The Styx

The edge in Elena's writing comes from her Russian immigrant background and is tempered by her sunny SoCal upbringing: kinda like Dostoyevsky on Molly. She learned English from classic reruns, studied Political Science, Communications, and Theatre at UC San Diego, spent a year in England, trained at the William Esper Studio in New York, and eventually realized she preferred pulling the strings to standing in the spotlight.Now a screenwriter, Elena penned the record-breaking Rocky Mountain Christmas, followed by Wedding Season, with Double Con Christmas on deck. Early in her career, she was a three-time finalist for the Warner Bros. Writers' Workshop and, in 2020, both a Finalist and Semi-Finalist in the Austin Film Festival Screenwriting Competition.She has written and performed in improv and sketch comedy videos that built a loyal audience and now-unable to stay out of the spotlight altogether-appears in live storytelling shows across Los Angeles.In 2015, Elena earned a master's degree in Spiritual Psychology from the University of Santa Monica-a credential that seriously informs her work, even when she's poking fun at it. She's well-versed in healing medicine ceremonies and all things woo-woo and shares occasional musings at www.rooskychick.com. She is currently publishing her debut high-concept fantasy novel, The Styx-a propulsive reimagining of the descendants of Charon-while building a slate of elevated romantic comedies that pair sharp cultural insight with commercial storytelling. When she's not writing about gods, mystical mischief, or love gone sideways, she's surfing, snowboarding, or hiking with her maltipoo Gus (her soulmate), who remains unimpressed by all of it.