“Margaret Chiavini has a rare gift for turning a difficult topic into something deeply meaningful and even uplifting. It’s Your Party is a powerful reminder to stop waiting and start living with intention, gratitude, and purpose.”
— Dan Johnson
President, The Danco Group of Companies

“It's Your Party is the book I didn't know I needed. Margaret Chiavini has pulled off something genuinely rare: she's written about death in a way that makes you want to leap out of your chair and start living. With warmth, wit, and disarming honesty, she transforms the daunting task of ‘getting your affairs in order’ into an act of profound self-respect—and self-discovery. This isn't a book about endings. It's a masterclass in not sleepwalking through the middle. Read it, plan the party, and then go live a life worth celebrating.”
— Joseph F. Dutra
President & CEO, Kimmie Candy

“I have always been struck by Margaret’s infectious joy, attitude of gratitude, and unquenchable thirst for knowledge and new experiences. She’s one of the smartest, most intuitive, and well-loved people I’ve ever had the great fortune of meeting, and I highly value our friendship. Of course, she would have the foresight to gift us with a guide to make the loss of a loved one less chaotic and more meaningful while simultaneously encouraging us to live the lives we dream of—BRAVO!

So, don’t delay—don’t be afraid—dream big, after all, It’s Your Party!”
— Susan Milazzo
Former CEO, California MBA

“It’s Your Party is both deeply practical and deeply moving. Margaret reminds us that what we leave behind is not just physical assets, but the love, joy, and intention we share with others. Because Margaret has weaved into the book events and memories that have occurred in her own life, it makes this so relatable that you want to take action to prepare for your family and friends and get to planning. You will walk away inspired to live and give more meaningfully.”
— Sandra James
CEO, Private Eyes Background Checks; Best-Selling Author

“It takes a very particular writer to make readers willingly engage with a book about funerals—and somehow leave feeling more alive. Margaret Chiavini is that writer. It’s Your Party is intelligent and practical, but it is also witty and full of heart. With uncommon warmth and insight, Margaret transforms a subject typically filed under ‘I’ll deal with it later’ into a compelling meditation on legacy, love, and the life we are actually living now.

This is not merely a book about planning a goodbye. It is a book about living a life worth celebrating in the first place. Smart, generous, and refreshingly human, it is unmistakably Margaret.”
— Wayne Kress
Executive Director, Industrial, Cushman & Wakefield

"This book is a brave and tender exploration of what it means to face death with both reverence and appetite for life with unflinching honesty and quiet humor. It transforms funerals and farewells into acts of nourishment—for the body, the soul, and those left behind. A must-read for anyone who wants to meet mortality not with fear, but with grace and a beautifully set table.

Reminder…People Who Rest Rust. This is a poetic, practical, and professional literary read that we all need to embrace: When we are not composing, we are decomposing, so get out there and live it to the fullest."
— Janet Levine
Serial Entrepreneur; Chief Entertainment Officer, Fab Living, LLC

“Margaret is someone who leads with warmth, curiosity, and a genuine love of people. She is a true connector, and that perspective shapes It’s Your Party in the best way. The book reflects her ability to bring people together around meaningful conversations, inviting reflection without heaviness and encouraging a more intentional, connected life.”
— Cathy Puente
Chief Information Security Officer, Newrez

“As I approach my seventieth birthday, I realized over the last year my main social gatherings have been funerals or celebrations of life. For me, Margaret Chiavini’s It’s Your Party has been a wake-up call. Not only to get my things in order, but also to live each day to its fullest.”
— Joseph Brandl, MD
Cardiothoracic Surgery; Retired, Renown Health

“It’s Your Party is an insanely clever book! The literal message in the book is obvious. However, Chiavini changes the reader's lens in ways that make you reflect on your own identity, while encouraging you to act for the benefit of others. Just when you think you have all the angles figured out, think again! The author herself is going through the same process by writing the book! Well done. Well written. And fun!”
— Joe Anderson
Retired President & CEO, Caliber Home Loans

“Margaret Chiavini is one of the few people I know who can make the topic of death both entertaining and moving. She is, after all, one of the most joyful, successful people I know who lives life to the fullest every day. Her book, It’s Your Party, which advises us to ‘start at the end,’ is not a legal or a philosophical thesis on the subject of death, but a practical, step-by-step guide that recasts the subject as the ultimate gift we can share with those we love. In the process it becomes an exercise of self-love as we pause and focus on the life we want to live.”
— Nancy Fennell
CEO & Partner, Dickson Realty

“It’s Your Party is an indispensable guide for preparing for the end of life and then celebrating its spirit and brilliance in a memorable and meaningful way.”
— Drew Nieporent
Restaurateur

“Chiavini’s heartfelt guide is a profound gift. It spares your loved ones logistical chaos while inspiring you to embrace your most vibrant, intentional life. I cannot wait to give it to all my friends and family—my only question is: when is the podcast coming out so I can call in with questions?!”
— Matt Ostrander
Retired President & CEO, Parkside Lending

“I have known Margaret for twenty years. Initially we had a business-to-business relationship where Margaret always gave respect and earned trust. Over the years, our relationship grew to where I love her as a friend. I think Margaret is perfectly suited to write It’s Your Party. I have always known Margaret to have a zest for life. Why not bring that zest to the final chapters of your life when you need it most! Margaret always brings unique energy to everything she does. You will feel this energy from the first chapter to the final page! This book isn’t about dying, it's about living your best life for your entire life!”
— Bill Lowman
Retired President/CEO, American Pacific Mortgage

“In It’s Your Party, Margaret Chiavini brings her signature warmth, spontaneity, and joyful outlook to a deeply original project. Always ahead of her time, Margaret invites us to think forward, celebrate fully, and live with greater intention, gratitude, and heart. This is a heartfelt and inspiring book from a woman who has long known how to turn life into a celebration.”
— Linda Graebner
CEO, Director, Entrepreneur

“Margaret Chiavini’s It’s Your Party is a rare and powerful work—one that dares to begin where most books hesitate: at the end of life. With remarkable intellect and clarity, Chiavini reframes mortality not as something to fear, but as a lens through which to design a richer, more intentional life. Drawing on deeply personal experiences and poignant contrasts, she demonstrates how thoughtful preparation can transform chaos into grace, and grief into meaning. Her insights are not merely practical; they are philosophical, inviting readers to confront profound questions about legacy, purpose, and what it truly means to live well. Few authors can balance such emotional depth with such accessible wisdom, but Chiavini does so with elegance and precision.

What makes this book truly exceptional, however, is Chiavini’s courage. She speaks openly about death, loss, and the difficult realities we often avoid, yet she does so with warmth, humor, and an unmistakable sense of hope. Her willingness to engage these challenging topics head-on creates a space where readers feel both safe and inspired to reflect honestly on their own lives. Rather than dwelling in heaviness, she transforms these conversations into invitations—to dream bigger, act sooner, and live more fully. In doing so, Chiavini proves herself not only a thoughtful guide, but a brave and compassionate voice, encouraging us all to face life’s hardest truths with intention and grace.”
— Adam Glassner
Financial Services Executive