PLOT TWISTS: A MEMOIR ON WRITING AND LIVING

by John DeDakis

In Plot A Memoir on Writing and Living, writing coach, award-winning novelist, and former CNN editor John DeDakis delivers a candid coming-of-age memoir shaped by the upheaval of the 1950s and '60s when assassinations, the Vietnam War, and a nation in turmoil rerouted his life. Along the way, DeDakis interviews Alfred Hitchcock, covers Ronald Reagan, and works beside Wolf Blitzer—while privately grappling with spiritual doubt, his sister's suicide, and the devastating loss of his youngest son to addiction. In unflinching prose, DeDakis traces his evolution from hedonistic impulsivity to hard-won integrity.

"Heartfelt, heartbreaking, and hopeful." —James L'Etoile, Executive Vice President, Mystery Writers of America

350 pages, Paperback

Published September 17, 2026

About the author

Journalist, novelist, and writing coach John DeDakis is a former Senior Copy Editor on CNN's "The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer." DeDakis (pronounced deh-DAY-kiss) is the author of five novels in the Lark Chadwick mystery-suspense-thriller series.

His fourth novel, Bullet in the Chamber, is the winner of Reviewers Choice, Foreword INDIES, and Feathered Quill book awards.

His most recent novel, Fake, is a winner of the 2020 Reviewers Choice Award. In Fake, Lark is a White House correspondent dealing with “fake news” in the era of #MeToo.

During his award-winning 45-year career in journalism (25 years at CNN), DeDakis has been a White House Correspondent and interviewed such luminaries as Alfred Hitchcock, Jimmy Carter, and Ronald Reagan.

DeDakis has taught journalism at the University of Maryland–College Park, and American University in Washington, D.C. He now regularly teaches novel writing online, at literary centers, writers’ conferences, and bookstores around the country and abroad.

He is currently at work on a memoir, working title: Pivot Points: A Life of Plot Twists

In his spare time, DeDakis is also a jazz drummer.
Website: www.johndedakis.com

Reviews

[Bill Gormley · Rating 5 out of 5]

A GRIPPING STORY BY A MASTER STORYTELLER -- This is a deeply moving memoir, sometimes buoyant, sometimes poignant. Hard to read at times because of some wrenching moments, but also hard to put down. DeDakis, whom I know, pulls no punches, speaking bluntly about himself. We learn about his character flaws, family tragedies, religious beliefs, and relations with the opposite sex. We also learn about the TV news business -- how to succeed without being dishonest or sycophantic. In multiple novels, Stewart O'Nan writes movingly about the ups and downs of "ordinary" people. Like O'Nan, DeDakis has a gift for capturing the rich and sometimes painful emotions associated with aging, self-doubt, marriage, parenthood, and premature death. I enjoyed his humor and wry wit as he shook his head over his own mistakes. Even more, I appreciated his wisdom as he moved into grief rather than away from it when some really bad stuff happened. There is plenty of drama in surviving life's setbacks and in moving forward even after being shaken to your core. A life worth living and a book worth reading.

[M.R. Collings · Rating 5 out of 5]

John is a talented man, and I loved reading his story. It's interesting, deep, and takes you on an emotional journey. It also makes you think. I love how vulnerable and relatable he makes his memoir. I love a peek into another person's real life, and John's didn't disappoint. A man with depth with a memoir not to miss!

[Diane Helentjaris · Rating 5 out of 5]

In his memoir, Plot Twist, journalist John DeDakis bares his life from childhood to the present day with unsparing honesty. I’ve known John for a few years through his manuscript editing services and his teaching. I’ve read his novels and thoroughly enjoyed them. But until reading Plot Twist, I didn’t really know John. Sure, I was aware of his family tragedies, but not his heartfelt take on them and the long view he has of his own life.
First, as expected of DeDakis, Plot Twist is wonderfully written. It gallops along with nice, short chapters and fluid English, gaining complexity and speed as it nears its climactic final chapters. I stayed up way past my bedtime, sucked into the story, even when I had an early morning meeting. I liked the give-and-take of his career path. I found it refreshing to have an intelligent, educated person speak about their faith and its changes as he moves through life. The book is most notable for DeDakis’s generosity. Rather than withdrawing from life, he has chosen to reach out, to teach his writing skills, to become a grief counselor to help others. By sharing his story, he gives readers the possibility to realize that maybe all their own mistakes are more the norm than not.
There is much to consider as a result of reading Plot Twist. As a Midwesterner like DeDakis, I recognize the bred-in stoicism and overactive sense of responsibility for everything and everyone. This book made me wonder how society might do a better job of supporting people in their transition from childhood to maturity and to better address addictive behavior. To me, it underscores the US’s need to finally incorporate mental health holistically in our healthcare.
John DeDakis, with Plot Twist, has given readers an example of a life dedicated to meeting challenges and finding positivity in the outcome. I enjoyed it thoroughly.