Lark Chadwick is back! From the small town environs of Wisconsin to the ancient cities and mountains of Peru, the intrepid reporter for The Pine Bluff Standard is freshly embroiled in another tale of intrigue-the mysterious death of the daughter of her boss -where Lark shockingly becomes a target. "Lark is like an old friend. I'm glad she's back and as fierce as ever. Bluff is a good, fast read...I can't wait until the next adventure." Carol Costello, Anchor/Correspondent, CNN's "American Morning" "Lark reminds me of me in the early days of my career.... DeDakis can so accurately write from a woman's point of view - with all the intrinsic curiosity, emotion and passion - [that it's] nothing short of astounding." Diane Dimond, Author and Investigative Journalist
{"itemData":[{"priceBreaksMAP":null,"buyingPrice":27.99,"ASIN":"1595072217","isPreorder":0},{"priceBreaksMAP":null,"buyingPrice":13.46,"ASIN":"1595071024","isPreorder":0}],"shippingId":"1595072217::B6VCnjfqaRrp4CxrVf9GjZvYLBsGZSw%2FJ6zIcYpf%2B2HgX1y8LmBJU6nSLUAg5eP9oDto8xiznAdQ5YhjFpqouvGINsvZfv80Ab77iWNXKAOGJZ4X4y4SdA%3D%3D,1595071024::85YRb0%2BxwuW7Y9oxo4NQq65UrvAa%2BUUGxiNRruD5HtauywoNWND0zYNymJpWXUxztzB2tpbINuqlG7ZPPwlMZv0PDobipIFc3XgpHMRuxfk%3D","sprites":{"addToWishlist":["wl_one","wl_two","wl_three"],"addToCart":["s_addToCart","s_addBothToCart","s_add3ToCart"],"preorder":["s_preorderThis","s_preorderBoth","s_preorderAll3"]},"currenyCode":"USD","shippingDetails":{"xy":"same"},"tags":["x","y","z"],"strings":{"addToWishlist":["add to wishlist","Add both to Wish List","Add all three to Wish List"],"addToCart":["Add to Cart","Add both to Cart","Add all three to Cart"],"showDetailsDefault":"Show availability and shipping details","shippingError":"An error occurred, please try again","hideDetailsDefault":"Hide availability and shipping details","priceLabel":["Price:","Price for both:","Price for all three:"],"preorder":["Pre-order this item","Pre-order both items","Pre-order all three items"]}}
Author and CNN Senior Copy Editor John DeDakis is an editor and writer for the Emmy and Peabody-Award winning "The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer" (Mon.-Fri. 5-7pm ET and Saturday at 6pm ET).
DeDakis (pronounced deh-DAY-kiss) is the author of the mystery/suspense novel "Fast Track" published by ArcheBooks. It's the story of a young woman's search for purpose as she solves the mystery surrounding the car-train collision which orphaned her as an infant. The novel deals redemptively with issues of suicide, journalistic integrity, anonymous sources, and mentoring relationships.
"Fast Track" grew out of two events in the author's life: a fatal car/train crash he witnessed as a youngster in 1959 and the suicide of his sister in 1980.
His second novel, "Bluff," a sequel to "Fast Track," is based on his four-day, 25-mile hike along the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu in Peru.
Both "Fast Track" and "Bluff" are available as Kindle eBooks on Amazon.com and in hardcover by ArcheBooks. "Fast Track" is also available in paperback as an innovative "bookzine" -- a format developed by ArcheBooks publisher Robert Gelinas to make books less bulky to carry when traveling.
DeDakis, a native of La Crosse, Wisconsin, began his journalism career in 1969 at a campus radio station at the University of Wisconsin-Madison where he was tear gassed while covering an anti-Vietnam War riot in 1970. He earned a B.A. in Journalism from that university in 1977 following a stint in the U.S. Army where he worked from 1972-74 as a Special Events Reporter at The American Forces Network - Europe, based in Frankfurt, Germany.
DeDakis is a former White House Correspondent. During his career, he has interviewed such luminaries as Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, and Alfred Hitchcock.
DeDakis has been with CNN since July 1988. From 2001 to 2005, he supervised the writing on CNN's "Daybreak," anchored by Carol Costello.
From 1976 to 1983, DeDakis was a reporter at WMTV (NBC) in Madison, Wisconsin. From 1983 to 1988, he was a correspondent with CBN News in Virginia Beach, Virginia and Washington, DC.
In addition to book signings and readings, DeDakis frequently speaks around the country on the topic "From Journalist to Novelist: (Or How I Learned to Start Making it Up)." He is also available to lead one-day workshops for aspiring and/or struggling writers.
He is a lecturer at American University, Washington, D.C. where he taught a journalism and writing class for student interns during the summers of 2007/08. He is also an adjunct professor at Regent University, where he taught newswriting to grad students online in 2008.
In June 2009, he led an online seminar through Regent University on how to write a novel.
In April 2010, DeDakis led writing workshops at The Writers' Institute at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and was the keynote speaker in May 2010 at the Scribblers' Retreat writers conference on St. Simons Island, Georgia.
DeDakis is currently working with an agent to bring his screenplay adaptation of "Fast Track" to the attention of Hollywood and has begun writing book three in the Lark Chadwick mystery-suspense series (working title: "Troubled Water").
DeDakis is a member of Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime.
He is also a freelance manuscript editor.
His wife, Cynthia, a choral conductor, is the director of music at St. Thomas' Episcopal Church Whitemarsh near Philadelphia and the former national President of The Royal School of Church Music (RSCM) in America.
John and Cindy divide their time between Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.
They have three grown children: Emily has just earned her PhD in Creative Writing at Queen's University, Belfast, Northern Ireland; James is the drummer for the nationally-known band "Arizona"; and Stephen is a musician and cook in the Washington, D.C. area.
You're invited to send John DeDakis a friend request on Facebook or follow him on Twitter @johndedakis. His website is: www.johndedakis.com
Who wouldn't love Lark Chadwick? I just hope that her author, John DeDakis, keeps her alive for her next 20 (or more) adventures. While you're at it, you might as well buy Lark's first adventure, too. Then, you can stay up all night. Fast Track She's smart, pretty and has forced me into an extra gear in my page-turning transmission. So, buy it. Read it. Keep it. This is good stuff...and that ain't no Bluff. Bluff
Fortunately, I'm on vacation today! This morning, I picked up Bluff with the intention of reading another chapter or so, but got hooked in and devoured the last half of the book. This second book in the Lark Chadwick series is as good as, if not better than, the first. The character and plot development is convincing and riveting. Thanks for another great read, John!
I could not turn the pages fast enough to keep up with the suspense. It's full of twists and turns that I didn't see coming. DeDakis' characters are whole, complex people-- not just ideas or stereotypes. I couldn't help but care deeply for every one of them. Lark is a fun main character who I can't help rooting for. I honestly cannot wait for the next one to come out. You can bet I'll be the first in line to buy it.
