Ink Worthy Books

Ink Worthy Books Helping you change the world by publishing your heart's story.

It was Warrior Wednesday, and there I laid flat on my back in my living room, a sweaty, breathy mess.I had just spent th...
07/30/2025

It was Warrior Wednesday, and there I laid flat on my back in my living room, a sweaty, breathy mess.

I had just spent the past hour sweating my way through an intense but juicy workout with my online fitness tribe—and I was thrilled to be cooling down. As the instructor told us to relax every muscle and melt into the floor, I complied. I took a deep breath in and just let it all go. And I listened to the soothing melody as my mind tuned into the lyrics as it always does. The song starts with:

You gave me a shoulder when I needed it
You showed me love when I wasn’t feeling it
You helped me fight when I was giving in
And you made me laugh when I was losing it

Aww, I think, that’s sweet. I’ve had many loves in my life, and they would arguably fit the description of the “you” in the first verse of the song. But when it came to the chorus, something felt different:

‘Cause you are, you are
The reason why I’m still hanging on
‘Cause you are, you are
The reason why my head is still above water

And if I could, I’d get you the moon
And give it to you
And if death was coming for you
I’d give my life for you

As fiercely and as deeply as I have loved each man who has played the role of “you,” I realized in that moment—lying on the carpet, staring at the ceiling, sweat dripping into my eyes—that no man fit those lyrics.

It came as a sudden jolt as I concluded that I would not give my life for anyone—except my kids.

Zane, my oldest, specifically entered my mind when Kina sang, “You are the reason why I’m still hanging on.”

He is the reason.

All of them are, but Zane and I have traversed some rocky terrain together, and he was the reason I kept going as a teenage mom who could have given up so many times. He has been the force behind much of my success and growth in life.

When I learned I was pregnant at 17, I had only one thought: I must do everything I can to give this baby the best life. That was when I promised him the moon—that was when he saved me.

I am beyond blessed, and today, my oldest blessing turns 23.

Love you to the moon and back, kid. Happy birthday, Zane!

“The Ladder Is Rigged” 🧡🧡
05/30/2025

“The Ladder Is Rigged” 🧡🧡

A poem of sorts 🙏
04/22/2025

A poem of sorts 🙏

I went out last night. By myself. I went to see a local cover band perform. They were good. I had an amazing time watchi...
04/12/2025

I went out last night. By myself.

I went to see a local cover band perform. They were good. I had an amazing time watching them play music I love.

As I was singing and dancing, a guy started chatting me up. An uber fan. He told me about all the times he’d seen this band and the original band play.

He eventually got around to what I expected I might hear:

“Hey Danielle, are you single?”

“Technically, yes.”

“Well, I think you’re gorgeous and I’d love to take you on a date.”

I told him I’d think about it. Because the thing is, if I dated every man who came up to me and told me I’m beautiful, I’d never be single a day in my life.

I’m just not impressed with “I think you’re gorgeous” followed immediately with “let’s go out.”

And quite frankly, he wasn’t all that attractive, but if he would have even said, “I’d love to buy you a drink and chat a bit after this,” I might have said yes.

Why?

Because my beauty is the least interesting thing about me, and I think your beauty is the least interesting thing about you too. I can’t begin to describe how sexy it is when a man can teach me something. Or hold a conversation that carries depth.

But so many of us start and end with looks.

I know, this might come across as a “pretty girl problem.” But as I age and my looks change, I’m finding myself feeling stronger about this.

It’s really not how I want to experience dating. I want to know that there’s literally ANYTHING else that you find worth exploring about me, AND for you to show me there’s something more about you than your ability to use your eyes.

I want to know that there’s depth, substance, something hefty beneath your good looks. And I want to show you the same about me.

In the words of one of my favorite humans: “I want a soul mate who can sit me down, shut me up, tell me ten things I don’t already know, and make me laugh. I don’t care what you look like, just turn me on. And if you can do that, I will follow you on bloody stumps through the snow. I will nibble your mukluks with my own teeth. I will do your windows. I will care about your feelings. Just have something in there.” ~ Henry Rollins

Just have something in there.

About 11 years ago, a text message saved my life. I was nearing 30 and had spent most of the previous decade pregnant or...
03/16/2025

About 11 years ago, a text message saved my life.

I was nearing 30 and had spent most of the previous decade pregnant or breastfeeding and caring for small children.

I worked full time, earned two advanced degrees, and then came home each night to care for my children. To say I was even on the bottom of my own list would be generous. I wasn’t.

On my maternity leave with Aven, I didn’t know but I was struggling with postpartum depression. I spent most of my days in bed with her, binging Netflix and eating cookies with Nutella. I had to force myself to do basic housework by sneaking a shot of whiskey I hid under the bathroom sink.

One day, I knew it had gotten bad when that one shot wasn’t working like it should have. I called my husband to come home. I heard him come in the garage below my bedroom a short while later, but instead of coming to check on me, he mopped the floor.

He said he wanted to give me space. But I didn’t want space. I wanted love.

While sharing my heartache with my friend Dan later that night, he sent me a quote that has literally shifted the trajectory of my life:

“The greatest gift you can give somebody is your own personal development. I used to say, ‘If you will take care of me, I will take care of you.’ Now I say, ‘I will take care of me for you, if you will take care of you for me.’”

These words of Jim Rohn were what shook me wide awake. I realized I had been waiting around for others to love me but what I needed to do was to love MYSELF.

And from that moment on, that’s been my mission.

I started eating better, exercising, writing, reading more. I started showing myself love and care.

And over the past 11 years, my self-love had only deepened, although it’s taken different shapes.

This last year, after losing my friend, my world fell apart in many ways. I completely let go of nutrition, barely made it to the gym, didn’t read any nonfiction, and quit my daily journaling.

Last month, I decided it was time. With a new coach by my side, today was my first time back in the gym in months. I was humbled—big time—but it felt amazing to be showing up for myself like this again.

When you look around—when you get online and see what’s happening in the world—I’m guessing you feel things. A mixture o...
03/15/2025

When you look around—when you get online and see what’s happening in the world—I’m guessing you feel things. A mixture of emotions, likely. Anger, disappointment, frustration, fear.

Me too. 😔

And quite frankly, I’ve been wrestling with this for most of the year thus far.

You see, I want to be part of the change. I want to uplift my voice and speak against the injustices happening out there.

And I do in my own way, but it hardly feels like enough. No more than a drop in a bucket.

Recently, I felt pretty discouraged and helpless by this realization—by the fact that I was shouting nowhere near loud enough, that I was leading no charge, that I could not claim myself an “activist” in my own right.
What was contributing to move this world forward? It felt like nothing.

Then, in a loving conversation with my amazing coach, everything landed:

BOOKS.

📙 My contribution is books.

My solution to the darkness surrounding us is helping YOU uplift YOUR voice. It’s helping YOU move forward YOUR solution to the darkness. My role is to help you expand the reach your voice currently has.

If you have a powerful voice, a passionate message, and want to use that to see some change around here… good.

Come to Self-Publishing Class on March 27th to see what this journey will ask of you.

🔥 WHEN: March 27th, 3pm Central
🔥 WHERE: Zoom (it will be recorded)
🔥 COST: Free!
🔥 WHAT: Self-Publishing Class w/Danielle! We’ll go over the ENTIRE process of planning, writing, publishing, and marketing a high-quality and highly valuable self-published book.
🔥 WHO: For writers of nonfiction with a SOULFUL message to share!
🔥 HOW TO SIGN UP: 🔗 in bio

See you there, firestarter.

💖💖💖

He used me as a bookmark.Months after my friend Dan passed away last year, his sister asked me if wanted some of his boo...
03/12/2025

He used me as a bookmark.

Months after my friend Dan passed away last year, his sister asked me if wanted some of his book collection.

Of course I said yes. Of course.

I loved Dan. I love books. And there is something so intimate about a person’s book collection—a reflection of their inner world.

I finally picked them up from her this past weekend, and my first move was to sit on the living room floor and take them out of the crate one by one.

Many I knew—no surprise there. Our inner worlds had overlapped for years. Many I knew of but had never read. And some were new to me.

Of particular interest were the two Ayn Rand books in the stack. She was an author I introduced him to, knowing he’d love her writing as much as I do. I was right—he did.

And I can’t tell you the immense joy of having had someone to share that love with, like an inside joke or a language only you two speak. I haven’t met many Rand fans in my life, but I had Dan, and he seemed to love her books as much as I do.

As I picked up “Anthem” and flipped through the pages, I imagined my friend’s hands in the place of mine. I could see him kicked back, relaxing, a barely perceptible smirk of enjoyment on his face, his blue eyes lit up from intense pondering.

I imagined he might think to himself that he’d have to tell “D” about something he’d read and see what she thought. (That’s what he called me all these years.)

And suddenly, out she fluttered—the OG “D” in the form of my senior photo. Scrawled on the back is my favorite Rand quote: “The question isn’t who is going to let me. It’s who is going to stop me.”

I don’t recall why I gave this to him, but the bent and ripped edges tell me that it was gently loved by him. That every time he cracked open this book (and maybe even others), he took out my photo and smiled. That I was right there with him, no matter the distance of days or miles that separated us.

There’s just something so fu***ng touching about the idea that his love for me survived his death and is now sitting in my hands as proof. I always knew he loved me, but this just makes it so tangible—so real.

I wonder if he ever thought that could happen.

About 15 years ago, I was pregnant with my third child.It was May, and we had a wedding to go to, tasking me with the mi...
02/09/2025

About 15 years ago, I was pregnant with my third child.

It was May, and we had a wedding to go to, tasking me with the miserable chore of finding something nice to wear.

So there I stood that morning, in my walk-in closet throwing a fit.

I was eventually convinced that I would look “fine” in anything, so that’s what I wore: anything. It was dumb and I hated it, but at least I was dressed.

I couldn’t get out of that wedding fast enough. After returning home, I changed back into my usual weekend attire and decided I needed a little retail therapy to cheer me up.

There was really only one place that would do the trick: the pet shop.

I pulled up, walked in, and there she was: a tiny white fluffball with stunning blue eyes and a sweet little gray nose. I don’t recall seeing anything else but her before running to find a clerk to help me open the cage so I could hold her.

She was perfect, and I fell instantly in love.

Soon, we were on the road home, me and my emotional impulse purchase who was eventually given the name Layla Gray.

She was so prim and proper. A serious stunner, elegant and proud. She took no s**t from anyone, and she guarded our family so well. Layla was smart as hell, and no matter how many times I tried, I could never get her to fall for any of those stupid cat tricks. God I loved her. Sassy, smart, beautiful.

But mostly, Layla was a love bug, and took every opportunity to trade loud purrs and head bumps for treats or snuggles from all of us.

She was the most precious friend I’ve ever had, and, sadly, she left me yesterday. I am absolutely crushed, but I feel so blessed to have had her in my life for all these years, and I’m so thankful I was able to comfort her while she took her last breath.

I will miss her dearly.

I love you sweet Layla Lady. Thank you for your precious heart and your tender love. We were so blessed to have loved and known you.

💖💖💖

If you are feeling bored without TikTok, here’s an idea to fill your time: Instead is spending more time on other apps, ...
01/19/2025

If you are feeling bored without TikTok, here’s an idea to fill your time:

Instead is spending more time on other apps, start writing your book!!

You’re welcome. 😘

🙏💖✨
01/15/2025

🙏💖✨

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