Stupid. Ugly. Infertile. Dirty. Immoral. Pervert. Worthless. Slut. Have you ever found yourself speaking these or any number of cold, mean-hearted names to your own reflection? Monika spent most of her life internalizing these awful descriptors as innate and wholeheartedly true. From the influences of friends, family, religion, society, and romantic partners came a belief that her life was for others and not for herself. That sexual pleasure was for men only. That the abuse suffered in her marriage was deserved. That her life would never amount to anything. That happiness and joy were emotions reserved for others, never to be felt in her own life. Through a tumultuous span of years dealing with infertility, various deaths of loved ones, divorce, and coming out as queer and polyamorous, Monika found her way to a more peaceful and empowered life–one that is lived on her own terms and that is far from “by the books”.

Worthless Slut is a collection of life’s lessons to help anyone who has ever felt different or alone in their journey or who has felt silenced by the weight of the world around them. Monika shows you that dealing with your shame and guilt and processing your traumas can lead you to fulfillment and doesn’t have to be a lonely journey. That in telling our stories, we strip the layers of stigma away and begin to connect with ourselves and others as the flawed and beautiful beings we all are. Only then do we reframe our self-loathing to self-love and see ourselves as worthy of all life has to offer.

About the author: Monika (they/her/hers) lives in Colorado with her partner and their barrage of animals. They also have a long-term boyfriend whom they see weekly. They work a full-time job at a big company but enjoy scuba diving, entertaining, and writing outside of work. They are happiest when connecting with people on the deep, personal subject and getting to use their empathic gifts to help others better understand themselves and live the life they desire.