Meet Dina Haynes | Author, Motivational Influencer, Model

We had the good fortune of connecting with Dina Haynes and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Dina, what role has risk played in your life or career?
Every day is an exercise in risk. Some people experience it before they’re born, like when they come into this world with a debilitating illness. Others are born with a full set of fingers and toes, but spend most of their lives trying to avoid risk at all costs. It’s an impossible task. Risk is a non-negotiable part of life. What people should ask themselves is, how can I make risk work for me?

When I was young, I stuck to the true and steady path of a good daughter. I followed my mom’s wishes and achieved a higher education, but I didn’t get that safe job to protect my future, nor was I interested in ensuring a legacy for my progeny. Kids were not even on the agenda.

I took an acting class my last year at UC Davis, and a fire sparked inside me, which turned my college experience into my emancipation story. From that moment on, I set my sights on Hollywood.

The life of an actor wasn’t quite what my mother had envisioned for me. Too risky read not a chance in hell, but I wasn’t trying to hear that. Once I’d learned that I was a creative by nature, nothing else would satisfy me.

While I was attending acting classes at A.C.T. in San Francisco, the only risk involved was the BART ride home at 10 o’clock at night. By day, I worked the 8-hour shift sitting behind a desk, performing tasks that years later ended up shredded in a landfill, no doubt. The risk of dying from boredom seemed more harmful than taking a leap of faith doing something I actually enjoyed. By the time I ended up in LA, I could hardly second-guess my choices.

The rest sort of fell into place. After a series of unpredictable events, I ended up quitting acting to start a career in writing, something I’d said I might do ten years earlier. Turned out writing was my passion all along. No demanding boss, plenty of hours spent in cozy cafes drinking the best libation known to man. Working out issues like why people are such assholes, only to recognize we’re all more alike than I’d care to admit. Ah, but it’s so much more tasteful grappling with those revelations through “ghosts” on the page rather than through messy interactions.

In the end, I faced the truth. Acting wasn’t really my bag, but writing… I could spend years doing it, and my life wouldn’t suck.

Nine books later, I’ve written about leopards that spend half their time as humans. And humans that spend half their time searching for the forest because they keep bumping into trees. The biggest struggle each of them faces is risk—go figure—and how to overcome it through control. They go about it in vain, at first, as I throw all sorts of obstacles at them until they wear themselves out and finally reach the only conclusion. Control over the mind works with great effect, but little else. The glass is either half empty or half full. Life is either riddled with hardships or opportunities. Risk is a choice they make at any given moment, best served in the absence of fear, and then based on how they want to feel.

What I boil it down to is, do what makes you happy. Risk is always a factor, no matter what you choose, so take the greater leap. It’s certainly made my life more interesting than if I’d done the expected.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Paranormal romance is where I got my start in writing. It combined the best of my two favorite genres of fiction, horror, and romance. I still find great joy in the mythical world I created with animal shifters, witches, and ghosts. And I look forward to how I will expand the universe in future books. But my latest love is my contemporary romance series, The Reality Book Series.

During college, a friend and I created stories for each other because, as young women do, we obsessed over our unfortunate dating lives and often wondered what it would be like to have the affections of our celebrity crushes. It was fun coming up with different scenarios of meet-cutes, that moment when the hero and heroine cross paths for the first time. And to give each other the gift of being seen, felt, and understood in a loving relationship, even if it was just fantasy. That’s what romance books did for me, but we took it further. It was a unique experience that I wanted to share with the reader community.

The idea came a few years ago when a friend asked me to write a story about her. “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire” popped into my head, and the series was born. After a couple title changes, it’s now called The Reality Book Series. I knew I was on to something when I put out the call on social media and received an immediate response from readers all across the world who wanted to be featured in the series.

The stories are all a work of fiction but told in the volunteer’s image. Any other characteristics, outside of the answers they give in the interview and their first name, are completely unknown to preserve their anonymity. I want readers to see themselves in a new but real way inside a book and experience the fantasy of falling in love with a hero they choose.

As a person of color, I wasn’t seeing heroines I could identify with physically, which is why I began writing in the first place. Only recently have people begun to understand the impact visibility has on a young person’s psyche. My experience was it made me feel invisible. Perhaps that’s what led me and my college friend, also a POC, to create a rich fantasy life where we, for once, got the guy.

I’m grateful for the discoveries I’ve made since I created this series and continue to make with each story. I’ve done a lot of work on self-worth and continue to learn and grow through my own writings and spiritual path, something I wish for my readers as well. During the pandemic, I started a channel on YouTube as a place for people to connect and create the life of their dreams using the natural laws of the universe. If you have questions about how to manifest, visit my channel and drop a comment. I’d love to hear from you!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Since I’m a foodie, the unique spots I like to hit in LA are mostly restaurants and cafes. Just a warning in case you visit me, we’ll be eating a lot. First, we’d have breakfast at The Butcher, The Baker, The Cappuccino Maker, an excellent place for people-watching right on Sunset Boulevard.

Next, we’d hang out at one of my favorite places to write in LA, Green Table Cafe. I am by no means vegan, but good food is good food. Plus, they serve my favorite coffee, the Italian brand Illy. The vibe is super chill, and you’ll see people from all walks of life step through the doors, from rappers to writers to neighborhood moms.

After such a healthy lunch, we’d swing by Sidecar Doughnuts & Coffee. It’s a must since they only have the best donuts. Ever. Period.

Then, we’ll probably feel guilty for eating all that food, so I’d take you to the La Brea Tar Pits to walk it off. There’s a hidden track on the grounds that few people take advantage of. Plus, the museum is there and all sorts of pre-historic things to see.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
First, I’d like to thank Diana Zollicoffer for nominating me for this interview. I consider it a high compliment coming from a woman who’s accomplishments and drive I’ve admired for a long time. She is one of a small group of women who have encouraged me on my journey over the years.

As for my career, I have to mention Kathia, an author who took me under her wing and opened my eyes to self-publishing when my writing future seemed bleak. She showed me that I was more capable than I gave myself credit for at the time, which as a woman is like handing me the golden chalice. I am forever grateful to know her. Other authors who have influenced me are Sherrilyn Kenyon, J.R. Ward, Sylvia Day, and Kim Harrison, to name a few.

When it comes to modeling, Cristen Kauffman, creator of the Sadie dress for all body types, put me on the map of fashion through her website www.mesfilles.com. She is a beautiful creative whom I admire and feel lucky to call friend. Credit for all of the modeling photos goes to Aisha Ross @lessismore._. Many thanks for your keen vision.

And I can’t forget the life influences I’ve had from reading books like “You Are a Badass” by Jen Sincero, “Think and Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hill, and “The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho. Oprah, whose interview with Deepak Chopra I stumbled upon that made me stop in my tracks and listen decades ago. These enlightened beings have been the kickers and slingshots in this pinball machine called life that propelled me higher up the vibrational scale. Taking risks in life would have been more difficult without their guidance along the way, which inspired me to create a YouTube channel in 2020 devoted to helping others on their spiritual path.

Website: www.dinahaynes.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/dinahaynesauthor

Twitter: www.twitter.com/dinahaynow

Facebook: www.facebook.com/DinaHaynesAuthor

Youtube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCP7wtnw6_zVf3-s0A9NOesg

Other: Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/dinahaynes Reality Series Signup: https://bit.ly/RealitySeriesSignup

Image Credits
Aisha Ross Najla Qamber Designs Dina Haynes