In a flurry of interviews Wednesday, Elizabeth Edwards called the decision to leave her philandering husband "terrifying" but said she's planning to sell the couple's sprawling Chapel Hill house and move on with her life.

And Edwards told People magazine she had tried to hold her marriage together until just after Christmas, even buying lavender soap for her husband's 2-year-old love child to give to her mother, Rielle Hunter.

The interviews, including one with Larry King, coincided with the paperback release of her book "Resilience," originally published before she decided to separate from her husband John, the former Democratic U.S. senator and presidential candidate. The paperback version adds a chapter on the breakup.

Within hours of her "Today" show appearance, the book shot from 605th position on Amazon's bestseller list to 66.

Speaking to "Today" show's Matt Lauer, Edwards also said she has been hurt by public portrayals of her as someone who meddled or interfered with her husband's career.

"I never intended to be some monster," said Edwards, who turns 61 on Saturday.

Their marriage disintegrated after John Edwards admitted fathering a baby with Hunter, whom he met in 2006. Hunter now lives in Charlotte.

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