Melissa Elk is a writer and aspiring author of children’s books.

She creates her stories on Gubbi Gubbi country (Sunshine Coast), where she lives with her husband, two young sons, shaggy sidekick Kuma (pictured), and two cheeky budgies.

When she’s not writing, thinking about writing, or lamenting how little time she has for writing, she may be found reading, buying more books than she can read, or hanging out with her family.

When she grows up she’d also love to illustrate children’s picture books.

Her unpublished children’s picture book manuscript ‘Taller’ placed third in the Picture Book - Primary School category in the 2025 CYA Writers & Illustrators Conference Competition.