EVENTS - 2024
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July 4 PUBLICATION DAY!!
FROM THE BACK COVER:"On her first day as White House Press Secretary, Lark Chadwick is confronted on live television by a reporter with an agenda who asks, “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."
BOOK LAUNCH PARTY Wednesday, July 24
Thriller Author Jeffrey James Higgins hosted the launch party of my sixth novel and political thriller, Enemies Domestic, at Elaine's, his restaurant and literary salon in the DC suburb of Alexandria, Virginia. The meet and greet was followed by an interview and Q&A of me conducted by Jeff.
In-Depth Writing Coaching Consultation (Pick a Topic)
Stuck? Unmotivated? Discouraged? I can help you re-ignite your writing enthusiasm.
Saturday, November 23 8 a.m. eastern
I'll be interviewed live by Craig Shoemaker on his "Home Matters" show on WDUN News/Talk Radio in Gainesville, Georgia. We'll talk about my 45-year career in journalism (25 at CNN) and how it influenced the creation of my latest political thriller Enemies Domestic. WDUN is in the heart of Trump Country so this could get.....um......interesting.
Book Club Talk December 3
I'll be meeting with Kim Gorman's book club in Potomac, Maryland to talk about my latest novel Enemies Domestic.
From Journalist to Novelist (or How I learned to start making it up) December 4
I'll be speaking to the residents of The Woodlands retirement community in Urbana, Maryland. This is a private event.
Tuesday, December 10 7 p.m. Columbia, Maryland
Looking forward to being with poet Le Hinton at the Queen Takes Book bookstore. We'll be reading from our work, taking your questions, and signing your books.
Sisters in Crime Mystery Authors Extravaganza Saturday, December 14, 12:45 - 2 p.M. Reston, Virgina
I'll be in the presence of greatness: Donna Andrews, Paul Awad, Kathleen Bailey, Kathryn Prater Bomey, Maya Corrigan, Ginny Fite, Barb Goffman, Jeffrey James Higgins, Eleanor Cawood Jones, Libby Klein, Tara Laskowski, Con Lehane, Adam Meyer, Tom Milani, Kathryn O’Sullivan, Josh Pachter, Frances Schoonmaker, Shannon Taft, Art Taylor, Heather Weidner, and Stacy Woodson as we tell you about our latest creations. We'll be at the Reston Regional Library, 11925 Bowman Towne Dr., Reston, VA 20190.
An in-depth conversation: when a dictator becomes president
Torund Bryhn's "Become Famous" Podcast
A Discussion of "Enemies Domestic"
2-Part In-Depth Podcast Interview
My friend Teri Murrison did a masterful deep-dive interview with me on her "Teri's Doing It!" Podcast. The buttons below will take you to parts 1 and 2.
Earlier This Year.....
- January 2 - Interviewed by podcaster Mattie Dalrymple ("The Indy Author") on "The Productive Power of Organization and Procrastination" See and hear it HERE.
- January 6 - "Facing Your Writing Fears" workshop online on Scribophile
- March 2 - interviewed live online by Danna Wilberg of the Sisters in Crime Northern California chapter.
- March 9 - Led "Facing Your Writing Fears" at the Bay to Ocean Writers Conference, Wye Mills, Maryland
- March 10 - Presented "From Journalist to Novelist (Or How I Learned to Start Making it Up)" to Derby Rotten Scoundrels, the Kentucky chapter of Sisters in Crime. See and hear it HERE.
- March 13 - April 17 - "From Novice to Novelist," a 6-week in-depth on-line writing workshop sponsored by The Writer's Center, Bethesda, Maryland
- March 16 - Suffolk Mystery Authors Festival, Suffolk, Virginia
- March 23 - Led "Perfecting Your Key Scenes," an online workshop sponsored by Scribophile.com
- April 4 - Spoke via Zoom with Ms. Headrick's journalism class at Tallmadge High School, Tallmadge, Ohio
- April 14 - Last Word Books, Savage, Maryland
- April 19 - Led "Polish Your Writing," an online workshop sponsored by the Hellenic Writers of D.C. Link to the presentation
- April 25-28 - Returned to the Pikes Peak Writers Conference in Colorado Springs to lead an all-day Master Class, plus 2 other writing workshops
- April 27 - Led the workshop "Facing Your Writing Fears" on-line at the 2nd annual Hella Vella Serial Writers Conference
- Ma y 7- Unveiled my short story "The Case of the Anonymous Source" at Noir at the Voir (overlooking the Swift Creek Reservoir) in Midlothian, Virginia near Richmond. Read it HERE
- May 15 - Led the online workshop "How to Write a Key Scene" for The Writer's Center, Bethesda, Maryland
- May 18 - Led the workshop "How to Write a Thriller" in person at this all-day festival in Gaithersburg, Maryland
- May 29 - Led the workshop "Facing Your Writing Fears" online for The Writer's Center, Bethesda, Maryland
- June 5 - Led the workshop "How to Write a Novel" online for The Writer's Center, Bethesda, Maryland
- June 6 - Took part in "Ask the Author Anything" online with Prolific Writers Life
- June 13 - Led the workshop "Capturing Your Story: The Art of the Memoir" online for Prolific Writers Life
- June 20 - Pre-ordering available for Enemies Domestic, my 6th novel.
- June 24-28: Led "From Novice to Novelist" during Week 1 at The Chautauqua Institution in southwestern NY state
- July 4 - Publication Day for Enemies Domestic, Book 6 in the Lark Chadwick Mystery-Suspense-Thriller series
- July 6 - Book Signing - Elaine's Restaurant, Alexandria, Virginia
- July 7 - Present "Polishing Your Writing Before Publishing Your Book" to the Hellenic Writers of Washington, DC. See and hear it HERE.
- July 13 - Led the online workshop "How to Write a Novel" on Scribophile
- July 15 - Deliah Lawrence - Attorney, Author, Blogger, & Workshop Facilitator interviews me about Enemies Domestic for her blog.
- July 24 - Book Launch Party - Elaine's Restuarant and Literary Salon. I'm interviewed by Owner and Thriller Author Jeff Higgins.
- July 29-August 2 - Lead "From Novice to Novelist" during Week 6 at The Chautauqua Institution in southwestern New York state
- August 12 - Author Talk: "From Journalist to Novelist (Or How I Learned to Start Making it Up)." - Southeast chapter of Mystery Writers of America (SEMWA)
- August 13 - Led the online workshop: "Capturing Your Story: The Art of Memoir" for Prolific Writers Life
- August 15 - Interviewed about Enemies Domestic by Tracey S. Phillips for the Blackbird Writers podcast. See and hear it HERE.
- August 22-25 - Led a Master Class, was on 2 panels, and did 11 one-on-one manuscript critiques at Killer Nashville
- August 25 - Interviewed by Ken Humphrey and Luella Schmidt for the Midwest Writer's Room podcast sponsored by the Wisconsin Writers Association. We discuss abortion and authoritarianism as presented in Enemies Domestic, plus we discuss fear as a key component of writer's block. Hear it HERE.
- August 28 - September 1 - Bouchercon, Nashville. Interviewed Fan Guest of Honor Clay Stafford and was on 2 panels.
- September 6 - Interviewed by Carter Wilson for his "Making it Up" podcast. See and hear it HERE.
- September 28 - Led the online workshop "Perfecting Your Key Scenes" for Scribophile
- September 30 - Led "Writing to Heal" workshop online. Sponsored by Prolific Writers Life
- October 4-6 - Write on the Sound, Edmonds, Washington. - Led 2 writing workshops and did 5 one-on-one manuscript critiques
- October 11 - My latest novel, ENEMIES DOMESTIC, is the winner of the Literary Titan Book Award. Read my interview with Literary Titan HERE. Read the Literary Titan review of Enemies Domestic HERE.
- October 18 - Izolda Trakhtenberg interviews me in-depth about how my novel Enemies Domestic reflects the current state of political chaos. Hear it HERE.
- October 19-20 - Led "Buffing & Polishing: The Art of the Rewrite" in Baltimore at the Brain to Bookshelf Writers' Conference sponsored by the Maryland Writers Association
- October 23 - Learned my latest novel, ENEMIES DOMESTIC, made the first cut in the Chanticlear International Book Award competition for best Mystery/Suspense/Thriller (The Clue Award).
- October 25/26 - Attended the Wisconsin Writers' Association fall conference in my hometown of La Crosse, Wisconsin
- October 28 - Led "The Art of the Memoir" at the Oshkosh, Wisconsin Public Library
- October 29 - Led "Capturing Your Story: The Art of Memoir" online for Prolific Writers Life
- November 2 - Led a day-long Master Class writing retreat at Ravens Crest, an 1840 house on the Maryland shore of the Potomac River near Newburg, Maryland hosted by Brianna Dunbar Bowling of Retreat and Learn
- November 6 - Led "The Art of the Rewrite" workshop online for The Writer's Center, Bethesda, Maryland
- November 13 - Torund Bryhn interviews me about my transition from journalist to novelist. Hear it HERE.
- November 16 - Led "The Ticking Clock: How to Write a Thriller" online for The Muse, Norfolk, Virginia
- November 16 - Led "Writing as a Way to Heal From Grief" online for The Muse, Norfolk, Virginia
- November 21: Interviewed by author James L'Etoile for the Authors on the Air Global Radio Network. See and hear it HERE
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ATTN: BOOK CLUBS/WRITING GROUPS
LOOKING FOR A SPEAKER OR WORKSHOP LEADER?I'm your guy........