Briarcliff Manor Exec, Former Miss NJ Reveals Her Memoir Will Soon Hit The Shelves

BRIARCLIFF MANOR, NY — A Westchester-based communications executive and former Miss New Jersey has announced a new memoir scheduled for release in September.

Elizabeth Bracken-Thompson said "More Than a Crown: From Pageants to Purpose... Lessons from a Life Unfolding" will be available through Amazon and select independent bookstores.

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The book follows Bracken-Thompson's path from pageantry to media and public relations leadership. The former Miss America competitor later became one of the youngest vice presidents at Gannett, helped launch USA Today regionally, and went on to help build Thompson & Bender in the New York metro area.

The memoir also centers on personal setbacks and health challenges. Bracken-Thompson writes about self-doubt, divorce, corporate gender bias in the 1980s, a workplace encounter she describes as predating the "Me Too" movement, and surviving cancer more than once.

"Life, much like a pageant, isn't defined by the crown you wear or the titles you collect," Bracken-Thompson said. "It is entirely about how you prepare, how you choose to show up in the face of adversity, and what you give back to others along the way. True success is not a final destination or a trophy; it is a continuous journey of resilience, faith, and the courage to listen to that quiet, inner voice directing you toward your true purpose."

The book is designed to move beyond stories about pageant life and focus on lessons readers can apply in their own lives. It introduces what the announcement calls Bracken-Thompson's "Ten Ps of Success" framework, described as a guide to resilience, professional achievement and personal recovery.

Bracken-Thompson is identified in the announcement as a partner at Thompson & Bender and a community leader with ties across Westchester. The release says she has been named to Westchester's "Power Dozen," received the Girl Scouts' Woman of Leadership and Excellence Award, and has appeared in City & State's Power 100 rankings.

The book will be available beginning in September 2026.

Bracken-Thompson lives in Croton-on-Hudson with her husband, Geoff.