“Whale pumped her tail against the rough Pacific waters, unable to contain her excitement. She swam close to the surface, rising for breath to maintain the pace Grandmother set. For her entire life, what little of it there had been, Whale looked forward to her pod’s yearly voyage to the Itching Spot. Grandmother led the way. She insisted the family visit as she had in her calfhood.” opens Whale Fall.
For her writing efforts in her graduating year of 2009 from Sacred Heart Catholic High School, Elysia Rourke was awarded The Stittsville News Quill Award, presented by John Curry. Born and raised in Stittsville, she attended Stittsville Public School and Goulbourn Middle School before entering Sacred Heart Catholic High School. She went on to receive her Bachelor of Arts (Honours) from Queen’s University. She was then accepted to Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland where she achieved a Master of Philosophy in Early Modern History.
Now a resident of Almonte, she lives with her husband, two sons and the family dog. But if that is not enough to keep her busy, Elysia also manages the Almonte Writers’ Guild; is the editor-in-chief for the literary arts magazine, LAM, that supports local visual artists and writers in Lanark County; and has written numerous short fiction stories.
Elysia shares that she has been a lifelong shark enthusiast with her favourite movie being ‘Jaws’. This led to a wider interest for watching documentaries about our oceans, including Blackfish released in 2018. “After watching Blackfish, I read as many books and articles as I could about killer whales, including Death at Seaworld by David Kirby, The Killer in the Pool by Tim Zimmerman (published in Outside Magazine, 2010), and Beneath the Surface by John Hargrove,” said Elysia.
“With all of my reading and research, a story started brewing in my head about an orca named Whale and what her life would be like growing up in captivity but longing for the ocean.”
Whale Fall, is written for middle grade youth in which a killer whale, after being captured by humans, is forced to adapt to life in a marine park while clinging to the stories that make her the matriarch she was born to be.
“Writing middle grade was a natural fit for me. Reading as a kid was what got me into writing, especially books like the Silverwing series by Kenneth Oppel (who blurbed Whale Fall!) and Hatchet by Gary Paulsen. I love engaging with budding new readers – some that are hesitant – and showing them how cool books can be,” Elysia says.
“Unique and always surprising, Whale Fall is an unflinching tale of captivity and resilience, and the power of stories.” – Kenneth Oppel, author of the bestselling Silverwing series.
“Heartbreaking, but unputdownable. Read with a box of tissues. Whale’s story doesn’t shy away from the harsh realities of animals in captivity, but it is a testament to the power of faith, storytelling, and hope.” – Shakirah Bourne, author of Josephine Against the Sea and Here Lies A Ghost.
On September 15th, Elysia’s novel Whale Fall is being released by Penguin-Random House Publishers and can be found on a bookstore shelf near you. Mill Street Books in Almonte is hosting a Book Launch and Signing on September 15th from 5:00 -7:00pm to celebrate release day. Children are welcome!
There will be other opportunities to meet Elysia and pick-up a copy of her book in Ottawa, Kanata, Almonte and Barrhaven.
For more information about Elysia and discover her short fiction stories and those of others, visit her website or follow her on Instagram.