Q&A with 2025 Short Fiction Contest Judge, Elysia Rourke
MG: What can you share about your upcoming debut novel, Whale Fall, planned with Penguin/Nancy Paulsen Books for 2026?
ER: Whale Fall is a children’s book for ages 8-12. It follows a killer whale from her life in the ocean with her pod to her capture by humans and subsequent life in a marine park. I was immensely moved by the documentary Blackfish (2013) and David Kirby’s book Death at Seaworld: Shamu and the Dark Side of Killer Whales in Captivity (2013).
Whale Fall is also inspired by the structure of Black Beauty, which follows a horse, Beauty, as he moves from one home to another and illustrates the power different people and systems have to impact his life along the way.
I’ll be posting updates to my website and Instagram (@elysiarourke).
MG: Do you have any other projects in the works?
ER: Always! In addition to short projects, I am working on two new novels for children. The first – more or less complete – is a survival story that follows a boy climbing Denali with his uncle after receiving some bad news at home.
The second novel I’m currently drafting is a cozy middle grade fantasy. I’m in the home stretch!
MG: What inspires or motivates you to write?
ER: I am typing this out while sitting at the beach, and somehow, I feel like my best ideas are generated in or around the water. I remember camping with my parents as a kid and standing in the lake, writing stories in my head, all summer long. I was always excited to get out in the canoe – something about the way a paddle connects with the water is mesmerizing and inspiring. That said, winters are long in Canada, so the shower helps in a pinch.
I’ve never really needed motivation to write. Similar to breathing, it just feels natural. A continuation of life.
MG: What elements do you think make a great short story?
ER: A strong hook and a decisive ending. I don’t mind being left with questions, but I love a short story to grab me from the start and toss me away at the end. I like to leave a narrative feeling changed in some way for having read it. This doesn’t mean it needs to be loud (though action-packed is fun too) – but even quiet stories should be spiritually and emotionally screaming.
MG: Any words of advice for writers entering our 2025 Short Fiction Contest?
ER: Cut your first and last paragraph, and see how the story fares without them. Write what feels true, and have fun with it. Try a perspective you’ve never considered before. I love to be surprised and challenged through prose. Don’t hold back!
It helps to look at your story as an opportunity. One of the novels I’m drafting came from a short story I entered in a contest just like this one. It didn’t win, but it did generate a wonderful idea that I’m gleefully pursuing.
Good luck!
Learn more about MoonLit Getaway's 2025 Short Fiction Contest here.
