Debut Author Bash 2017: Stephanie Elliot

Welcome to my second post for the 2017 Debut Author Bash! Today we will be focusing on Stephanie Elliot and her debut novel, Sad Perfect. You can also find information about a giveaway at the end. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

An Essay from Stephanie Elliot

This year, my novel Sad Perfect debuted in the world. It was a thing that started from a little idea, and then it became two words, and then more words, and then there was a book. I got an agent, I got a publisher, I did edits for about two years, and then, my dream came true.

I have a book out there in the world, and yes, it was a dream of mine. It was a dream that I went after, and something I had thought about, wanted to do for a very long time. My dream was accomplished through hard work and determination. I made it happen because I wanted it to happen.

You can make your dreams happen too. You want to be a singer? Practice. Take singing lessons. Learn from other singers. You want to dance in front of filled audiences someday? Practice. Take lessons. Watch other dancers. Learn from them. You want to be a doctor? Take classes, go to school, watch other doctors in action, and make it happen.

You can do the thing that you want most in the world too.

But once it happens, once you have accomplished your big dream, no matter what it is, your regular daily life probably won’t change much. You’re still going to be that same person, you’re still going to have to do the things you did previous to making your dream come true.

And that’s totally okay, and for most dream chasers, that’s pretty standard—to feel the same after you’ve accomplished your dream. I have a book out, which is simultaneously great and also not a big deal. Most days I don’t even think that I am an author. Most days if I meet someone new, I rarely share that I have written a book. It’s not who I am. I wasn’t ever seeking anything greater.

But every now and then, when I’m least expecting it, when I’m not even thinking about it, I might get an email from someone who has read my book. Sometimes these emails are from teens that have read Sad Perfect and connected with the main character. Sometimes an email might be from someone who was in a similar situation, and now, having read the book, she feels less alone. They’ll thank me for my words, for my story, and I am in awe. That’s when I most feel like I have done something good with this dream of mine.

Do something with your dream today, no matter what it is, even if it’s the smallest of steps toward what you most think about, what you most want to do. Do it today, and it will happen for you too.

About the Book

The story of a teen girl's struggle with Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder and how love helps her on the road to recovery.

Sixteen-year-old Pea looks normal, but she has a secret: she has Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID). It is like having a monster inside of her, one that not only dictates what she can eat, but also causes anxiety, depression, and thoughts that she doesn’t want to have. When she falls crazy-mad in love with Ben, she hides her disorder from him, pretending that she’s fine. At first, everything really does feel like it’s getting better with him around, so she stops taking her anxiety and depression medication. And that's when the monster really takes over her life. Just as everything seems lost and hopeless, Pea finds in her family, and in Ben, the support and strength she needs to learn that her eating disorder doesn’t have to control her.

Where to buy: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository

About the Author

Stephanie Elliot is the author of the young adult novel Sad Perfect, which was inspired by her daughter’s journey with ARFID, Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder. She has written for a variety of websites and magazines, and is also an editor and book reviewer. She lives in Scottsdale, AZ with her husband and their three children.

Where to find her: Website | Twitter | Instagram





Thank you for stopping by and reading our post! You can read my review of Sad Perfect here if you'd like. Stephanie is also giving away one finished copy of Sad Perfect to a lucky commenter. Be sure to also follow us on Twitter and leave your handle in your comment for extra entries. You can also earn an entry by retweeting my tweet with this blog post link found here. Happy reading and good luck!
Xoxo,
Gabriella