Cyber Advisor
by Vonetta Booker

(Honey magazine, Sept. 2000) Welcome to the domain of online advice columnist Deborrah Cooper. 

Some people have a knack for giving straight, no-chaser advice about love and relationships.  Deborrah Cooper, a.k.a. “Ms. Heartbeat,” has parlayed that talent into a website, Askheartbeat.com. 

Wherever I went, people would approach me, seeking a listening ear and thoughtful advice that would work,” says Cooper, who’s also done stints as an AOL advice columnist and cable TV host.  Now her comfort and counsel attract more than three million hits per month. 

Askheartbeat.com is a one-stop resource for black romance advice.  Although the site features a popular discussion board and relationship articles by a myriad of contributors, the main attraction is Cooper’s bi-weekly advice column.  She pulls no punches with the “babymamadrama,” mixing warm wisdom with sassy humor and startling bluntness. 

Cooper’s biggest surprise was how the site rapidly gained the respect of not only black Internet users, but the entire online community, as well.  “I discovered that the issues are the same,” she says.  “Trust, cheating, lying and game-playing exist in relationships all over the world, no matter what race, color or creed—nor does it matter what the sexual origin.  We all want love and we all have issues with getting it the way we want.”