Danielle Krage
📍Dartmoor (a beautiful national park in the UK) | Writer and Speaker Coach
📝 Editor’s Note | Rob Belk
Daddy Tom died when I was seven.
In our brief overlap, I didn’t get a chance to know my grandfather as well as I would have liked. I am confident we would have been as thick as thieves given our shared obsession with Charlotte sports and the energy of live events.
His office was near the old Charlotte Hornets arena. He was infamous for cutting out from work to catch games at “The Hive,” always accompanied by a large bucket of popcorn. An early champion of bringing the Carolina Panthers to Charlotte, he also joined Duke basketball’s Iron Dukes booster program for one reason: two tickets at Cameron Indoor to watch the Tar Heels play their archrival.
I have never felt so close to him as I did this past week when I found an original letter he had written during WWII. I knew he had served in the Navy in the Pacific, but was stunned to learn that he initially piloted a landing craft. Those of you who have seen D-Day documentaries know what I’m talking about, the kind of boat that could ferry infantry directly onto the hellfire beaches of Iwo Jima and Guadalcanal. My first thought wasn’t just about his bravery and the connection I felt through his written words, but also about the intense terror of driving toward those beaches.
Thank you, Daddy Tom, for the life you lived and the legacy you left behind. Here's hoping the Hornets and Panthers can eventually make you proud...
Without further ado….
Why Danielle?
Danielle was recommended by her husband, Jeremiah. He wrote me saying, “I know I am biased, but she is one of the most interesting people that I know….she sets creative quests that people are often very curious about. For example, writing 52 short stories in a year (in under 2h each), interviewing 52 guests for her Comedy Masterclass podcast.” I love the uniqueness and creativity of Danielle’s interests and recommendations.
Self-Description
Word-nerd and story fiend, with a deep love for comedy. And tea! (I am a Brit, after all. 🙂)
Danielle’s 6 Recommendations
Written in her own words…
1. Patriot (Amazon Prime)
I’m obsessed with Patriot (created by Steven Conrad). So much so that I’ve recently watched both series for a second time.
The main character, John Tavener, is an intelligence officer—but this is not your regular spy show. It’s both visually poetic and darkly funny.
We follow John as he works undercover as a piping engineer, while compulsively telling the truth through the folk songs he writes and performs. (A problem!)
This music is used brilliantly throughout the show, and adds to its melancholy, surreal, and deeply human vibe. It’s different, for sure, but I love both the craft and the heart of it.
2. The Anthropocene Reviewed, by John Green
I’m nearing the end of Ray Bradbury’s 1000 Nights challenge—to read a poem, a short story, and an essay every night. (I’ll include more about this below for anyone who’s curious.)
If I’d seen this title without any context, I don’t think I would’ve guessed how fun and fascinating this essay collection would be.
You’ll find all manner of things—from Canada Geese to the QWERTY keyboard—rated on a five-star scale, in a way that is both delightful and moving.
It’s a firm favourite, and the kind of book I’ll definitely read again.
3. Tea House Emporium (in Bath, UK)
Some people are coffee connoisseurs. Not me! I have a tea library (aka a cupboard full of jars of loose-leaf tea). I order mine online from the very fancy-sounding Tea House Emporium, and combine them like a weird little mixologist.
My all-time favourite blend? Half a deliciously malty Assam (currently Ethelwold) and half something smoky (Golden Yunnan or Russian Caravan).
So I recommend getting a little loose-leaf with your teas. Mix away until it’s just to your taste.
4. “Three things you did well”
In my work as a speaker coach, I help people with their speaker mindset, content, and delivery—everything from dealing with nerves, to structuring their presentation, to pacing and pausing for better impact. But the tip I want to share is a meta tip (i.e., one you can use for whatever you’re up to). And it’s a tip I constantly come back to myself!
If you’ve pushed yourself to do something a little bit challenging (or a lot challenging)—in their case, giving a talk—it’s fine to note how you might improve. But also, make it a habit to write down three things you did well. It can be anything from the entire process.
We can be pretty skimpy with praise when it comes to ourselves, which is tough, especially when we’re being brave and putting ourselves out there. It only takes a minute or two to acknowledge, ‘Good job on this, this, and this.’ So why is even that such a challenge? I promise it’s worth doing, and I still have to nudge myself to do it.
5. Oxford Colour Gel Pens, Ten Pack
You might be unsurprised to find that I’ve tested a lot of pens. And that I have a lot of opinions on the pen front. Pens that delight me. Pens that annoy me and end up in a jar by the fridge for other people to use.
My most recent favourites are these coloured gel pens. Yes, I like all the technical stuff—ink flow and fineness—but I’m also REALLY enjoying the colour range. It’s a personal hack for taking myself a bit less seriously. A to-do list written in bright orange seems a lot less frownsome to me.
6. Bodleian Library Tour (Oxford, UK)
Even though I live in the UK, I visited the Bodleian Libraries for the first time last year. (They do release some tickets on the day, but it’s a good idea to book ahead, as most areas are only accessible via tour.) I took the 60-minute tour, and it was fabulous!
And if you’re thinking, Danielle, enough with the word-nerdery—don’t worry! You don’t even have to go inside the libraries. You can stroll around the streets of Oxford, goggling at the fine (and very old) buildings: cupolas, steeples, gargoyles… so fun!
Bonus: Ray Bradbury’s 1000 Nights Challenge
For anyone curious about Ray Bradbury’s challenge to read a poem, a short story, and an essay each night for 1000 nights, here’s a video where he talks with great zest about how it will plant ideas and metaphors in your head, like pomegranate seeds. It’s a joyful talk about reading and writing — a fun watch for any fellow word-nerds. Watch the video:
I’ve been tracking what I’ve read here. I’ll be sharing a full list of tips for making it extra doable when I finish (July 2025). One tip I’ll share now: audio can be your friend!
Plug | Remote Speaker Coach
You can find the ways I work with people as a speaker coach here.
I’m not at all scary. (I am not counting your ummmms.) Here’s what people say about working with me.
Also, if you’re curious about doing Quests like the Ray Bradbury 1000 Nights Challenge, I’m always happy to answer questions. I’m currently piloting a fun programme to help people (link).
(There’s a fun quiz to find out if you’re also a Questioning Quester.)
A Questing approach has helped me write 52 short stories in a year, and interview 52 guests for my Comedy Masterclass podcast (where I dig into narrative comedy). It’s been an incredibly fun and rewarding way to create consistently, even with a full-on work and home life. I’m excited to share all the things that have made it doable, so feel free to ask.
Want to get in touch with Danielle? Email her at d@remotespeakercoach.com.
A goal this year is to profile a Substack writer with 25,000+ subscribers. Can anyone make an introduction on my behalf? If so, please reply to this email.
P.S. from Rambull — Credit to my wife for finding this $12 refrigerator lazy susan. I appreciate how it organizes our core condiments, making it easier to access them. Highly recommended for young families that need easy access to many different condiments for their kids.
Getting “loose leaf” with your teas was exactly the statement I needed to become excited to dabble in this world. Bravo