#Jax Book Fest 2023

Jax Book Fest is back at the Main Library and better than ever! Join us for the MAIN EVENT on Saturday, September 23 from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. for an awesome lineup of New York Times bestselling authors and DOZENS of local authors! 

Are you an aspiring author? Want to see your book on the library's shelves? Don't miss WRITER'S DAY on Friday, September 22 from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. for FREE writing and publishing workshops, networking opportunities, and more! 

#Featured Authors

Joe Hill, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Horns, The Fireman, Heart-Shaped Box, and Strange Weather will be joining us for both days of Jax Book Fest! Much of his work has been adapted for film, including Horns (starring Daniel Radcliffe), the Blumhouse smash The Black Phone (adapted from his short story), and Locke & Key, a hit Netflix series based on the Eisner Award-winning comic he co-created with artist Gabriel Rodriguez.

You probably already know and love Angeline Boulley's Firekeeper's Daughter - the "Indigenous Nancy Drew thriller" novel that set the world (and BookTok) ablaze. Not only was it a #1 New York Times bestseller, Reese's Book Club YA Pick and TIME Magazine Best YA Book of All Time Selection... It's getting adapted for TV at Netflix! Her latest bestselling book, Warrior Girl Unearthed, takes us back to Sugar Island for another high-stakes thriller.

Dan Santat is a New York Times bestselling author and the Caldecott Award-winning illustrator of over a hundred books for young people. He's probably best known for The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend, the magical story of a would-be imaginary friend who sets off on a journey looking for the child he's destined to befriend! His artwork is also featured in numerous picture books, chapter books, and middle-grade novels, including Dav Pilkey's Ricky Ricotta series.

Register for a Lit Chat

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.

#Local Authors

#Children's Authors

• Ari's World
• Caroline Brown, JaxKids Book Club
• K.M. Clark, Florida Authors and Publishers Association
• Judy Ann Clausen, JaxKids Book Club
• Valerie Crowe, Florida Authors and Publishers Association
• Debbie Freeman, Florida Authors and Publishers Association
• Roy Glen, Authors Roundtable of Florida, Inc.
• Rhonda Goodall
• Emily Gooding, Biblioboard and Writer's Lab
• Cindi Handley Goodeaux
• Melkevia Ivey, Authors Roundtable of Florida, Inc.
• Heather Marie
• Patricia J. Murphy, Lit Chat Author
• Michael Regina, Lit Chat Author and Writer's Lab
• Dr. Faith Roberts-Graham, Authors Roundtable of Florida, Inc.
• Silvana Spence, JaxKids Book Club
• Shaqkena Thompson, Authors Roundtable of Florida, Inc.
• Kay Whitehouse, Florida Authors and Publishers Association
• Jane Wood, Florida Authors and Publishers Association

#Fiction Authors

• Cedric G! Bacon, First Coast Romance Writers
• Makayla "Winnie" Berry, Authors Roundtable of Florida, Inc. 
• Ma Bones/Deadlast Press 
• Tamatha Cain, Lit Chat Author
• Loren Colden, Women Writing for a Change 
• Julie G. Delegal, Jax By Jax and Lit Chat Author
• Debora De Farias, Lit Chat Author
• Laura Dill, Authors Roundtable of Florida, Inc. 
• Regina Edwards, Authors Roundtable of Florida, Inc. and Writer's Lab 
• Sohrab Homi Fracis, Lit Chat Author 
• Melkevia Ivey, Authors Roundtable of Florida, Inc. 
• Adinah Johnson, Authors Roundtable of Florida, Inc. 
• Debby Grahl, First Coast Romance Writers 
• Donna M. Gray-Banks, Authors Roundtable of Florida, Inc. 
• Carol Grimes, Women Writing for a Change
• Jessica Hatch, Romance Novelist Lit Chat Author / Writer's Lab
• Melody Johnson, First Coast Romance Writers
• Darlyn Finch Kuhn, Jax by Jax and Writer's Lab
• Tru Leverette Hall, Ph.D. Women Writing for a Change
• Ginger Marks/DocUmeant Publishing, Florida Authors and Publishers Association
• Jolene Mcfadden, First Coast Romance Writers
• Bill Melton, Authors Roundtable of Florida, Inc.
• Leah Miles, First Coast Romance Writers
• Victoria Nations
• Dea Poirier
• D.W. (Dick) Powell, Florida Authors and Publishers Association
• LaShonda Presha, Authors Roundtable of Florida, Inc.
• Twyla Prindle, Writer's Lab
• Elizabeth Randall, Lit Chat Author
• Karen Renee, First Coast Romance Writers
• Frank Reteguiz, Authors Roundtable of Florida, Inc.
• Pamela Riley
• Liz Robbins, Women Writing for a Change
• Erik Slader, Lit Chat Author
• PeTika Taves, Authors Roundtable of Florida, Inc.
• Shaqkena Thompson, Authors Roundtable of Florida, Inc.
• Lauren Tivey, Women Writing for a Change
• Tiffany Towns, Authors Roundtable of Florida, Inc.
• Tracy Tripp 
• Josh Ulrich
• Barbara Whitaker
• Jennifer Wolfe, Women Writing for a Change / Writer's Lab
• Vickey Wollan, First Coast Romance Writers
• Gary Zeiger

#Nonfiction Authors

• Diana Beranek
• Kim Bradley, Women Writing for a Change
• Jane Condon, Women Writing for a Change
• Dorsey Craft, Women Writing for a Change
• Patricia Daly-Lipe
• Elise Darby, First Coast Romance Writers
• Erica Davis
• Lawana Dinkins
• Paula R. Hilton, Jax By Jax
• Tim Gilmore, Lit Chat Author
• Rashad Hawkins
• Shilonda Jackson
• Anne Jacob, Florida Authors and Publishers Association
• Robert Jacob, Florida Authors and Publishers Association and Writer's Lab
• Brad Kuhn, Jax By Jax and Writer's Lab
• Shani Naeema, Women Writing for a Change
• Tayve Neese, Jax By Jax
• Elizabeth Randall, Women Writing for a Change and Lit Chat Author
• Louise Roche
• Lynn Skapyak Harlin, Jax By Jax
• Pat Stanford, Florida Authors and Publishers Association
• Jessica Q. Stark, Women Writing For A Change and Lit Chat Author
• Ronda Steinke-McDonald
• Damon Thomas, Jax By Jax
• Taryn "LoveReigns" Wharwood, Jax By Jax
• Wayne W. Wood, Jacksonville Historical Society and Lit Chat Author
• Aaron Woodson, Florida Authors and Publishers Association and Lit Chat Author

#Local Author Spotlights

This year, we partnered with several writer's groups to fill our local author (and illustrator) tables. Each group was also given the opportunity to spotlight one of their members during our Local Author Readings. 

Join us between 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. in room G4 (on the Conference Level). Each author will have about 15-20 minutes to tell you a little bit about themselves (and their work), read a passage or two from their book, and take a few audience questions.

• 10:30 a.m. - Julie Delegal of Jax By Jax
• 11:05 a.m. - Dr. Tru Leverette of Women Writing for (a) Change - Jacksonville
• 11:40 a.m. - Donna Gray-Banks of Authors Roundtable of Florida
• 12:10 p.m. - Debbie Freeman of Florida Authors and Publishers Association
• 12:45 p.m. - Melody Johnson of First Coast Romance Writers

#Are You a Local Author?

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.