#Write & Illustrate Children's Books
In addition to her Junior Lit Chat Author Talk on Saturday, September 21, our Jax Book Fest 2024 featured children's book author, Vashti Harrison, will lead a 90-minute hands-on workshop on Friday, September 20, during "Writer's Day" for aspiring children's book authors and illustrators.
Vashti Harrison is the New York Times bestselling creator of Big, which was awarded the 2024 Caldecott Medal, a Coretta Scott King Book Award Author Honor, and a Coretta Scott King Book Award Illustrator Honor, in addition to being a National Book Award finalist. Vashti is also the #1 New York Times bestselling creator of Little Leaders, Little Dreamers, and Little Legends, and the illustrator of Lupita Nyong’o’s Sulwe (for which she received a Coretta Scott King Book Award Illustrator Honor), Matthew A. Cherry’s Hair Love, Andrea Beaty's I Love You Like Yellow, and Stephanie V.W. Lucianovic’s Hello, Star, among others.
WRITER'S LAB (Friday)
Vashti Harrison leads a Writer's Lab: Visual Storytelling Workshop on Friday, September 20 from 2:30 - 4 p.m. in the Conference Center at the Main Library. Note: As this is an interactive, hands-on workshop, seating is limited.
Register for the FREE workshop!
ABOUT THE WORKSHOP
Harrison will give an overview of her creative process for writing and illustrating for children with an emphasis on visual storytelling. First, she will demonstrate how she uses film and animation visual development techniques to make stories and characters leap off the page and then walk participants through story and character development exercises.
MORE ABOUT THE PRESENTER
Vashti Harrison earned her BA from the University of Virginia and her MFA in Film and Video from Calarts. Her experimental films and videos focus on her Caribbean Heritage and folklore. They have shown around the world at film festivals and venues including the New York Film Festival, Rotterdam International Film Festival and Edinburgh International Film Festival. She is a also two-time recipient of the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work for Children.
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JUNIOR LIT CHAT (Saturday)
Kids, ages 5-12, and their families are invited to a Junior Lit Chat Author Talk with Vashti Harrison on Saturday, September 21 from 10 - 10:30 a.m. Vashti will read her book, Big, and do a drawing demonstration, followed by an audience Q&A. Note: Seating for the program will begin at 9 a.m. Standing room will be available when seats are taken.
Register for the FREE author talk!
A limited number of copies of Big will be given away to school-age kids in attendance (first-come, first-served). Other titles will be available for purchase on-site from The BookMark.
#Book Recommendations
#Jax Book Fest 2024: Writer's Day
Join us starting Friday, September 20 from 12 - 5 p.m. at the Main Library for a two-day celebration of great books, fantastic authors, and all things reading! In between workshops, you'll also have the opportunity to network with fellow writers and writer's groups. We'll also be joined by three #1 New York Times bestselling authors, dozens of Jacksonville-based authors, and a few Florida Writer's Groups for Reader's Day on Saturday, September 21, from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Read more at jaxlibrary.org/bookfest.
More Writer's Lab Workshops
- Writer's Lab: Poetry Unleashed (Building Bonds Through Verse)
- Workshop with Taryn "Love Reigns" Wharwood from 12 - 1:30 p.m.
- Explore self-expression and collaboration through poetry
- Writer's Lab: Sense of Place & Identity in Immigrant Fiction
- Workshop with Sohrab Homi Fracis from 1:30 - 2:30 p.m.
- Writer's Lab: Writing Stories, Lifting Voices, Sharing Lives
- Oral History 101 workshop with Dr. Kitty Oliver from 4 - 5 p.m.
- This program is made possible by a grant from the Mellon Foundation.
Self-Publishing Workshops
Our partners at Biblioboard will be offering FREE one-hour, hands-on workshops on how to format and publish your manuscript using Pressbooks. With this FREE online tool, you can submit your e-book to the Florida Indie Author Collection or get your manuscript ready for on-demand printing. Pressbooks is a great option if you want complete control over your own content or the ability to collaborate with other authors and editors.
Choose the time that works best for you: 12 - 1 p.m., 2-3 p.m., 4-5 p.m. You can use the Library's computers to follow along or feel free to bring your own laptop.
Networking & Resources for Writers
Looking to make friends with and learn from other authors? Need help getting your manuscript ready to print? From accountability partners and feedback on each other's works-in-progress to writing tips and advice for avoiding pitfalls and navigating the publishing (and self-publishing) worlds... Whatever genre you're working in, there's a writer's group that's right for you!
Drop by the Conference Level anytime between 12 - 5 p.m. on Friday, September 20, for networking and resources. We'll be joined by representatives from Authors Roundtable of Northeast Florida, First Coast Romance Writers, Women Writing for (a) Change Jacksonville, Mystery Writers of America Florida Chapter, and others.
