Defying the Doubters Early On Sandy Malone’s desire to tell stories started at a young age in front of her mother’s typewriter. Despite her mother insisting she choose a career like dentistry or law as a fallback, Sandy was drawn directly to journalism. As editor of her high school newspaper, she sparked national attention—and earned a temporary suspension from her Catholic girl school—after publishing an advertisement for a helpline for LGBTQ youth on the same page as crisis hotlines. That early brush with controversy did not slow her down. She went on to attend Ohio University and Ohio State, winning journalism awards while covering the local police beat.

Her investigative reporting quickly earned her a full ride to Georgetown University’s Institute on Political Journalism and a position as managing editor at Campaigns & Elections Magazine by the age of twenty-two. Soon after, she landed a column with The Wall Street Journal in New York. Though her mother had warned that she would end up writing obituaries on an overnight shift in the Midwest, Sandy proved that her writing voice was a force to be reckoned with.

PR, Vieques Island, and Reality TV Seeking new challenges and financial stability, Sandy transitioned from journalism into public relations and government affairs in Washington, D.C.. One of her key clients was the government of Puerto Rico, where she served as a lead media strategist during efforts regarding Vieques Island. She fell in love with the island, eventually moving there with her husband—a retired D.C. SWAT commander—to open a wedding planning business.

The business quickly expanded, growing from an anticipated two weddings a month to hosting nineteen weddings in its very first August. Their high-stakes island logistics caught the attention of television producers, resulting in the TLC reality series Wedding Island. Throughout this time, Sandy never stopped writing; she penned columns for Brides, Condé Nast, and spent eight years as a contributor for HuffPost.

When Hurricane Maria devastated Vieques Island in 2017, destroying infrastructure and cutting power for seventeen months, Sandy and her husband leveraged their backgrounds to coordinate emergency airlifts and relief efforts from D.C.. The disaster closed the wedding business, leading Sandy to her next chapter as Editor-in-Chief of the Police Tribune after moving to Jekyll Island, Georgia.

Stepping into the World of Fiction Eventually, Sandy realized it was time to fulfill her lifelong dream of writing fiction. “Let’s do it. Now or never. Let’s just do it,” she recalled thinking. She wrote her first two mystery books in just a few weeks. However, stepping into fiction proved far more intimidating than news reporting. In journalism, facts and sources back every claim, whereas releasing a novel left her feeling completely exposed—describing the delivery of her first batch of printed books as feeling like “stripping naked and walking through the lobby of a museum”.

Her debut mystery, Escape to Jekyll Island, launched her fiction career across major platforms and local bookstores. She followed this success with her standalone novel, Thicker Than Blood, a story following three generations of women trapped in a dark patriarchal family cycle, partially inspired by her mother’s journey with Alzheimer’s disease.

The Key to Finishing Your Manuscript For women hesitant to release their own books, Sandy offers practical encouragement. She stresses the importance of ignoring naysayers, seeking out positive author communities, and leaving toxic social spaces. Most importantly, she shares her single biggest structural tip for writers struggling to complete a draft: know how your story concludes before you begin. Having a clear destination ensures that your ideas stay focused and lead toward a powerful finishing line.