Nicole Saint-Clair

Laurie Maloney (pen name Nicole Saint-Clair) graduated from University of South Carolina in 1985 with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism, and from Southern Wesleyan University in 1992 with a Master of Arts in Management. She currently lives in Greenville NC (home of the East Carolina University Pirates) with her husband of more than 25 years, Matt, and their furry friend, Buccaneer.

"Broken Sand Dollar – Finding The Missing Peace" was originally published during the summer of 2016. She felt compelled to tell her story after experiencing PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), the result of a series of incidents linked to sexual violence. She originally began writing for therapeutic purposes. After more than three years of writing, this ultimately developed into a published memoir. However, "Broken Sand Dollar" isn’t told in typical memoir fashion. In fact, the story unfolds much more like a psychological thriller. Laurie (Nicole) is simply a character in the book.

“Originally, it helped to write about myself in third person. This writing style allowed me to detach myself from, not only some unfortunate incidents during my youth, but also from the traumatic events that unfolded during the next three decades into adulthood.”

While many authors write using pen names, she ultimately decided that adding her given name (Laurie Wightman Maloney) allowed her to speak more openly about the sequence of events. The #MeToo Movement of 2017 occurred after her first book’s original release. Why is "Broken Sand Dollar" different from others who speak out amidst the #MeToo movement? Actually, every woman’s story is different when we take the time to listen and understand. This story is living proof that, no matter how hard we all try, we can never sweep sexual violence under the rug – not just mentally, but physically. Not to mention, this type of violence can escalate over time and ultimately affect more people than the perpetrator(s) and the targeted victim(s). Even though characters in "Broken Sand Dollar" live throughout the globe, and are from all walks of life, the world is very small.

She spends most of her leisure time volunteering in the community. She previously served on the local board of directors for a rape crisis center for over ten years (REAL Crisis Center), and East Carolina University's Pitt County Pirate Club board of directors for six years. She currently serves on the board of directors for Humane Society of Eastern NC. She’s past President and current board member of Magnolia Arts Center, a local performing arts organization. She’s also a member of the Service League of Greenville. Founded in 1938, the Service League of Greenville, Inc is a non-profit, all-volunteer service organization of approximately 165 women who donate willingly of their time and talent for the benefit of their community — Greenville, Pitt County, and eastern North Carolina.

Laurie has a successful 30-year professional career in public relations & sales. She currently aspires to found her own non-profit, Broken Sand Dollar Foundation, with a mission to continue educating and advocating to deter sexual violence.

After speaking publicly and answering numerous questions from readers during the first two years of the book’s original release, she decided to publish a new edition in 2018 ($11.50/Stratton Press published version). After listening intently to questions and reviews, she hopes this new edition will capture the true meaning of what occurred – nothing that will alter the original meaning, but rather clarify it. This latest edition is divided into three sections as the storyline unfolds in three distinct time periods and mindsets. The full story spans three decades and occurs throughout the globe. She added a question/answer section at the end.

The story is true and unfolds exactly as she remembers it. Only the identities (names and titles), and a few of the places, were changed. She’s often asked, “Did you really cross that guy’s path in England?” The answer: “Yes, I crossed his path in Stratford Upon Avon in 1999, but this was nothing more than happenstance.” The world is very small - too small for any of us to believe we can sweep this issue under the rug. Life simply doesn't work that way.

She deeply feels that the theme of her life for the last several years has been, "Trust In The Lord With All Your Heart. Lean Not Unto Your Own Understanding." - Proverbs 3:5

God is leading her down this path.