#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 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.
#For Teens and Fans of Young Adult Books
Jason 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.
#For Adult Book Fans
Gabrielle 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.
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 & Illustrators
Creator | You may know them from... | Location |
BayaBooks and More | 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 |
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 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.
- 10:30 - 11 a.m.: Student-writers from LaVilla School of the Arts
- 1:30 - 2 p.m.: Douglas Anderson School of the Arts
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 |
#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.
Be the first to know about Lit Chat author talks, writing workshops, and more!