Hi, my name is… Stephanie Elliot.
I’ve lived in North Scottsdale for 12 years and I love it because… The weather is gorgeous more often than it’s not. There are great restaurants, coffee shops, yoga studios, and beautiful places to walk in Scottsdale. However, I do not like the intense heat of the summer or the snake that slithered into our backyard on our first 100+ degree day this May!
A typical day in my life includes… I try to get to yoga four to five mornings a week, and then I head to my favorite coffee shop, Sweetwaters, where I will work for a few hours. I am an author, editor, and book publicist so my workday varies depending on what I’m doing – but it always involves words and books – writing, editing or promoting them! You can see my work at stephanieelliot.com. Then I’ll head home and relax a bit, maybe play with a foster kitten, then make dinner, and when it’s cool weather, I’ll go for a walk. At night I’ll either work on the book I’m currently writing or read a book for inspiration.
My family is… Everything to me. I’ve been married 29 years and Scott and I have three adult children. They bring me so much joy and it’s fun to watch them begin to navigate their adult lives.
One thing I cannot live without is… My laptop is the one object I probably couldn’t function without. Other things I can’t live without are yoga, the occasional iced vanilla latte, and dark chocolate.
My favorite movie I could never get tired of watching and why… Anytime “Shawshank Redemption” is on TV, I will stop what I’m doing and watch it.
When I was younger, I wanted to be… An author. I accomplished that goal when my first novel, “Sad Perfect,” was published in 2017.
The one person who motivates me is… Is there a correct answer? I should probably say my parents or my husband, or a mentor or some elder I admire, but when it comes right down to it, I would have to say I have two very special yoga instructors who motivate and inspire me through their calm and peaceful demeanor in and out of class. At this point in my life, I am completely motivated by and truly thankful for the calming presence of these women.
The perfect day… I would get up around 9 a.m. but lounge in bed for a while, taking my time to get up. I am not the type of person who wakes at 6 a.m. to enjoy coffee in the quiet of the early morning. I’d rather use that time sleeping. Then I might do two back-to-back yoga classes. After that, I would stop somewhere for a coffee or iced tea, then go somewhere to write for a while. The perfect day would probably include a nap, and then dinner out, preferably Italian, with my husband and kids.
My favorite local nonprofit is… We recently started fostering kittens through Newborn Kitten Rescue so that organization is near and dear to my heart. We have fostered over 25 kittens over three seasons. Other favorites include NEDA (National Eating Disorders Association) and the Epilepsy Foundation of Arizona.
My life is… Pretty good right now! I am busy but not stressed (thanks to yoga) and I love the work that I get to do, and my family is healthy and happy.
My dream vacation would be… Italy, which I may get to experience next year for our 30th wedding anniversary.
The best piece of advice I’ve ever received… I remember when I was learning to drive, my dad told me to try to stay in the middle lane. That way if there’s danger coming from the left or the right, you have a way out by moving over!
