Sandra Chwialkowska: On the Complexities of Female Friendship
In this interview, author Sandra Chwialkowska discusses how observing a woman alone on vacation led to her debut literary suspense novel, The Ends of Things.
Sandra Chwialkowska is a television writer and producer who splits her time between Los Angeles and Toronto. Most recently, she served as writer and co–executive producer on the Golden Globe–nominated ABC series “Alaska Daily,” created by Oscar-winning writer Tom McCarthy and starring two-time Oscar winner Hilary Swank. Sandra holds a BA in literature from Yale. Follow her on X(Twitter), Facebook, and Instagram.
In this interview, Sandra discusses how observing a woman alone on vacation led to her debut literary suspense novel, The Ends of Things, her advice for other writers, and more.
Name: Sandra Chwialkowska
Literary agent: Abby Walters at CAA
Book title: The Ends of Things
Publisher: Blackstone Publishing
Release date: January 14, 2025
Genre/category: Literary Suspense
Elevator pitch: When a sole female traveler disappears from a lux beach resort in the Bahamas, fellow vacationer Laura Phillips becomes obsessed with the missing woman and embroiled in the police investigation that unfolds.
What prompted you to write this book?
A few years ago, when I vacationed with my boyfriend at a couples beach resort in the Bahamas, I observed a woman vacationing alone. At first, I was intrigued—why did she come to a romantic resort by herself? Then, observing the woman, I realized I was no longer just me. I was one half of a couple. I was now a we. Initially, this had felt exciting, but suddenly it felt defining. I found myself becoming jealous of the woman—why didn’t I have the confidence to travel alone? Then, I got angry—who did she think she was? I didn’t know where these emotions were coming from, but I was so struck by my complicated feelings that I wrote a short story about my experience. That story grew longer and longer and ultimately evolved into this novel.
How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?
I got the idea for the novel in 2018, started writing in earnest in 2020, submitted the manuscript to an agent in 2021, and my publisher made an offer in 2022. I worked with an editor in 2023, and my novel pubs on January 14, 2025. All in all: Six and a half years from idea to publication. The idea stayed pretty much the same throughout the process.
Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?
I was surprised how long the process takes from the day you receive an offer to pub day. Working with my developmental editor was a masterclass in suspense storytelling, and working with my acquisitions editor and marketing team was a fascinating education in how important comp titles and BISAC subject codes are in order to market your book to your ideal reader.
Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?
I didn’t initially set out to write about a complicated friendship from my heroine’s past. The character of Chloe popped into my head as I was writing, and she wouldn’t leave me alone. I gradually realized I needed to incorporate her into Laura’s journey.
What do you hope readers will get out of your book?
Initially, I set out to write a mystery about a woman who goes missing at a beach resort, but as I got deeper into the process, I realized my book was about something else: The complexities of female friendship and the female experience as a performative condition. I wanted to find answers to questions that plagued me: Is a woman truly allowed to be alone in the world? If so, why does society cast judgment on a solitary woman?
If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?
The most important part is finishing your first draft. That means making the time every day to do a little bit of writing. Even 20 minutes counts. It’s about getting your butt in the chair. Also, you don’t really know what your novel is about until you’ve written it. So, the purpose of your first draft is to figure out what you’re trying to say. The purpose of your second draft is to go back and make it look like you knew what you were doing all along.
Robert Lee Brewer is Senior Editor of Writer's Digest, which includes managing the content on WritersDigest.com and programming virtual conferences. He's the author of 40 Plot Twist Prompts for Writers: Writing Ideas for Bending Stories in New Directions, The Complete Guide of Poetic Forms: 100+ Poetic Form Definitions and Examples for Poets, Poem-a-Day: 365 Poetry Writing Prompts for a Year of Poeming, and more. Also, he's the editor of Writer's Market, Poet's Market, and Guide to Literary Agents. Follow him on Twitter @robertleebrewer.
