How to Heal Trauma When Life Feels Out of Your Control

John DeDakis began writing fiction in 1995 while working as an editor at CNN, seeking a creative outlet. His work draws on personal experiences, including a fatal car-train accident he witnessed as a child, his sister’s suicide, his son’s fatal heroin overdose, and more.

A former White House correspondent and editor on CNN’s “The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer,” John is now a writing coach, manuscript editor, podcaster, and self-described rank amateur jazz drummer.

Grief and loss are subtexts in all six award-winning mystery/suspense/thriller novels written by John DeDakis. All six of his novels feature 20-something journalist Lark Chadwick. Throughout the series, she struggles with grief (eg - the carbon monoxide poisoning of the aunt who raised her, the murder of her boyfriend, etc.). Journalistic integrity and mentoring relationships are subtexts. In two of the novels, she is a White House correspondent. In the sixth novel, a political thriller, she is White House press secretary.

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Enemies Domestic. On her first day as White House Press Secretary, Lark Chadwick is confronted on live television by a reporter with an agenda: “Are you, or are you not, planning to abort your unborn child?” His question puts Lark in the crosshairs of extremists on both sides of the highly fraught abortion issue. Ambivalent about becoming a single mother in the post-Roe era, and grieving the death of her boyfriend, Lark is now forced to make her abort-or-not-to-abort decision in a highly toxic, politicized, and polarized fishbowl. At stake: her sanity—and her life. 

In the political thriller Enemies Domestic, his most important and controversial book to date, former CNN editor John DeDakis dramatically and thoughtfully tackles the hot topics of abortion, QAnon, White Christian Nationalism, and mental illness at a time when America itself is teetering between democracy and authoritarianism.

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There is New Hope for Mutlple Sclerosis Patients

Kim "Kid" Curry was a high school junior when his father, the radio newsman, asked him to babysit for his boss at the radio station. Kim assumed it was to babysit the boss' kids but it was to 'run' the actual news show. The radio station played the local church services from the previous week and no one wanted the job.

From that moment, Kim knew what he wanted to do as a career and has been a broadcaster for 33 years. Then a diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis changed his life. After eight years of failing health, modern science gave him hope by halting the progression of the disease.

This is his story. One that will encourage and inspire you to Never Ever Give Up Hope: 

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The moment Kim Curry stepped into a radio station in high school, he knew he was destined to work in the industry. 

At the height of popularity for radio stations and DJs in the 70s and 80s, Curry blazed a trail for himself as “Kid” Curry. His iconic, “Bed Check” segment, helped propel him to star status in Miami and it followed him during his over the 20-year path to the dream job of Major Market Program Director. The perks of the job, including hanging out with music legends, being invited to the White House, meeting Johnny U and a Watergate burglar, traveling around the world to find the next “Number One” song and, the best part, helping listeners in need.

Life was on track, but, Multiple Sclerosis had other plans. Curry dismissed the early signs of the disease and continued with his optimistic outlook until a fateful round of golf led to the diagnosis that halted a lifelong career and extinguished his dreams. But attitude is everything. With the love and support of his incredible (Cuban) wife and her assurance of, “We Got This Papi,” Curry embraced this new challenge and shows us that life can be good even in the face of adversity.

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In 1986 a floodgate opened, changing radio forever. The FCC rescinded the “Fairness Doctrine” which eliminated the requirement to broadcast “contrasting points of view” on American broadcast TV and Radio airwaves.   A variety of radio hucksters began preaching conspiracies and lies as facts and paved America’s path to social division. The Death of Fairness is a story shining a spotlight on the impact of this decision that hits a little too close to home and is based on actual events.  

As a prophet for one of the biggest advocates to rescind The Doctrine, Program Director Fred Handson was sent to a small American city to replace the local hometown Disc Jockey’s on, K-River, the only radio station in town. Fred filled the airwaves with national radio shows, hosted by men who discovered a monetary payoff to espousing unsubstantiated facts, touting the new “freedom of speech” caused by the rescinding of the Fairness Doctrine, allowing lies and talk of conspiracies, without debate, resulting in tension and divisiveness in the town. 

Will the small-town values of the community be jeopardized by this radical change with the local radio station? 

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