Author Bio

Meet Demetria Victor Newman “Renaissance Woman”: Demetria is the quintessence of the term. Recognized by Harper’s Bazaar magazine as “FABULOUS AT EVERY AGE—2015,” Demetria is a devoted practitioner of happy, healthy and productive living.

Demetria earned her Master’s in Philosophy at American University in Washington, D.C. She is a certified yoga and meditation teacher with
special training in Therapeutic Yoga and has fulfilled the Cardiac and Cancer certification training. She is also a certified Reiki Master Teacher in the Usui System of Natural Healing. Demetria completed the Hippocrates Health Institute’s Life Change program in West Palm Beach, Florida, as well as the Healthy Living and Nutrition Advisor programs at the Sanoviv Medical Institute in Rosarito, Mexico. She also studied Panchakarma and the Yoga-Ayurvedic connection at Somatheeram in Kerala, India.

Demetria worked as an account executive and built her own successful marketing companies in New York City and Washington, D.C. These days she loves to walk, travel, teach, write, get involved with philanthropic activities and spend time with her family.

She wishes you true beauty in your life!

Author Photos

Photos by Don Baker

Photos by Jerry Metellus

Book Cover

Interview Questions

What inspired you to write The Beauty Enigma?

After speaking to women from around the globe, I found a commonality regarding being consumed with and disillusioned about measuring up to an unrealistic standard of beauty. I wanted to share aspects of my journey as a woman struggling to understand the illusive nature of beauty—to explore the definition of beauty and expose its unseen aspects. I was motivated to discuss how one transcends the constraints put upon us by a society that promotes we are our bodies.

I wanted to guide the reader toward finding a path to self-discovery and what really makes their lives rich and real. To examine some of the ways of becoming whole and healed in a fragmented, ever changing view of what a beautiful woman is “supposed” to be.  How to make peace with nature, feel connected to life and free to experience true happiness. How to begin the process of standing alone — yet together.

What is your vision for the book?

To invite women to alter their perceptions of beauty, allowing them to find their individual sensibility about (and own definition of) being beautiful through healthful life practices.

What is the purpose for writing The Beauty Enigma? 

To help women break away from stereotypes and celebrate their unique beauty in a healthy way—to empower and liberate women and encourage them to know their self-worth.

What do you see as the outcome?

A deeper understanding of beauty. It is a practical guide, filled with useful tips, to address body, mind, and spirit—to develop a beauty mindset and lifestyle.

Name 12 words that describe your book.

Thoughtful      Empowering        Practical             Informative

Spiritual          Inspirational         Motivational      Authoritative

Uplifting           Holistic                  Liberating          Healing

Describe what The Beauty Enigma is about.

The Beauty Enigma is a myth-buster, challenging perceptions of beauty and aging in our culture and encouraging women to be their own vision of “beautiful” is a practical, manageable guide to finding personal beauty—not found in needles or jars, but within ourselves. Every woman will find helpful tips and thoughtful perspectives to help express and celebrate her special, individual beauty.

Why is the book different than other books on the same subject?

The Beauty Enigma is a call for a paradigm shift on how we define beauty. It discusses the complexity of beauty and seeks to uncover all aspects of a woman’s real beauty. It invites the reader to expand their awareness and guides them through how to develop a beauty mindset and lifestyle.

The Beauty Enigma is about using every part of our being to embrace life and nature instead of engaging in a fight against aging. Information is presented as a resource-rich book with approachable content to stop the belief that we should not age, but rather use healthy techniques for agelessness.

This is a holistic approach to beauty with a range of techniques (meditation, yoga, exercise, nutrition and more) that can be individually tailored. These comprehensive, yet simple guidelines enable the reader (at any age) to be beautiful now and blossom into an even greater beauty (naturally) over time. Most importantly, The Beauty Enigma shows women are NOT “less than” because they do not fit today’s standard of beauty. There are meaningful alternatives to cutting, starving, injecting or ingesting our way to “perfection.”

What are some of the results or benefits the reader can expect from reading The Beauty Enigma?

• Think about beauty differently
• Have a healthier outlook
• Experience a greater sense of personal value
• Individual self-expression
• Thoughtful approach to living
• Create own regimen
• Think about body/mind/spirit connection
• Aging is not the enemy
• Feel a sense of empowerment and liberation
• See the possibilities
• Share knowledge with friends/community.

What is your personal take on diet, exercise, fashion and beauty?

On Diet: 

A balanced food plan keeps you healthy, happy and active. Drink plenty of water and eat a variety of raw “living food” and super foods. Keep it simple, don’t feel the need to put a label on your diet and enjoy eating.

On Exercise:

Get to know your body, what makes it feel good and have fun! It’s a gift to be able to move your body!

On Fashion:

Fashion is FUN! Look to fashion to help define and express your individual style. Fashion helps to keep your look fresh, not make you conform.

On Beauty:

Beauty is about self-acceptance. Be true to yourself. Beauty is a mindset—what you think and how you feel about beauty reflects your beauty.

There is an exercise in your book that requires the reader to start by standing in front of a mirror and looking deep into their eyes. What prompted you to create this exercise?

My intent was to make the eyes an anchor of truth. Most people find it very difficult to stand before a mirror and concentrate looking deeply into their eyes. It’s the most intimate of human experiences; it connects us to something real and deeper than ourselves and allows us to be less guarded and unfold in a positive light. It also allows one to recognize unkind actions towards others and self and begin to change.

When and why did you begin writing? 

My interest in writing originated while in high school when I participated in speech club and the National Forensic League. However, it wasn’t until I was in the Master’s program in Philosophy at American University that I began to explore writing more actively.

Do you have a specific writing style? 

I don’t consider myself as a great writer with a particular style. The Beauty Enigma is basically written from the heart based on some of my experiences and thousands of conversations with women of various ages and cultures.

How did you come up with the title?

Nearly 10 years ago, around three in the morning, I woke up, sat straight up in bed and announced, “I’m going to write a book called The Beauty Enigma.” Shortly thereafter, the pieces started to come together.

What is the single most important message you want readers to grasp?

That each and every one of them is a unique, one-of-a-kind expression of BEAUTY! Discover, nurture, express and celebrate your beauty every day!

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