Brett Chisholm Photography Houston Studio Blog

Woman of Steele

An Interview of DAYNA STEELE by Ryan Rice

Look up…it’s a bird, it’s a plane, no…it’s a Rock N’ Roll legend and a woman with the strength of steel!

Not so long ago, if you tuned your radio to KLOL you would hear the familiar voice of Houston’s First Lady of Rock N’ Roll, Dayna Steele.  Amassing a huge fan base of “Steeleworkers” and countless accolades, Dayna has become more than a legend, she is a role model, a leader and an inspiration for those who want it all!

I will never forget the day I first was introduced to this fun, feisty and unique woman.  Having recently started my PR career, I sat in a crowded auditorium to listen to an expert panel of media personalities at the Houston Chapter of PRSA’s (Public Relations Society of America) annual Media Day.  As I sat and listened to the panel talk about the best ways to generate media coverage and other industry tips, I couldn’t help but be star struck by Dayna Steele.  She was humorous, engaging and most of all, honest.

Fast forward 10 plus years and I am sitting on her terrace, overlooking a lush lawn with amazing views of Clear Lake and dishing on her life, accomplishments and the exciting projects that fill her days and nights.  This is the same fiery, funny woman, but something is different.  As we chat, tour her house, meet the family and talk about our pets, it becomes clear that Dayna is a rare example of a woman that has it all -- career success, an amazing family, and most of all a sense of peace and balance.

The first thing you think of when you start discussing her current projects is “does this woman ever sleep?”  She has created three successful web ventures, is a sought-after media consultant, presenter and as of March – an author! 

I start to get a little intimidated.  I am not a journalist.  What if my questions seem cheesy? 

That intimidation immediately disappears when we get to talking.  I feel like I have known her all my life.  It’s no wonder she is so insanely popular…I am now a bonafide “Steeleworker” myself!

As we start to chat, she slips me a copy of her new book Rock To The Top: What I Learned about Success from the World’s Greatest Rock Stars.   First thing I notice is the forward by the legendary Gene Simmons.  Naturally, the first thing I ask is “what made you decide to write a book?”

DS:  I didn’t set out thinking I would write a book.  I was being asked to present at so many different functions and took the preparation time for those talks as an opportunity to start on outline, which grew into Rock to the Top.

RR:  Your book starts with a forward from Gene Simmons.  Why did you choose him to open the book? 

DS:  Gene was a natural fit to preface the book because he embodies the characteristics I discuss in the book.  He is a hard worker, a driven artist and has successfully created KISS as a brand.  He used tools that I discuss in the book to build a successful career behind the music.  Most of all, he is one of the hardest working men in the industry and he is clear about the commitment, dedication and tireless effort it takes to be successful. This book is about providing tools for people to succeed. It is not about getting rich quickly. 

RR: You have had an amazing career in radio.  You have traveled the world, partied with countless rock stars and have cemented lifelong friendships with some of the world’s most legendary musicians and performers.  In fact, your book contains a great collection of photos chronicling your life in Rock N’ Roll.  What do you think of when you reflect on your Rock N’ Roll ride?

DS:  Wow, what a great ride it was.  I think I formed so many great relationships, because I was not only a radio personality, I was a fan.  I listened to their music, attended concerts and got to know the people behind the fame.  I still count many of these folks as friends and have been lucky to meet so many amazing and brilliant artists. 

RR:  What is the best part of that chapter in your life?

DS:  Meeting Charlie, my husband and best friend!  It was June 3, 1990 and my good friend David Crosby called and asked me to help entertain some Astronauts and guys from NASA.  Included in that group was Charlie.  We immediately connected and have been together ever since.  My life changed when we met and we have built an amazing life together!

RR:  You have made a successful transition from radio to being an entrepreneur, consultant and most recently, an inspiration to smart girls everywhere.  How did you make that transition?

DS:  When I left Rock radio, I wanted to look forward, not backward.  I wanted to make a difference, while pursuing personal passions.  I was also a busy mother and wife.  As new projects developed, I realized I had a rare opportunity to build a successful business venture in my site www.spacestore.com while still being able to make dinner for my family and actively participate in all aspects of my children’s lives.  I also started www.operationnationalanthem.com, a site that contains personal video messages from US soldiers that can be downloaded and played prior to the National Anthem at events throughout the country.  The messages from the soldiers really helps bring a renewed emphasis on the meaning of the song and also serves as a tribute to our armed forces, putting their lives on the line for our country. 

I am particularly proud of another web-based venture, www.smartgirlsrock.com.  For years, parents and relatives of young girls would come into The Space Store and comment "This stuff is all so cool, now where can I go to get something for a girl?"  I was always quick to point out that the astronaut flight suits, space toys and science experiments were just as much for girls as they were for boys.  This led me to start Smart Girls Rock, an online community for girls who want to make their mark in science, technology, engineering, math and business. At present, Smart Girls Rock is entirely in the hands of the students of WAVE, the gifted and talented magnet school of Clear Creek Independent School District.  These girls completely control the content of the site, and every nine weeks the students rotate, giving more girls to opportunity to show that smart girls really do rock!

I have also been fortunate to utilize my professional media experience in a consulting capacity.  I am currently working with the Houston-based communication’s firm Shelton and Caudle, one of the country’s premier providers of business communication and training programs.  This has also led to my involvement with the firm’s parent company, Vollmer Public Relations.  It is so exciting to utilize my experiences to help companies make the most out of their communication’s efforts. 

RR:  You really seem to have it all!  Any words of wisdom for your fans? 

DS:  I think it’s important for people to understand that you can have it all!  It’s not easy!  It requires hard work and dedication.  You must be organized and most of all, find a balance between your personal and professional life.

Words to live by from a legend, a role model and a woman who continues to truly ROCK!

To learn more about our Woman of Steele and to get your own copy of Rock To The Top: What I Learned about Success from the World’s Greatest Rock Stars, visit www.daynasteele.com.

In The Car With Katherine Center!

"Studio Interview" with Novelist Katherine Center
By Ryan Rice

On a rainy day in June of 07, Brett and I ventured out to go to a book reading for a client of his whose novel had just been published by Random House.  We pulled up to the Brazos Bookstore to find a line out the door and no parking. After parking what seemed miles away, we entered the packed store and found a space on the floor.  It was there that I was first introduced to the literary genius of Katherine Center.  Having gone with no expectation other than seeing the great shot Brett took of Katherine on the book jacket, I was instantly drawn to her cheery personality and, by the size of the crowd, I was not the only one. 

Leaving the reading with a huge smile on my face and a personalized copy of the book, I couldn’t wait to curl up and read.  Everything about the experience made me want to drop whatever I was doing and dive in. Even the cover had me excited! All of you who know me well know of my freakish love of Rubber Duckies and there in my hand was a bright blue book with a perfectly placed ducky.  What more could I want? Knowing my habit of starting a book and not finishing, I decided to save this for a planned excursion to Playa Del Carmen.  There I would have plenty of free time and the distraction of a novel to get me through the flight and shuttle ride to paradise. 

From page one, I was hooked.  Eagerly turning pages to see what the main character, Jenny, would do next.  As the book progresses you find yourself not only routing for Jenny, but yelling out loud “No he didn’t!” and “Hell no!!”  You can’t help but love Jenny and relate to her struggles as a parent or recognize her characteristics in yourself or one of your closest friends.  From page to page you join Jenny on a journey that proves that there is a bright side to disaster.  In fact, after reading the final line you can’t help but have a positive outlook on life.  All of life’s troubles can lead to happiness and each journey builds strength and character that you didn’t know you had.

(Photo Below: Katherine Center by Brett Chisholm, from REAL SIMPLE FAMILY Magazine.)
Since that rainy day in June, I have had the pleasure of meeting Katherine and her family at Brett’s studio and I knew I would love the book.  She has the type of personality that makes you want to hug her and the witty humor that legends are made of.  What struck me most was the way she interacted with her children. It is obvious that they are the center of her life and she handles the job of motherhood with patience and poise.  This is not a stuffy novelist with an entourage.  This is a mom, with a gift for storytelling and a passion for life.

Fast forward to February 2008 and I am getting ready to have a chat with Katherine for the blog.  I have transitioned from an admirer to a huge fan. I touch base with her to confirm our scheduled discussion and she asks if I would mind talking while she is waiting in the carpool line at her daughter’s school.  Nothing is more fitting than talking to Katherine while she is on the move. As a matter of fact, I doubt there are any times that she is not on the move.  She, like her character, is a busy mom!  Between raising two young kids, maintaining a household and spending time with her husband, she is an award winning writer with one book published and three more on the way.  She has toured the country promoting the book and is gearing up to start a national promotional tour for the paperback release of Bright Side.  Her book has been chosen as a Breakout Selection by Target and will be featured in the Barnes and Noble Book Club.  Sounds a lot busier than anyone I know, and yet here she is on the phone with me, grabbing a latte at Starbucks and headed to the growing line of carpoolers.  Knowing that she had a window of time before the car was filled with the laughter of children, we got down to business. 

After a few minutes of me spouting praise and favorite excerpts, the first thing I had to know is when is the next book out?  I knew that she had an initial two-book deal with Random House, but learned that they have extended that offer to four books.  Book two is complete and books three and four are on their way.  Looks like we will see a new book a year till 2011.  How exciting!  Of course, based on the success she has had thus far, I predict we will be reading Katherine’s work well beyond 2011.

Her second book will be released in about a year as Bright Side will be released in paperback, with a new cover and the afore mentioned retail giants backing the work. 

The new book features “totally different characters” than Bright Side according to Center.

“The new novel features a woman with three boys under 4 who is swamped,” said Katherine.  “She moves from Houston to Massachusetts and finds that she is isolated with just the kids.  She is looking for the new her…who she is beyond kids,” she offered.  “It carries a similar tone of comedy related to life and is a bittersweet look at life and motherhood.”

Faced with nearly a year of waiting for the newest work, I revisit Bright Side and how the story came to life.  Following is a recount of our conversation:

RR:  I found all of your characters so familiar.  Are they based on people you know or a combination of people? For the main character Jenny, you paint a picture of controlled chaos and at times, hilarious visualizations of her struggles with motherhood.  Are these based on experiences you had with your tots? 

KC: Everything is a collage.  As a story takes off characters come to life.  I actually never intended for the character Dean to be as bad as he was.  The story just wrote itself!  I would hear the characters talking in my head while I was in the middle of doing daily tasks and scramble to write the conversations on a paper towel with a crayon.

RR:  So you already had your first child when you were writing Bright Side? How and when did you find the time to complete the daunting task of writing a novel?

KC:  In the beginning I wrote a lot of short stories.  Peep Show, a collection of short stories led to me being a finalist for The Mary McCarthy Prize in Short Fiction.  I was not very brave about sending work out, which is one of the most important factors in successful publication.  You must have a rock-solid faith in your work, which I didn’t have at the time.  I was not convinced the stories were going to interest others.  I would quit and say I was getting a real job, but I never could stop writing.

In the midst of this, I had my daughter.  Having a baby was not at all what I imagined.  It was so much better and harder. I didn’t write for a year and a half after the birth.  Everything was too frantic.  One night I was complaining that I couldn’t get any writing done and my sister said I should write a novel about being a mom.  That night I started writing and didn’t stop until I had a draft. It took six months to draft and nearly a year to revise. 

Then I became pregnant with my son.  There I was, novel in hand and baby on board.  He came early and before I knew it I was back in the baby life.  I put the book in a drawer and forgot about it.  One day, on a trip to the park with my kids I ran into a novelist acquaintance and, in the course of chatting, she offered to read my story.  She read the first three chapters and then offered to pass on to her agent.  After several months and a bidding war, Random House bought the book and we were on our way.

RR:   At your book signing party last summer you told the crowd about the Vanity Fair Party thrown for you the night before in NYC.  Did you ever imagine that you would receive such an honor?  What other fun stories can you share?

KC:  Just before the launch Vanity Fair threw a party for the book. We flew first class and hobnobbed with the publisher of Vanity Fair.  Twenty-four hours earlier I was changing diapers! A surreal and amazing experience.  A few months later, we were in LA for a reading and a man walked by who looked like Ben Affleck, to our excitement, it was!  I ran over and gave him a book signed to his wife Jennifer.  I told him that she may enjoy reading the book as a new mother.  He laughed and said “what about me, wouldn’t I enjoy it?”  As he was leaving he was snapped by paparazzi and the next week he was on this site, x17online, with the book in his hand.  That was fun.

RR:  Can you describe yourself and your view on life?

KC: In life, I like funny banter.  My husband Gordon is very funny.  I look forward to our fun banter daily. I believe in happy endings and that the suffering makes us better people if we are careful about it.  I also feel it is important to tell stories of struggle to show that people get through and triumph – it’s not what happens to you, it’s how you respond. 

RR:  Last question, although I could go on for days…what is your favorite book?

KC:  Jane Eyre is one of my favorite books.  It’s all about overcoming misery and rooting for the character!  To me, that is so satisfying!

Words to live by if you ask me.  Stay tuned for much more Katherine Center in the future and run, don’t walk, to buy your copy of Bright Side of Disaster!  For that matter, you can just visit the news and events section of www.katherinecenter.com to learn how to get your own autographed copy.  Trust me, you won’t be disappointed.

Ten Minutes With Tim Gunn

by Ryan Rice

For all of us who are native Houstonians, we know that our city is one of growth, culture, diversity and most of all style.  In fact, the style set has steadily been streaming through Houston to promote their causes, campaigns and crusades.  Brett and I were invited by our friends at SKIRT Magazine to sit down with the incomparable Tim Gunn and get the tips and techniques Houstonians need to fine tune their personal style and always put their best fashion foot forward.

I must say I was slightly intimidated, as many may be, to meet the man who changes lives on his show Tim Gunn’s Guide to Style, inspires people to “make it work” in his book A Guide to Quality, Taste and Style and guides young designers to new heights in the hugely popular series, Project Runway.  As if he wasn’t busy enough, Gunn was in town to promote his Liz Claiborne Denim Tour, a multi-city trek to show every woman how to find the perfect pair of jeans for any occasion or body type.  In a crowd-filled tent at Macy’s in Memorial City Mall, Tim took to the stage to do what he does best – tell the cold hard truth.  This candid honesty was the very reason I was intimidated. What do you wear to meet someone known for fixing what is broken in your wardrobe?  Saturday, outside, denim – so many factors.  I opted to stop obsessing and wear what I felt confident and comfortable in. Turns out I was following Tim’s mantra – “Be true to who you are!”  “Confidence,” says Gunn, “is the key to developing your personal style, as well as letting the world know who you are! “  As a fan, and follower of his views, I had to find out who and what inspires his style and ask a few Houston-specific questions to keep us looking cool in the heat and haute in the winter.  SKIRT Magazine editor Dusty Gilbert, Brett, Pattie and I were invited to sneak back into the executive offices of Macy’s and spend what I will call, Ten Minutes With Tim!

Trying to stay cool and show my confidence, I was pleasantly surprised to feel completely at ease and downright chatty with the celeb.  I started with my standard list of questions, which I ditched as the conversation started.  This was not a man with a set of standard answers. This was a man with a passion for fashion and a drive to make a difference.

First thing I wanted to know:  Who inspires the inspirer?  According to Gunn, the person who inspires him, coaches him, and serves as a sounding board for his observations is world-renowned designer and fashion mainstay, Diane Von Furstenberg.  “She is a friend, a dreamer and a fashion icon”, said Gunn.  I must say I was as impressed as many of you.  Hers is a name that transcends to the masses, while still remaining unique.  Everyone knows the wrap-dress that has become synonymous with her name.

This got me thinking celebrities! Which celebrities does Gunn think have a style to mimic?  Debra Messing, Sarah Jessica Parker, Helen Mirren and Cate Blanchet top the list.  “Confident, mature women are always in style,” said Gunn.  “Working the red carpet I was blown away by Blanchet.  She takes risks that pay off.  She knows herself and it shows.”  Describing Mirren, he used a one-word descriptor, something he is known for, and matter of factly said, “Stunning!”

Since we were there with SKIRT, the best new women’s pub in town,  I thought I should also see what guidance he had for the fellas out there.  Knowing we men are a visual people, I had to ask Gunn what his favorite men’s look was.  “Cary Grant’s style in South by Southwest,” he grinned.  “It is classic, timeless and masculine.”  He also added that it is a look that people can tailor to fit their personality – once again reinforcing the importance of being true to yourself.

The conversation started to turn toward our great city, one he has visited often in the past few years, including a hometown visit with Chloe Dao during the second season of Project Runway.  We all know our Chloe was tops in the end, but what Houston attractions rank at the top for Gunn? “The Rothko Chapel,” Gunn quickly replied.  “It is amazing.  You feel like you are hovering above ground,” he elaborated.  I can just see him sitting on the bench in the dark chapel, refining his thoughts and developing recommendations for clothing cohesion. 

This image stuck, so I decided to see what his thoughts were on some of the most oft-asked fashion queries.  First, what look do you dislike?  “Bare midriffs,” he sneered.  White after Labor Day?  “If you can pull it off,” he smirked.  How do you pull of seasonal looks with inclimate temperatures?  “Go for seasonal styles with a breathable fabric.  Use lighter layers, and don’t be afraid to break any rules,” said the expert.  “Above all, be true to yourself.”

As our time started together neared an end, I had to get a little gossip on Project Runway, past, present and future.  I confess, I didn’t watch season one, but immediately was drawn to the second season because of my fave,  Chloe Dao.  When asked his thought on Chloe he smiled and said, “Chloe is a fit master!  She had a consistent performance and was a favorite going into the finale.  I found out the winner when everyone else did and naturally, I was delighted.  Had competitor Santino won, we would have to change the name of the show to Project Freak Show, “ he jokingly added.  He shared that the new season, which premiered November 14th on Bravo, was the best yet!  “This season is a must-see, filled with characters you will love and hate!”    Further request for elaboration led Tim to say, “Tune in, you won’t be disappointed.”  I have been watching and, as usual, Mr. Gunn is right!  We will most likely be adding some posts as the season heats up…so stay tuned to Houston Photographer Brett Chisholm’s blog!

As we wrapped our chat, Tim signed books for our entourage as well as a book for our December 6th event with Brett Chisholm Photography, that featured a fashion show for Chloe Dao’s newest line, all benefiting SNAP (Spay Neuter Assist Program). 

As we shook hands and thanked his reps for the opportunity, I was able to ask one more question for our lady friends out there.  What is the one item women should splurge on?  “A great pair of shoes,” he said.  There you have it ladies, your license to splurge from the reigning expert and down-to-earth, classic gentleman. Just tell your husbands, boyfriends or anyone else who gives you grief – “Tim Gunn said I could!”

Ryan Rice
Ryan@RyanRicePR.com