Sandi Jerome

Sandi Jerome (the former Sandy Cook of Escondido) is a Cherokee Nation storyteller who brings the cinematic intensity of the screen to the magic of the page. A celebrated voice in both film and fiction, Sandi holds an advanced degree in screenwriting from UCLA and is a two-time winner of the Native American Media Alliance fellowship. She is a Nicholl's Fellowship finalist with two screenplays and has been recognized by Page International, Final Draft Big Break, and the Austin Film Festival for her sharp, evocative storytelling. With a professional background that includes a produced animated script by BlackOrb Studios and multiple optioned projects, including Hijacked (the story of Flight 705's heroes) and Wilma Wallaby (in development as an animated web series), she crafts worlds that aren't just read but are experienced.

In her Ani-Waya Legends: A New Era of Cherokee Heroes Series - her first book, Blood Moon Wolf, weaves her Cherokee heritage into high-stakes YA fantasy, exploring themes of bloodline secrets, ancestral power, and the fierce resilience of Indigenous-inspired heroes Dakota and Aya. Her next book, Sleep Warrior, is a prequel and traces the Cherokee tribe back to North Carolina, where Aya and Dakota first met. In Sandi's Kira and Henry series, she introduces readers to a princess with a hidden raptor bloodline navigating an enchanted forest where magic and danger intertwine.

When she isn't writing screenplays or building the next installment of her Ani-Waya, Kira and Henry, or Wilma Wallaby: Genius Girl Detective series, she is enjoying the Disney Parks, where she is an annual passholder. She is also the author of A Walking Tour of Disney's Zoo, a guide to Disney's Animal Kingdom.