Nicole Avant, daughter of Jacqueline and Clarence Avant, unveils her journey to recovery in her latest book, “Think You'll Be Happy: Moving Through Grief with Grit, Grace, and Gratitude.”

On Dec. 1, 2021, Avant faced an unshakable nightmare when she learned that her philanthropist mother was shot during a home invasion. The intruder, Aariel Maynor, fled empty-handed, leaving Jacqueline fatally injured. Clarence, a trailblazing music executive, was left puzzled by the violence against his wife of 54 years.

Despite her grief, Avant prayed to not harbor hatred toward Maynor, who is now serving a 150-year prison sentence.

“It was all-consuming, so heavy. I felt as if a house fell on me,” Avant said of the attack in the latest issue of PEOPLE. “I had never felt energy like that. Who was I going to call and ask, ‘What did you do when this happened to you?’ I had nothing. The prayer was me saying, ‘I cannot let my frustration and fury take over me. He’s not getting that.’”

While writing a self-help book, Avant decided to pivot and refocus the book on honoring her late mother's legacy and helping others navigate grief. The result, "Think You'll Be Happy,” releases Oct. 17.

Avant completed the book while caring for Clarence – who died in August – after her mother's passing.

“My dad was the engine behind this book,” she said.

When Avant told her father that she had trouble writing, he said to her, “Nicole, don’t go down this rabbit hole because you’re sinking. You’re giving your energy and attention to a tragedy, and I want you to give it to Jacquie.”

Jacqueline and Clarence were a power couple who lived a life of distinction for over five decades.

Nearly two years after her mother's death, Avant uses the book to reveal haunting details of her family's nightmare and the profound grief that ensued.

She candidly shares her path to healing, which was marked by prayer and a commitment to service.

“I can do things with a broken heart, but I do want my heart to mend. I just can’t let it sit in my heart and rot,” she said.