1. Q & A with Cynthia Daddona
Author of Diary of A Modern Day Goddess
www.ModernDayGoddess.com
Cynthia Daddona is also the host of
®
RomancingTheTable.com . For a specific Q&A go
to RomancingTheTable.com/press-room
What exactly is a “modern-day goddess”?
To me, a modern-day goddess is a woman who focuses more on her inner spirit than her inner
thighs! Joking aside, a modern-day goddess is a woman who is in touch with her feminine,
spiritual and joyful self. She is a woman of courage, who listens to her intuition, creates an
authentic life and makes a difference in the world by her very presence.
Why did you choose the name modern-day goddess?
I know some may say, who am I to call myself a goddess? But I use the term in a lighthearted
humorous way, the same way Bette Midler named herself the Divine Miss M. I selected the
name modern-day goddess as a reminder for myself and all women to honor, respect and nurture
our divine selves.
Why the crown on your head?
On my book cover and media tour, I wear a wreath and flowers on my head to remind me to
lighten up about life and keep me in touch with my clown chakra. Basically, I believe all women
are modern-day goddesses who may just be stuck with negative messages they’ve collected
throughout life. When you wear a crown on your head, you can’t do it without tapping into good
feelings about yourself.
So, I recommend everyone give it a try – men and women. I've received so many requests from
so many people wanting their own goddess crowns, I've designed some which you can find in
my goddess store, complete with certificates. Along with my book, they make a great gift for
oneself, friends and loved ones.
What inspired you to write Diary of a Modern-Day Goddess?
I wrote it because I am an everyday woman with a never-ending quest to be completely in touch
with my feminine spirit, inner soul and inner comic. But I wasn’t always like that. One day I
started to notice that a lot of people, myself included, were getting too serious about
enlightenment. I had reached a point where I read so many self-help books, I was exhausted from
helping myself. It was then I realized a big part of enlightenment is about lightening up about
life.

2. At one time you were more worried about your inner thighs than your inner thoughts. What
changed that?
Like most people on the enlightened path, I had a major experience I call a cosmic kick in the
pants. I was in a motorcycle accident that shattered my writing wrist. That experience changed
everything because it made me realize my life could have ended without my having achieved my
dreams. From that I learned to nurture myself in a way I never had before, to listen to my
intuition and to commit 110% to helping others lighten up about life. Looking back, I now call
this event my “lucky break. ” And my message for people is not to wait until a major illness or
accident to listen to your intuition and change your life.
How can people put more humor, laughter and lightheartedness into their day?
By looking for the life lesson, spending time with your inner self through meditation or whatever
nurtures your soul and having a sense of humor about life. For example, if something happens in
your life that you think you might laugh at later, why not save time and laugh now? It can bring
you back to a more resourceful state. When you are feeling laugh deficient, respectful humor can
be very liberating.
With all her cosmic responsibilities, what does a goddess do to relax?
I’ve tried lots of things, which I write about in my book. But I follow a few essentials. I do yoga,
which keeps me fit and toned, but the first time I tried it I got my legs stuck in the lotus position.
I meditate for at least 15 minutes a day, which gives me a sense of my inner self, inner peace and
lightheartedness in the midst of everyday life. I started meditating because I was feeling burnt
out from a things-to-do list that looked like a volume of War and Peace. I also love to read – a
habit my father introduced me to at a young age. And of course laughing with others is
important. To me it’s a successful day if I laughed or made at least one other person laugh.
What kind of man wants to date or marry a goddess?
First, I want to clear up the misconception that a goddess is a high maintenance princess. On the
contrary, she is very much into taking responsibility for her own life and happiness. And most
men enjoy being with a woman who is in touch with her feminine essence – which translates into
a woman who is confident, joyful and intuitive, who communicates with integrity, who is good
to herself and others and in touch with her inner spirit. When a man and a woman both feel good
about themselves and communicate their love to on another on a consistent basis, they can create
a balanced and harmonious relationship that can be long lasting.
What does a goddess want in a man?
A goddess really appreciates a conscious male, which I wrote about in my book. A conscious
male is in touch with his inner essence, spirit and power in a balanced way. This is quite
attractive to a goddess. Why? Because he has the basics, such as love, trust, respect, tenderness,
honesty, kindness, communication, the ability to keep his word and the capacity to make us
laugh even when our hormones dip so low that even we don’t want to be around ourselves.
Basically, we want men who will do the dishes with us and love, adore and cherish us for the
goddesses that we are.

3. What is the benefit of raising little girls as goddesses?
We have a great opportunity to raise a whole new generation of little girls who will grow into
intuitive women with a strong sense of self-esteem and courage. By example, we can teach them
to spend quiet time with their inner self, to nurture their body, mind and spirit and to celebrate
their feminine nature. We can raise little girls to value commitment, kindness and laughter, to be
good communicators, to discover what brings them joy and to learn they make a difference in the
world by their very presence. I also believe in the philosophy of Girls Inc., whose mission is to
raise girls to be “strong, smart and bold.” While the organization is national, I feel blessed to
have a wonderful chapter here in Santa Barbara, California. I’ve enjoyed giving my support to an
organization that feels the same way I do about nurturing our next generation of girls into young
goddesses!
Do you think society is moving in the direction of placing more value on balanced living and
celebrating the feminine spirit?
I think there is definitely a shift happening in our society. People are realizing the need to
balance their lives by slowing down and going within, instead of always being on the go like a
warrior conquering the external world. According to authors Paul H. Ray and Sherry Ruth
Anderson, who wrote the book The Cultural Creatives, there are now 50 million people who
place a high value on a lifestyle of spirituality, sacred living and the female point of view. And I
think part of that sacredness can also include the way I use lightheartedness and laughter in my
book as a tool to teach inner wisdom.
What modern-day goddesses do you identify with the most and why?
There are many women. To name a few famous ones – Goldie Hawn, who is great at expressing
joy and who has created her own meditation room where she spends time in daily; Oprah, who is
a master at inspiring and entertaining us with her wisdom, interviews and humor; Bette Midler
for her courageous humor; and Carol Burnett for demonstrating what good clean laughing fun is
all about. All these women are in touch with their inner spirit, have discovered their “genius”
gifts and use them to make a difference in other people’s lives. And in the book world, we have
Positive & Affirmative Thinking Authors Catherine Ponder and Florence Scovel Shinn, whose
books taught me that words, thoughts and prayer can be a powerful force in creating the divine
plan of our lives. But a modern-day goddess doesn’t have to be famous – she can be your best
friend, mother, sister, teacher, grandmother, etc. Some of my girlfriends are modern-day
goddesses, and my grandmother Lucy, who passed on, still inspires me today. Remember, as
women, we can also be a goddess inspiration to ourselves!
Becoming a writer wasn’t an easy task for you. Tell us why.
Well, I grew up in an Italian-American family, with grandparents who migrated here from Italy.
Thus, we didn’t have a very good command of the English language, but we were good
storytellers. However, in 10th grade I was singled out for butchering the English language and
was handed a Basic English workbook to study. I felt embarrassed but persevered and kept
diaries along the way. Eventually, I got a degree in Broadcasting and Journalism. While in
college I worked as a news reporter for an ABC affiliate in Florida and found I cried over the bad
news because I was too sensitive. Eventually, I became a freelance lifestyle and entertainment
journalist while pursuing improv, acting and stand-up comedy. After my performance training, I

4. decided to use humor to go to a deeper level by inspiring and teaching others how to lighten up
about enlightenment. In 1999, I then co-founded the Santa Barbara Humor Society, where I
worked on my book, Diary of a Modern-Day Goddess, for two years before it was published.
Several years after its publication, I used my experience as a lifestyle journalist, video producer,
author and performer and created another website called RomancingTheTable.com®, which
celebrates life, love, food, travel and women’s wisdom. I believe experiencing quality time at the
table, eating healthy and delicious food, whether solo or with those you love, can be another way
to nurture one’s soul. A true modern-day goddess culinary goddess experience!
What advice do you have for writers?
Learn your craft, go to writer’s conferences, enter contests and join or create a writers group
because it will keep you writing and write what makes your heart sing. And remember to affirm
and visualize your success to manifest what you desire.
What is your final message to listeners, readers and viewers?
That you too can create a life filled with lightheartedness, grace, ease and abundance. It’s all in
my book, Diary of A Modern-Day Goddess. It happened to me; it can happen to you.
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To order Diary of A Modern Day Goddess, go to ModernDayGoddess.com, Amazon.com and
bookstores.
®
Cynthia Daddona is also the host of RomancingTheTable.com . For a specific Q&A go to
RomancingTheTable.com/press-room