Dorianne (Dori) R. Perrucci is a published author and experienced book editor who collaborated on her first investing book with Weiss Ratings in 2004 [link to the book] to help novice investors make better investing decisions and achieve retirement security. During the global financial crisis of 2007-2009, she contributed to seven books on personal finance, small business strategies, individual investing, and investing for retirement, including three New York Times’ best-sellers and Asset Allocation For Dummies®, co-authored with wealth manager Jerry A. (Wiley, July 2009).
In 2012, she began editing book manuscripts in the consumer health and memoir categories, including Can’t Forgive (BenBella Books, 2014), written by Kim Goldman, whose brother, Ron Goldman, was murdered by O.J. Simpson. Most recently, she edited My Olympic Life by Anita DeFrantz, who rowed on the first U.S. Women’s Rowing Team for new start-up publisher Klipspringer Press.
Early in her career, Dori worked pro bono on several books, leading a volunteer staff to produce an award-winning, illustrated book of oral histories about the lives of Italian immigrants in mainline Morristown, NJ, and contributing to three books, including a memoir, written by her friend, Dr. Linda A. Mercadante, an expert on the “Spiritual But Not Religious” trend. Dori also ghosted and collaborated on four books while working on the communications staff at Covenant House, the Times Square shelter for runaway and abused children, in the general (Doubleday), religious (Paulist Press), educational (Rosen), and academic (Child Welfare League of America) categories. Her first New York Times ‘ best-seller (Covenant House, Lifeline to the Street, Fr. Bruce Ritter, Doubleday), made fundraising history when it was republished as a direct mail appeal (Sometimes God Has a Kid’s Face) and raised over $10,000,000 in donor contributions.
Is there a book you’re passionate about that Dori can help you write or edit?
Personal Finance and Investing
Open: How Compaq Ended IBM’s PC Domination
and Helped Invent Modern Computing
Rod Canion
BenBella Books October 2013
Wondering what it takes to launch a successful startup? Interested in strategizing how to topple Goliath, when you‘re David? Dori has been using PCs since 1985, but had no one to thank other than Gates and Jobs. Then she edited this manuscript and realized the fundamental role Canion and Compaq played in driving the open industry standard that PC users take for granted.
What Went Wrong: The Big Picture
George R. Tyler
BenBella Books September 2013
Copyediting this 324-page manuscript was like sitting in economics class all over again. But Dori gleaned solid information and insights about our national economic policy from this veteran of the World Bank and the U.S. Treasury department.
Making the Most of Your Money NOW
Jane Bryant Quinn
Simon & Schuster December 2009
Smart and Simple Strategies for Busy People
Jane Bryant Quinn
Simon & Schuster January 2006
Dori contributed research and original reporting to Quinn’s Smart and Simple Strategies for Busy People in 2006, and also to the third edition of Making the Most of Your Money in 2008, praised as “the classbook for practical financial advice” by iconic investor Burton Malkiel.
The AARP Retirement Survival Guide: How to Make Smart Financial Decisions in Good Times and Bad
Julie Jason
Sterling Publishing August 2009
Dori stepped in at the eleventh hour to work as content editor for this award-winning book, a joint publishing project between AARP and Sterling/ Barnes & Noble. She edited the second half of the manuscript to help financial author and money manager Julie Jason guide readers through the challenge of creating retirement income.
Asset Allocation For Dummies®
Jerry Miccolis and Dorianne Perrucci
John Wiley & Sons May 2009
This book, part of the popular “For Dummies” series, demystifies asset allocation in terms that even a novice investor can understand. Dori worked with money manager Jerry A. Miccolis on every stage of the manuscript: developing the outline, researching content and statistics, and writing copy. Buy this book now.
The Ultimate Depression Survival Guide: Protect Your Savings, Boost Your Income, and Grow Wealthy Even in the Worst of Times
Martin D. Weiss
John Wiley & Sons April 2009
The individual investor learns strategies for coping with the credit crunch, the housing bust, and the decline of the U.S. dollar, while mastering an expanding lexicon that includes global investing, foreign currencies, and commodities. Dori ghosted the book, which debuted on two New York Times‘ bestseller lists (Business and Advice) from best-selling author Martin D. Weiss.
I.O.U.S.A.: One Nation, Under Debt, In Stress
Addison Wiggin and Kate Incontrera with Dorianne R. Perrucci
John Wiley & Sons September 2008
Demise of the Dollar…and Why It‘s Good for Your Investments
Addison Wiggin
John Wiley & Sons April 2008
At the beginning of the global economic collapse in 2007, Dori collaborated on two books with Agora Publishing’s best-selling author Addison Wiggin: I.O.U.S.A., which combines original research, graphics from the Sundance documentary, and interviews with financial experts; and the second edition of Demise of the Dollar, which she researched and rewrote.
Trump University: Wealthbuilding 101
Donald J. Trump
John Wiley & Sons June 2007
As Managing Editor, Dori edited the contributions of several leading business experts to produce a manuscript for this popular series, which emphasizes real-world business advice from Trump and other senior executives of Trump‘s online university.
Weiss Ratings‘ Ultimate Guided Tour of Stock Investing
Weiss Ratings
Weiss Ratings, Inc. Fall 2004
Dori worked with senior staff to research and write the manuscript for this step-by-step guide to stock investing for beginning investors. Weiss Ratings (now a subsidiary of TheStreet.com) is a financial publisher of consumer safety ratings for banks, insurance companies, savings and loans, HMOs, and other financial institutions.
Religion and Social Issues
Can’t Forgive: My 20-Year Battle with O.J. Simpson
Kim Goldman
BenBella Books May 2014
Dori was part of the editorial team that brought Kim Goldman’s memoir, Can’t Forgive: My 20-Year Battle with O.J. Simpson, to print. The book released on May 8, 2014 and has been getting a lot of buzz in the national press for its author, whose brother, Ron Goldman, was murdered by OJ.
Reclaiming Your Life After Diagnosis: The Cancer Support Community Handbook
Kim Thiboldeaux and Mitch Golant, PhD
BenBella Books May 2012
Dori served as editor on the second edition of Reclaiming Your Life After Diagnosis, which provides critical information about support and services for growing numbers of cancer patients and survivors.
Bloomfield Avenue: A Jewish-Catholic Jersey Girl‘s Spiritual Journey
Linda A. Mercadante
Cowley Publications September 2006
Dori helped refine the narrative, which traces the author‘s spiritual journey from Newark, N.J., where she grew up in a mixed-faith household, to the halls of Methodist Theological School of Ohio, where she teaches theology.
Victims and Sinners, Spiritual Roots of Addiction and Recovery
Linda A. Mercadante
Westminster John Knox Press January 1996
Dori edited the book‘s first draft, which provides a provocative historical and theological analysis of Alcoholics Anonymous, the popular addiction recovery group.
“Reaching out to High-Risk Adolescents,” published in: Courage to Care, Responding to the Crisis of Children with AIDS
Olga Hernandez and Stephen E. Torkelson
The Child Welfare League of America, Washington, D.C. 1990
Dori interviewed Covenant House senior staff to write a chapter about the newly-opened AIDS program at Covenant House for the Child Welfare League of America.
Runaways: Coping At Home and On the Street
Pat Connors with Dorianne R. Perrucci
The Rosen Publishing Group 1989
Dori collaborated with Connors, using Connors’ notes and experiences and conducting original interviews with the staff and Covenant House street kids. Educational publisher Rosen published this trade book, which was also distributed nationally to public and private school libraries.
Stories from Covenant House for Hurting Kids
Fr. Kevin Kenny with Dorianne R. Perrucci
Paulist Press 1988
Dori rewrote and refined Covenant House chaplain Fr. Kevin Kenny‘s original manuscript into a publishable, dramatic narrative about his ministry with Covenant House kids that integrated real-life stories with practical advice.
Covenant House: Lifeline to the Street
Bruce Ritter
Doubleday February 1987
Dori edited 15 years of the founder‘s monthly fundraising letters to donors into a dramatic narrative that increased Covenant House‘s donor base by 25% and attracted nationwide publicity.
Morris County: The Progress of Its Legend
Dorianne R. Perrucci
Windsor Publications 1983
Dori wrote the first contemporary history of Morris County, N.J. in a century. She produced a lively, dramatic narrative, weaving original oral history interviews and current news with historical and photographic archives dating from the Continental Army‘s encampment in Morristown, N.J.
New Neighbors, Old Friends: Morristown‘s Italian Community, 1880-1980
James V. Costanzo
The Morris County (NJ) Historical Society February 1982
Dori managed a pro bono staff of volunteers to edit and produce this award-winning book of historical photographs and oral histories (First Place, Book Excellence, League of Historical Societies of New Jersey).
I Believe in the Creator
Dr. James M. Houston
William B. Eerdmans October 1980
The book, part of a series edited by the noted Anglican cleric Michael Green, examines controversial areas of the Christian faith from writers of different nations, cultures, and confessional backgrounds. Dori worked on the research team assisting the author, an Oxford Ph.D. who has written 30 books.
Journalism
Dorianne (Dori) R. Perrucci is a published author and a writer, journalist, and editor who seeks out stories that touch a personal nerve with readers. She has written and edited news articles, features, website content, and books on homelessness, prison reform, religious movements, and personal finance topics ranging from the nickels and dimes of personal finance to retirement investing and security. Her bylines have appeared in The New York Times, Newsweek, The Wall Street Journal, TheStreet.com, MediaWeek, and currently appear on businessjournalism.org, where she tracks down breaking news stories for young business reporters to pursue.
The Wall Street Journal:
“A 401(k) Defense Against Rising Rates,” April 5, 2013. https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424127887323393304578358651907757698
You Bought an Annuity—Now What,” Dec. 2, 2012
https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702303343404577514310725296308
“A Rebalancing Act,” August 21, 2012. https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702304141204577506630517559846
And “Others Can Tweak Your Asset Allocation For You,” August 31, 2012
https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702303343404577514310725296308
LearnVest.com
“What Should You Expect When Investing in Stocks, June 24, 2013 https://www.learnvest.com/knowledge-center/returns-to-expect-when-investing/
“How I Saved $1 Million for Retirement,” July 22, 2013.
https://www.learnvest.com/knowledge-center/returns-to-expect-when-investing/2/
NY Times
“When Pensions and Unemployment Checks Don’t Mix” (The New York Times, Jan. 13, 2002)
Newsweek
For these three, copy the files sent by email:
Jane Bryant Quinn, Newsweek, “Retire Early? Think Again,” July 2003
Newsweek, “Make Your Money Grow Finance Guide,” March 2003
Newsweek (Feb 2002-personal debt). “Drowning in a Sea of Debt”
TheStreet.com
“Surf’s Up for Cardholders,” June 13, 2006
http://www.doriperrucci.com/pdfs/thestreetsurfsuppforcardholders.pdf
“The Chilling Effects of Pension Freezes,” April 19, 2006 http://www.doriperrucci.com/pdfs/thestreetchillingeffectsofpensionfreezes.pdf
NY Post
“Fruitful and Fun Ways of Blowing a Refund,” April 2003
http://www.doriperrucci.com/pdfs/nyposttaxrefunds.pdf
“How Pensions Are Eating Up Earnings,” Feb 2003