Elissa Malcohn's novelette "Lazuli" (Asimov's, Nov. 1984) made her a 1985 John W. Campbell Award finalist for best new science fiction writer of the year. Her short story "Moments of Clarity" (Full Spectrum, Bantam, 1988) reached preliminary ballot for the 1989 Nebula Awards. Commenting on "Moments of Clarity" in his review of Full Spectrum in the November, 1988, Out of This World Tribune, Bruce D. Arthurs wrote, "This one story is worth the price of the entire book."

Elissa's work also appears in publications that won awards in 2009. IPPY Silver Medalist Riffing on Strings: Creative Writing Inspired by String Theory (Scriblerus Press) contains her story "Arachne" (originally published in Aboriginal Science Fiction, Dec. 1988). Bram Stoker Award winner Unspeakable Horror: From the Shadows of the Closet (Dark Scribe Press) contains her story "Memento Mori." Her story "Hermit Crabs" in Hugo Award winner Electric Velocipede (#14) and her novelette "Flotsam" in Asimov's (Oct./Nov. 2009) made the recommended reading list in The Year's Best Science Fiction, 26th and 27th Annual Collections, respectively.

Elissa's work has appeared in dozens of publications since the 1970s. Covenant, the first volume of her Deviations series, was originally published by the now-defunct Aisling Press in 2007.

Elissa edited Star*Line, the journal of the Science Fiction Poetry Association, from 1986-88 and was a five-time Rhysling Award nominee for best speculative poetry of the year.

Outside the genre, Elissa won first prize in the Woodview Coffee House 2010 song-writing contest.

Member, Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America, Science Fiction Poetry Association, Broad Universe, more. Proud participant, Operation E-Book Drop, Books For Soldiers, and Shadow Forest Authors.