NEW YORK, Sept. 3 (UPI) -- Ginger Alden made a rare public appearance Wednesday to detail memoir Elvis & Ginger on Today.
The 57-year-old author was engaged to Elvis Presley at the time of his death, and recalls her time with the rock and roll legend in the book. Alden was 20 years old when she met Presley in 1976, and woke up to find him dead of a heart attack on August 16, 1977.
"I had written down my memories shortly after Elvis passed away, as a way to just hold on," Alden told host Willie Geist. "The time was right [for the book] because there were an awful lot of speculations and exaggerations and untruths regarding our relationship, and I wanted to get the truth out."
Alden described Presley as "a magical, magical person" with "an ability" and "gift" to draw people in. She asserted the musician had a lot to look forward to in the final months of his life, and said they wanted to get married and have children. Although Presley's death was "devastating," Alden went on to marry and have a son of her own.
Elvis & Ginger is available at bookstores now.
