By: Julia Peterson
Los Angeles, CA, (The Hollywood Times) 02/07/2024 – The sixth book in the Lark Chadwick series Enemies Domestic written by John DeDakis comes out this June right in time for the presidential elections.
DeDakis is a writing coach, manuscript editor and award-winning novelist who’s written five mystery suspense thrillers and a jazz rock-and-roll drummer. Enemies Domestic tackles current pressing issues such as abortion, QAnon, white Christian nationalism, and mental illness.
On June 24,2022, the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and just like that those 50 years of historic precedent declaring the constitutional right to abortion was stripped away from millions of women. This was when DeDakis shifted his focus on having his next novel cover the new world shift we entered with guidance from his wife Cynthia. The main protagonist Lark Chadwick whose first day as White House Press Secretary gets stalled when on live television, she is asked the invasive question, “Are you, or are you not, planning to abort your unborn child?” This question in the post-Roe era puts her in a precarious situation with forces on both sides of the issue.
John DeDakis has a long history in journalism beginning his career in 1969 and since then has served as CNN’s White House correspondent and worked at CNN for about 25 years. His novels reflect the knowledge and experiences he had gone through in his career. It was so fortunate that DeDakis had time in his busy schedule to talk about Enemies Domestic which will be here this summer.
Enemies’ Domestic tackles a lot of controversial and heated debate topics, which one will be the most controversial in your opinion?
“By far abortion.” He continues to talk about how in the rest of the book, Lark Chadwick is trying to make her decision on abortion as her personal choice is being played out to the world. He talks about how politically everything is now “fair game and it’s all about demonizing the other.” He states that “it’s not a Democrat or Republican issue, it’s a matter of personal privacy and it’s a matter of a woman’s autonomy over her body.” DeDakis brought the issues and “put them in the lives of people that a reader can relate to.” This is novel is important because he wants to “highlight important arguments that are going to be taking place in this upcoming election.”
How did you tackle white Christian nationalism in your novel?
“You’ve got to read the book.” He goes to say how white Christian nationalism is just another way of saying whites should be in control. In which I stated but they do it religiously in the name of Jesus, it is not what they want, but what Jesus said.
What can readers hope to find in Enemies Domestic, that they have yet seen from you?
“The willingness to address a very divisive issue.” DeDakis talks about knowing and hearing people on both sides of the abortion issue as well as the complex decisions women face. In Enemies Domestic he said, “no matter where you are in your opinion on the issue, you are going to see your opinion presented in what I hope is a fair way.” There are many hot topics discussed in this novel, and adding to it the protagonist will be angry. “There are a lot of F-bombs in this novel” as well as an unlikeable protagonist. There is nothing people hate more than an unlikeable woman. Look at Skylar White (her husband was making meth, but they loved him).
What new projects have you been working on and what do you hope to do next?
The seventh book is on its way but still on the research side of things. He currently wrote a memoir which is in the fifth draft and not ready yet since his wife has yet to read it, but it is coming soon. He manages many hats as a writing coach, manuscript editor, ghost writer, plus teaches people how to write at writing conferences and literary centers. He is a “busy guy, but happy guy” which is what is important in the end.
Favorite Jazz Album?
Miles Davis – Kind of Blue proving he is a man of taste.
While we wait till June for Enemies Domestic, John DeDakis has five stand-alone novels that are ready now to read and expand your mind.
Click HERE to pre order Enemies Domestic and John DeDakis’ other novels.
