Pursuing Happiness with Deb Miller, Ronit Plank, and Tabitha Kirkland

Third Place Books welcomes author Deb Miller to our Ravenna store for a panel discussion with memoirist Ronit Plank and University of Washington psychology professor Tabitha Kirkland exploring the pursuit of happiness through the lenses of science, storytelling, and discovery. This panel is inspired by Deb's new book, — a memoir using popular fairy tales to illustrate the author's journey towards finding joy on her own terms.

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In this uplifting debut memoir—perfect for fans of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and readers of Brené Brown or Mel Robbins—Deb Miller discards the myth of Prince Charming once she realizes he can’t get her to happily ever after. So, she gets on the white horse herself, safely straps her kids on behind her, and figures out how to get there on her own.

Forget the Fairy Tale and Find Your Happiness is part personal growth guide, part motivational memoir, and all heart. When Deb’s college sweetheart can’t deliver the fairy tale she expected, she takes charge and writes a new one. Her passion for tennis opens unexpected doors—from motherhood and midwestern housewife life to global marketing exec. Along the way to pursuing a better life for her children and chasing her own version of fulfillment, she experiences the turbulence of divorce and the thrill of reinvention.

Through it all, Deb draws rich parallels with the evolving Disney princesses—from Snow White to Moana—who, like her, break free of outdated roles and embrace self-discovery, resilience, and independence. This empowering story challenges societal expectations for women and encourages readers to rewrite their happily ever after and be their own hero.

Whether you're navigating single parenting, pursuing your own transformation, or simply craving an inspiring story of self-help and second chances, Forget the Fairy Tale is your permission slip to take control of your narrative—and find joy on your own terms.

Deb Miller is a former Fortune 500 marketing VP turned author, professor, and unapologetic fairy tale flipper. With a doctorate, MBA, CPA, and a sharp wit, she brings both executive edge and storytelling soul to her debut memoir, Forget the Fairy Tale and Find Your Happiness. Using Disney princesses, cultural commentary, and personal reinvention, Deb inspires women to take charge of their own happiness. Dr. Miller is proof that reinvention has no expiration date—and that the best happily ever afters are the ones we create for ourselves.

Ronit Plank is a writer, teacher, and editor whose writing has appeared in The Atlantic, Poets & Writers, The Rumpus, Hippocampus, The New York Times, and elsewhere, earning Best of the Net, Best Microfiction, and multiple Pushcart Prize nominations. Kirkus Reviews calls her debut memoir WHEN SHE COMES BACK, “An intimate, intuitive, emotionally vivid family account that finds hope in reconciliation". About the loss of her mother to the guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh and their eventual reconciliation, WHEN SHE COMES BACK earned Finalist in the Housatonic Awards and was a Book Riot Best True Crime Book of 2021. Her short story collection HOME IS A MADE-UP PLACE won Hidden River Arts’ Eludia Award and the 2023 Page Turner Awards for Short Stories. Ronit teaches memoir writing for the University of Washington’s Continuum Program and other writing programs based in the U.S. and abroad, is Creative Nonfiction Editor at The Citron Review, and hosts the podcast Let’s Talk Memoir featuring interviews with memoirists about their creative process and writing life. Find her at ronitplank.com, on Substack at Let’s Talk Memoir, and across social media @RonitPlank.

Tabitha Kirkland is a teaching professor and social psychologist who specializes in the science of happiness and emotional intelligence. She writes about the emotional lives of modern parents, weaving together research, personal stories, and cultural critique. As a mother of two, Tabitha explores the messy, beautiful intersection of motherhood, work, and identity with curiosity and compassion. Her writing appears on Substack at tabithakirkland.substack.com.

Founded in 1998 in Lake Forest Park, Washington, Third Place Books is dedicated to the creation of a community around books and the ideas inside them. With locations in Lake Forest Park and Seattle's Ravenna and Seward Park neighborhoods, Third Place Books is proud to serve the entire Seattle metro area. Learn more about their event series at thirdplacebooks.com/events.

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