Nicole Avant’s “relentlessly optimistic” (Kirkus), nationally bestselling memoir THINK YOU’LL BE HAPPY is releasing in paperback this December 3rd (Authors Equity; $18.99 paperback), complete with a moving new foreword by Avant’s husband, Ted Sarandos. This spirit-lifting book continues to offer new readers insights on resilience, living with gratitude, and finding purpose through life’s biggest challenges.
Avant—a diplomat, philanthropist, and filmmaker—grew up surrounded by some of the most extraordinary artists of our time: Bill Withers, Oprah Winfrey, Quincy Jones, Sidney Poitier. Her parents—entertainment mogul, Clarence Avant, and legendary philanthropist, Jacqueline Avant—turned their home into a place of refuge and inspiration for a generation of geniuses. Nicole drew on that magical upbringing to create a stellar career in the music business, become the U.S. ambassador to the Bahamas, and produce critically acclaimed award-winning films and documentaries. Then, an unthinkable tragedy struck: Nicole’s 81-year-old mother was fatally shot in December 2021, during a nighttime home invasion robbery at her parents’ home.
Though Avant and her close-knit family were devastated by this senseless loss, she chose to move forward, finding inspiration in the lives we’ve lost.
In THINK YOU’LL BE HAPPY, Avant shares an American Dream story – her family’s – offering hope and inspiration for anyone facing some of life’s most difficult moments. Speaking from personal experiences, she shares a historical perspective on how to transform pain into purpose and find strength in the most difficult times. She writes: “In the face of terrible things, my mother would have said, ‘Think you’ll be happy,’ just as she did to me in her last text. I think I will be happy; I want readers to be happy, and productive, and to live in gratitude for all of the great advantages loaned to us by a loving universe.”
Key Takeaways for Readers of THINK YOU’LL BE HAPPY:
“Painful things happen to all of us,” Avant writes, “and I believe that how we respond is always our choice. . . . I believe that positivity breeds positivity.”
In this searing and inspiring memoir, Avant turns the pain of her family’s loss into the fuel that pushes her forward into an even more committed life of love and activism: “We can’t banish evil,” she writes. “We have to learn to swim through trauma and live for all of those who can’t.” Turning tragedy into inspiration, THINK YOU’LL BE HAPPY provides a roadmap for anyone working to remain positive and anchored in hope.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Nicole Avant is a best-selling author, businesswoman, philanthropist, filmmaker and former diplomat. After a career in entertainment, music publishing, and political fundraising, she served as the United States Ambassador to the Bahamas under President Obama from 2009-2011. She is the producer of the critically acclaimed and award-winning films The Black Godfather and Trees of Peace and is currently producing the upcoming film, Six Triple Eight, directed by Tyler Perry, which celebrates the courage and dedication of the all-female, all-Black Battalion that served in World War II. Her best-selling memoir Think You’ll Be Happy has received numerous accolades including being chosen for Audible’s 2023 Best of Biographies and Memoirs list. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband Ted and their two dogs.