From blog posts to book: Daniella Chase’s journey of creativity and conviction has led her to publish her first book

It’s not every day that someone leaves the security of a full-time job and the comfort of familiarity to venture into the unknown in pursuit of purpose.
Yet for Daniella Chase, a proud daughter of Bartica, Guyana, taking flight—literally and metaphorically—was not a risk, but a necessary step toward uncovering her truest self. That bold decision would later lead her to write and self-publish her book – ‘Becoming Bolder with every step’ that has already begun to shift the mindsets of many. Her deepest aspiration is that, with each chapter readers explore, they will discover the courage to let go of their fears, wholeheartedly embrace the journey ahead, and recognise that they are enough.
In a recent interview, Chase shared insight into the path that led her to publishing.

Born and raised in the riverine town of Bartica, she later moved to the coast after sitting the Common Entrance exam in 2008 to attend President’s College.
After completing high school, Daniella enrolled at the University of Guyana (UG) in 2013 to study Communication Studies. Her original goal was to pursue law—following in the footsteps of her brother. However, the journey took a detour when she discovered a love for communications and storytelling. With encouragement from her hard-working mother—a single parent who emphasised the importance of education above all—Daniella pressed forward.
“My mom always said if anything happened to her, we must have our education. So school was not optional—it was the plan,” she said.
Midway through her studies, she began working; juggling both academic and professional responsibilities. Yet by 2021, a growing sense of dissatisfaction set in.
She described the feeling as being “stuck”, recognising that her life had to be more than sitting behind a desk. The dream of travelling began to stir in her, but she was hesitant to voice it.
“Even when I told friends, some of them were like, ‘Daniella, what kind of white-woman behaviour is this? Who quits a good job to travel?’” she recalled, laughing.
Still, her gut feeling never wavered. Once the moment felt right, she submitted her resignation letter on a Monday and was out of the country by the next Monday—committed to a new path with only a vision board that read: “If it’s going to be, it’s up to me.”
Once abroad, the idea of writing a book began to take root. A lifelong lover of writing, Daniella started sharing blog posts—little pieces of her travel adventures, personal stories, and reflections.
The reception was immediate. Friends and followers reached out, relating deeply to her anecdotes. One post in particular, about being kicked out of a dance group in school, resonated strongly with readers.
“Even adults messaged me saying the story brought back memories of their own rejection and growth,” she shared. Yet even as her writing gained traction, doubts lingered. She hadn’t seriously considered writing a book, and the thought of making a living through writing seemed far-fetched.
“I wanted to be rich,” she said frankly. “And I didn’t see how writing a book would get me anywhere close. I never saw Guyanese writers as financially successful. It always felt like being an artist was a side hustle, not a career.”
Still, she continued writing—blog after blog—until 2019, when she found herself stuck in Colombia during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
While teaching English as part of a volunteer programme, the world shut down, and so did her plans to return home. As countries arranged humanitarian flights for their citizens, she—a Guyanese national—had no such option.
“I was frustrated. I was asking God why I couldn’t go home,” she said. But in that stillness, a deeper calling emerged.
It was during those months of isolation that she received what she described as a divine assignment: to write a book. At first, she was unsure of what to write or how to structure it. But when she sat down at her computer, much of the content came from her blogs—already written pieces that she polished and expanded.
At the time, she was living off the income from her small business, Stiletto Fetish, a shoe brand she founded after leaving university.
Publishing the book, however, came with a hefty fee. Fortunately, through a series of events Daniella attributes to divine provision, she found an American publisher and managed to raise the necessary funds. A key part of the process, she emphasised, was the transformation of her blog into a book.
“I remember sitting at the computer thinking, ‘Well, I’m going to write a book, but then what is the book going to be about? What am I going to write about? How are the chapters going to come together?’ – Most of it came from the blog. In terms of what I was going to say—I was already saying it on the blog and in terms of the funding, God provided.”
Now that the book is completed, many people are beginning to witness the long road it took to get here. From the banks of Bartica to the hills of Colombia and back into the hearts of Guyanese readers, her story is one of resilience, self-belief, and the courage to follow conviction over convention. Interested persons who would like to buy a copy of the book can contact her at +592 684 3856.