Rosemarie Birri D'Alessandro’s New Book, “The Message of Light Amid Letters of Darkness,” is a Powerful Memoir Documenting the Author’s Life of Child Safety Activism
Hillsdale, NJ, April 28, 2025 --(PR.com)-- Fulton Books author Rosemarie Birri D'Alessandro, who advocated for the passage of five laws and founded the Joan Angela D’Alessandro Foundation, which has helped thousands of neglected, abused, and disadvantaged children, has completed her most recent book, “The Message of Light Amid Letters of Darkness”: a stunning collection of letters written by the author’s daughter’s killer, paralleled with the author’s own life story and her journey into a lifetime of activism for children and victims.
Author Rosemarie Birri D’Alessandro has been a children’s and victims’ rights advocate since she started a movement in 1993 to keep the killer of her seven-year-old child, Joan, in prison. Her advocacy work has received national, state, and county recognition. In 2004, she was presented with the Special Courage Award from the Department of Justice, and on April 22, 2019, she was awarded the New Jersey Women of Achievement Award. On September 7, 2021 the Bergen County Prosecutors office named their Child Advocacy Center Rosemarie’s Room in her honor. A graduate of Hunter College in New York City, she pursued a master’s in special education at Fordham University and taught in the field for a short time before getting married.
On April 19, 1973, Holy Thursday, Rosemarie D’Alessandro’s daughter, Joan, said “Goodbye, Mommy,” as she ran out the door. Joan was a Brownie Scout, and she was excited about delivering the last two boxes of Girl Scout cookies to a neighbor. Her mother didn’t know it would be the last time that she would see her seven-year-old child alive. Her neighbor sexually assaulted and brutally murdered her joyful little girl.
Twenty years later, when her killer had a chance to get out of prison, she started a grassroots movement and the community united together to get countless signatures and letters opposing his parole. Rosemarie saw that laws had to be changed to stop the injustice that her family had to go through. Her efforts led to the passage of five laws on the state and federal level that would help to protect children and give victims more rights.
An unimaginable turn of events took place when a man brought her 332 letters that Joan’s killer wrote. After he died in 2021, Rosemarie felt free to share all the letters in their entirety, which gives the reader a rare opportunity to see inside the mind of a killer. In this book, “The Message of Light amid Letters of Darkness,” the letters are included with Rosemarie’s summaries and comments, and she tells the parallel story of her life and activism during the thirty-four-year time period the letters were written.
Published by Fulton Books, Rosemarie Birri D'Alessandro’s book is a testament to the strength and resilience of the human spirit as Rosemarie finds a way to make something hopeful out of horrendous tragedy. Deeply personal and emotionally candid, “The Message of Light Amid Letters of Darkness” reveals a legacy of hope, justice, and love that shines brighter than ever.
Readers who wish to experience this unique and inspiring work can purchase “The Message of Light Amid Letters of Darkness” at bookstores everywhere, or online at the Apple iTunes store, Amazon, Google Play, or Barnes and Noble.
Please direct all media inquiries to Author Support via email at support@fultonbooks.com or via telephone at 877-210-0816.
Author Rosemarie Birri D’Alessandro has been a children’s and victims’ rights advocate since she started a movement in 1993 to keep the killer of her seven-year-old child, Joan, in prison. Her advocacy work has received national, state, and county recognition. In 2004, she was presented with the Special Courage Award from the Department of Justice, and on April 22, 2019, she was awarded the New Jersey Women of Achievement Award. On September 7, 2021 the Bergen County Prosecutors office named their Child Advocacy Center Rosemarie’s Room in her honor. A graduate of Hunter College in New York City, she pursued a master’s in special education at Fordham University and taught in the field for a short time before getting married.
On April 19, 1973, Holy Thursday, Rosemarie D’Alessandro’s daughter, Joan, said “Goodbye, Mommy,” as she ran out the door. Joan was a Brownie Scout, and she was excited about delivering the last two boxes of Girl Scout cookies to a neighbor. Her mother didn’t know it would be the last time that she would see her seven-year-old child alive. Her neighbor sexually assaulted and brutally murdered her joyful little girl.
Twenty years later, when her killer had a chance to get out of prison, she started a grassroots movement and the community united together to get countless signatures and letters opposing his parole. Rosemarie saw that laws had to be changed to stop the injustice that her family had to go through. Her efforts led to the passage of five laws on the state and federal level that would help to protect children and give victims more rights.
An unimaginable turn of events took place when a man brought her 332 letters that Joan’s killer wrote. After he died in 2021, Rosemarie felt free to share all the letters in their entirety, which gives the reader a rare opportunity to see inside the mind of a killer. In this book, “The Message of Light amid Letters of Darkness,” the letters are included with Rosemarie’s summaries and comments, and she tells the parallel story of her life and activism during the thirty-four-year time period the letters were written.
Published by Fulton Books, Rosemarie Birri D'Alessandro’s book is a testament to the strength and resilience of the human spirit as Rosemarie finds a way to make something hopeful out of horrendous tragedy. Deeply personal and emotionally candid, “The Message of Light Amid Letters of Darkness” reveals a legacy of hope, justice, and love that shines brighter than ever.
Readers who wish to experience this unique and inspiring work can purchase “The Message of Light Amid Letters of Darkness” at bookstores everywhere, or online at the Apple iTunes store, Amazon, Google Play, or Barnes and Noble.
Please direct all media inquiries to Author Support via email at support@fultonbooks.com or via telephone at 877-210-0816.
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