The title and release date of Priscilla Presley's follow-up her 'Elvis And Me' memoir were revealed. The new 336-page book, titled 'Softly, As I Leave You: Life After Elvis - A Memoir' will be released as both a paperback and (signed) hardcover edition on September 23, 2025 by Hachette Book Group / Grand Central Publishing. The book will also be available in other languages from different publishers.
Priscilla Presley’s divorce from Elvis left his fans incredulous. How could she leave the man every woman wanted? From the outside, life in Elvis’s mansion looked glamorous and enviable, and in many respects, it was. But inside the mansion, her husband was constantly surrounded by a male entourage while at the gates, lines of beautiful women waited hopefully for an audience with the King. From the time she was seventeen years old, that life was all Priscilla had known. During her ten years with Elvis, it became painfully apparent that she had no idea who she was outside Elvis’s world. The only way to find herself was to leave that world and seek a new life of her own, because leaving was the only way to survive, for herself and for her daughter.
'Softly, As I Leave You', is the deeply personal story of what Priscilla lost and what she found when she walked away from the man she loved. Despite the legal separation, their love for one another transformed into a touching and tender dynamic that endured until Elvis’s untimely death four years later. Shattered by Elvis’s passing, she had to reinvent herself a second time as the single mother of a talented, often headstrong daughter who never really recovered from her father’s death. Priscilla’s dedication to motherhood was enriched by the birth of her second child, and she gradually found her footing as a businesswoman, actress, designer, and legislative advocate. She transformed Graceland into an international destination and helped guide the development of Elvis Presley Enterprises. But the unexpected, shattering loss of three immediate family members years later brought Priscilla to her knees. She shares her journey with a quiet dignity that will comfort and reassure anyone who has suffered – and survived – seemingly unbearable loss.
About the Authors. Priscilla Beaulieu Presley is a businesswoman, author, designer, producer, and actress best known for her roles in the television drama Dallas and the Naked Gun movies. As the cofounder and former chairperson of Elvis Presley Enterprises, she is credited with turning Elvis Presley's mansion, Graceland, into the second most visited historic home in the United States. As a key architect of the Elvis Presley legacy, she has curated and produced albums, books, films, and concerts honoring the late music legend. She lives in Los Angeles near her son and grandchildren, where she continues her lifelong commitment to animal advocacy.
Mary Jane Ross is an award-winning college professor and writer, honored with the NAACP Image Award for Best Biography or Autobiography, with Ray Charles Robinson. Her collaborations span subjects as diverse as Judy Garland, Frank Sinatra, Piper Laurie, Mafia hitman Roy DeMeo, and Congressmember Nancy Mace. Softly, As I Leave You, with Priscilla Presley, marks her ninth memoir. Her body of work also includes poetry and an online grammar textbook for second-language students. She lives in her native Southern California.
The book is available for pre-order from >>> Amazon (associate link)
Note: the cover art shown are temporarily from the German Hannibal Verlag and the U.S. Premiere Collectibles websites.
(Source: Grand Central Publishing / Amazon)
