amazon and Barnes & Noble. It is also in Dallas-area Barnes & Noble stores, as well as Legacy Books in Plano. Visit dianaestill.com. — BRIT MOTT
