Diving in Stilettos First ― Memoirs of Dating Mr. Right Now

Single life in New York City is something Shaunie thought was far behind her. That is until her husband dropped a bomb days after her birthday that would leave her no choice but to end their union. Challenged by the reality of heartbreak, she breaks free from regret and never looks back. This charming, career driven event planner would enter her 30's as a single independent woman ready to embrace her new beginning. Armed with wit, a sense of humor and plenty of wine, she embarks on her bright future full of hope to find love again. With her girls by her side, she will encounter blasts from the past, make new acquaintances, dabble in online dating and ultimately discover herself along the way. How hard could it be to find "The One"? Will juggling two jobs interfere with her personal life? Will the men drain her energy or lift her spirit? Getting back onto the dating scene is not easy, but with whatever challenges she faces, she's Diving In Stilettos First.

My name is Shauntay Lucinda Dunbar and I am a writer. That was literally the first time I’ve ever typed that sentence and let me tell you, it feels amazing. I am 35 years old and was born and raised in Bronx, New York. I went to Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland and graduated in 2003 with my Bachelors in Marketing. Currently I am an event planner for a luxury publisher and I absolutely love what I do. I’ve been planning events since college; I enjoy the preparation behind the scenes and watching it all come together. Makes sense that I would enjoy the process of self-publishing my first book. Diving in Stilettos First is a true story about my actual dating life over the past 5 years. Shaunie is my nickname used by family and close friends. It provides a level of comfort for me so I call myself Shaunie throughout the book. Every scenario in this book actually happened. Every character is a real human with real feelings, so I have opted to change the names to protect the innocent. Being a single woman in New York City has taught me a lot about myself. I finally understand that nothing worth having comes easy. I’ve learned to embrace all of my struggles and laugh at myself quite often. Each experience has made me stronger and certainly made me appreciate my wins so much more. When you earn the things you receive, no one can take it away from you. Trust me when I say there is an ultimate comfort in knowing that. I have plenty of goals for the future and plan to achieve every one. I’m no stranger to the grind. I work on being the best possible me every day and I hope I inspire others to do the same. When you are secure with who you are as a person, your opportunities are limitless. I’m ready to step into my purpose and pay it forward. You can’t grow as a person and not share what you’ve learned. God didn’t give you your gift so you could keep it to yourself.