Meet Over 70 Local Authors Saturday, September 21 at Jax Book Fest

Monday, September 16, 2024

Jax Book Fest 2024 September 20-21

#Jax Book Fest 2024

Jax Book Fest is back at the Main Library on Friday, September 20 from 12-5 p.m. and Saturday, September 21, from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. This year, we've got an amazing lineup of New York Times bestselling authors and over 70 local authors for you to get to know! See who's scheduled to appear!

 

#2024 Featured Authors


#For Children and Families

Vashti Harrison Featured Author/Illustrator

Vashti Harrison is the #1 New York Times bestselling creator of Big, Little Leaders, Little Dreamers, and Little Legends and the illustrator of Andrea Beaty's I Love You Like Yellow, Matthew Cherry's Hair Love, and Stephanie V.W. Lucianovic's Hello, Star, among others. She received a Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor for Lupita Nyong'o's Sulwe and is also a two-time recipient of the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work for Children.

Junior Lit Chat with Vashti Harrison. Image features several book covers.

 


#For Teens and Fans of Young Adult Books

Jason Reynolds bestselling authorJason Reynolds is a #1 New York Times bestselling author of many award-winning books including Look Both Ways: A Tale Told in Ten Blocks, All American Boys (with Brendan Kiely), Stamped: Racism, Anti-Racism, and You (with Ibram X. Kendi), Stuntboy, in the Meantime (illustrated by Raul the Third), and Ain't Burned All the Bright (with artwork by Jason Griffin). Reynolds was also the 2020-2022 National Ambassador for Young People's Literature. 

Teen Lit Chat with Jason Reynolds. Image features several book covers.

 


#For Adult Book Fans

Gabrielle Zevin bestselling authorGabrielle Zevin is the New York Times bestselling novelist whose books have been translated into 40 languages! Her tenth novel, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, was a New York Times and Sunday Times bestseller, Time Magazine's #1 Book of the Year, and the winner of the Goodreads Choice Award for Fiction. Following a 25-bidder auction, the feature film rights to Tomorrow were acquired by Temple Hill and Paramount Studios. 

Lit Chat with Gabrielle Zevin. Image features several book covers.

Register for FREE!

Pre-registration is strongly recommended (as some programs may reach capacity). You will need a Jacksonville Public Library card if you want to register in advance. If you don't have a card but you are a Duval County resident, you can apply online in as little as two minutes.


A Note About Featured Author Book Signings

Our featured authors will sign books for one hour after their respective Lit Chat programs. You may bring a copy from home, purchased from your favorite bookstore. There will also be a local bookseller on-site with a limited number of copies for sale.


Children's book authors smiling behind a display of their books on a table in the atrium

 

#Children's Book Authors & Illustrators


Creator You may know them from... Location
BayaBooks and More

Beautiful As You Are

Why I Love Grandpa

Second Floor
Shanita The Wise Owl Ninja and the Missing Rainbow Diamond Second Floor
Eva Grayzel M.C. Plays Hide and Seek Second Floor
Shani Hall  Authors Roundtable of Northeast Florida Second Floor
Annette Harris Mommy, Can You Teach Me About Money? Second Floor
Heidi Tyline King

Saving American Beach

The Beach Poem (JaxKids Book Club)

Second Floor
Heather Marie The Adventures of Pickle Juice and Patty Cakes (series) Second Floor
Patricia J. Murphy Mama, Look! Second Floor
Jennifer Nestor Jane Escapes to the Jungle of Individuality Second Floor
Melody Pendlebury   Second Floor
Javel Perriel Music Is Bananas Second Floor
Dr. Faith Roberts-Graham The Very Hungry Little Girl Second Floor
Silvana Spence

Bella the Scientist Goes to Space

Here We Go (JaxKids Book Club)

Second Floor

Don't miss a special reading of The Beach Poem by JaxKids Book Club author, Heidi King at 11:30 a.m.

 

#Middle Grades, Teens & Young Adult


Local Author Spotlight

Michael Regina Author SpotlightMichael Regina is the author and illustrator of The Sleepover and the Webtoons featured series, Adamsville. He has been drawing comics since the third grade, and his passion for art and storytelling has stayed with him his whole life. He studied painting and drawing at the University of North Florida and minored in literature. When he's not making comics, he loves fishing, playing TTRPGS, rooting for the Jacksonville Jaguars, and spending time with his family. They all live in Jacksonville, Florida. 

Find Michael Regina on the Conference Level.


Talented Teens Showcase

Throughout the day, we're giving the spotlight (and a mic) to some talented student writers in the Main Library's Teen Room. Stop by this unique space, located next to the gallery on the first floor. 

This is also a great chance to learn more about Élan - an international student literary magazine and publication of the Creative Writing department at DA.

 

#Meet Local Fiction Authors


Creator You may know them from... Location
Charlee Allden First Coast Romance Writers First Floor
Ma Bones Jax Book Fest 2023 First Floor
S. Caro Women Writing for (a) Change Jacksonville Conference
V P Ciambriello Florida Writers Association Conference
Loren Colden Women Writing for (a) Change Jacksonville Conference
Vic DiGenti Florida Writers Association Conference
Edwina Louise Dorch Authors Roundtable of NE Florida Conference
Regina Edwards Authors Roundtable of NE Florida Conference
Sharhonda Exantus Women Writing for (a) Change Jacksonville Conference
Sohrab Homi Fracis Lit Chat, Writer's Lab Conference
Roy Glenn Authors Roundtable of NE Florida Conference
Melody Johnson First Coast Romance Writers First Floor
Patrick Kendrick Mystery Writers of America - Florida First Floor
Fay Kercher Women Writing for (a) Change Jacksonville Conference
Steven LaBree Florida Writers Association Conference
Dr. Rhonda Lowe Jax Book Fest 2023 First Floor
Judith Luke Florida Writers Association Conference
J G Matheny Authors Roundtable of NE Florida Conference
Leah Miles First Coast Romance Writers First Floor
Loryn Moore First Coast Romance Writers First Floor
Marie Morton Women Writing for (a) Change Jacksonville First Floor
K.E. Mullins Authors Roundtable of NE Florida First Floor
Victoria Nations Jax Book Fest 2023 First Floor
Holly Newman Mystery Writers of America - Florida First Floor
Mike O'Malley Florida Writers Association Conference
Eileen M. Phelps Authors Roundtable of NE Florida Conference
N.L. Quatrano Florida Writers Association Conference
L.T. Reed Women Writing for (a) Change Jacksonville Conference
Karen Renee First Coast Romance Writers First Floor
Frank Reteguiz Authors Roundtable of NE Florida Conference
Joy Ann Ribar Mystery Writers of America - Florida First Floor
Marie Q. Rogers Women Writing for (a) Change Jacksonville Conference
Abigail Sharpe Women Writing for (a) Change Jacksonville First Floor
Paola Sur Women Writing for (a) Change Jacksonville Conference
Amber Warden First Coast Romance Writers First Floor
Joan T. Warren, MHSOT Jax Book Fest 2023 First Floor
Barbara Whitaker Women Writing for (a) Change Jacksonville First Floor
Jennifer Wolfe Women Writing for (a) Change Jacksonville Conference
Vickey Wollan First Coast Romance Writers First Floor

 

 

#Meet Local Nonfiction Authors


Creator You may know them from... Location
Marla J. Albertie, PhD Authors Roundtable of NE Florida Conference
Dorothy K. Fletcher Jax Book Fest 2023 Conference
Tim Gilmore Lit Chat First Floor
Rashad Hawkins Jax Book Fest 2023 First Floor
Tanya Henley-Cole Women Writing for (a) Change Jacksonville Conference
Adinah Johnson Authors Roundtable of NE Florida Conference
Sherri Jones Women Writing for (a) Change Jacksonville Conference
Bonnie T. Ogle Women Writing for (a) Change Jacksonville Conference
Sharlyne Carla Rogers Authors Roundtable of NE Florida Conference
Bre Robinson Women Writing for (a) Change Jacksonville Conference
Sharon Scholl Women Writing for (a) Change Jacksonville Conference
Jessica Q. Stark Lit Chat First Floor
Damon Thomas Duval Comic and Zine (DCAZ) Fest First Floor
Phyllis J. Walker Authors Roundtable of NE Florida Conference
Rebecca Weaver First Coast Romance Writers Conference
Aaron Woodson Lit Chat First Floor

 


An bearded author points to a display of his books on the table in front of him.

#Are You a Local Author?

Working on your own picture book? Thinking about self-publishing? Need tips for marketing your work? Learn from both traditionally published and self-published authors with our Writer's Lab series! On Friday, September 20 from 12 - 5 p.m., we'll have seven free workshops! In between programs, you'll also have the opportunity to network with fellow writers and several writer's groups.

This year's participating Writer's Groups: Authors Roundtable of Northeast Florida, First Coast Romance Writers, Mystery Writers of America Florida Chapter, and Women Writing for (a) Change Jacksonville. We'll also have representatives from Biblioboard and Florida Writers Association.

Whether you're tabling at Jax Book Fest this year or not, this is a great time to Submit your Book to the Local Author Collection or Market Your Book to the Library. You can also donate your e-book to the Indie Florida Collection on Biblioboard Library by using Pressbooks or Indie Author Project.

We also have an Open Call for Zines and Self-Published Comics as well as a new, annual event celebrating the DIY and printed matter community! Join us for Duval Comic and Zine Fest (held annually in June). There's also a monthly Zinester Meetup at the Main Library on the first Wednesday of the Month (during Art Walk). Or drop in Saturdays from 9:30 - 11:30 a.m. at Main Library for Saturday Morning Cartooning.


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