Lit Chat 2023

Hank Phillippi Ryan has never liked surprises. She hated them so much in, fact, that long ago, she started reading the last page of books first. But even a lifetime of avoiding surprises hasn't kept her from being surprised (and often delighted) by the endings to her own books! This bestselling author knows how to craft thrilling tales that will leave you guessing until the very end... Hear her talk with one of Jacksonville's own mystery and detective novelists, Michael Wiley, about what it takes to write crime and thrillers. And join the discussion! An audience Q&A will follow the interview.

We are excited to offer not one but two exciting Lit Chat Interviews this August! We've got a bestselling mystery/thriller novelist and a bestselling historical fiction author! There's also a History Chat exploring Jacksonville's music history and culture and a publishing workshop for all of our aspiring authors out there! We also have gardening workshops, book clubs to join and a few Jax Book Fest updates you might want to check out!

People around the country know the tales of "Florida Men" and "Florida Women," but only those fortunate enough to live here can truly capture their spirit! Learn how Northeast Florida author Deb Rogers did exactly that with her wild debut novel, Florida Woman.

Are you a fan of historical fiction? Then you'll want to register for our next Lit Chat Interview! We are excited to announce that Beatriz Williams has made Jacksonville Public Library an official stop on her latest book tour! She's got a brand new, ravishing summer read that transports readers back to a midcentury New England in the years following the Second World War. Rich with secrets and Cold War intrigue, The Beach at Summerly "weaves two standbys of summer fiction into one escapist story," (New York Times book review).

We are really excited to bring a different kind of Writer’s Lab to the Library this month – a three-hour workshop on creating a Dungeons & Dragons campaign with a Wizards of the Coast employee! We also have great summery Lit Chats, gardening workshops for everyone, and 16 book clubs to check out. And, of course, the Jax Stacks Reading Challenge continues (with new prizes up for grabs)!

Jacksonville Public Library and St. Johns Riverkeeper are partnering up to bring you two great events with author and poet Camille Dungy on Saturday, June 24. In her newest book, Soil: The Story of a Black Mother’s Garden Dungy recounts the seven-year odyssey to diversify her garden in the predominately white community of Fort Collins, Colorado. When she moved there in 2013, with her husband and daughter, the community held strict restrictions about what residents could and could not plant in their gardens.

Summer is almost here and so are a ton of great programs! There are three - count them THREE - awesome Lit Chats in June, a Writer’s Lab doubleheader, and our newest Book Club at Pablo Creek! If you're not sure what to read this summer, we've got some great book recommendations for you on our blog.

In June, we'll announce the dates for Jax Book Fest 2023 and the three authors who'll be headlining that event! Join us at Lit Chats and Writer's Labs this summer and be sure to follow our social media (and read your emails) for the BIG reveal.

Join us for a Lit Chat Interview with graphic novelist Leela Corman. She'll be in conversation with local podcaster Badr Milligan live at the Main Library during the second annual Duval Comic and Zine Fest on Saturday, June 10, at 1:30 p.m. Corman is a founding instructor of the Sequential Artists Workshop in Gainesville, Florida, and an instructor at Rhode Island School of Design. DCAZ Fest is a celebration for self-publishing that brings together local comic and zine makers with fans of underground art, alternative press and DIY media. Chair seating will be guaranteed to those who register for the in-person program and there will also be standing room available at the event.

New York Times bestselling author Susan Orlean joins us at the Main Library in June for two days of bookish excitement! Readers can check out our Lit Chat Interview with her on Friday evening, and writers can attend a Writer’s Lab workshop on Saturday morning. We’d love to see you at both!

May is Preservation Month, a time to celebrate and do our part to save historic places for the purpose of instilling community pride. The theme this year is “People Saving Places," a national high-five to everyone doing the great work of saving places—in ways big and small—and inspiring others to do the same. Jacksonville Public Library is kicking celebrations off with a lively, wide-ranging discussion about Jacksonville's history and architecture with Wayne Wood and Tim Gilmore on Saturday, May 6 at 2 p.m. at the Main Library.