Author Talk

It's September, which means we're that much closer to Halloween... and the return of Jax Book Fest to the Main Library! This year, our headliner is none other than Joe Hill, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Horns, Heart-Shaped Box, and The Fireman. Hill is also the co-creator of the Eisner Award-winning series Locke & Key, now streaming on Netflix!

Not a horror fan? There will be DOZENS of local authors at the Main Library on Saturday, September 23. So, you're bound to find something to add to your TBR pile. We also have Life Lit workshops with fall gardening tips, book clubs to join, and a ton of writing and publishing workshops!  

It's never easy when your magic goes wonky. For Nory, this means that instead of being able to turn into a dragon or a kitten, she turns into both of them at the same time -- a dritten! A two-time Boston Globe/Horn Book Award Honor winner and recipient of the Sydney Taylor Book Award, author Emily Jenkins is a favorite with children for her humor and sensitivity. Join the Junior Lit Chat Tuesday, September 5 from 6-6:30 p.m. at Southeast Library (intended for kids ages 5-12). A limited number of copies of Harry Versus the First One Hundred Days of School will be given away to participants, first come, first served.

Earning a Goodreads Choice Award for Best Young Adult Fiction, We Were Liars was the "sophisticated" suspense novel that took the world by storm in 2014. Now, after nine years, E. Lockhart returns to her New York Times bestselling phenomenon with a thrilling prequel that's just as scandalous and riddled with lies as the first! The Family of Liars takes readers back to the story of another summer, another generation, and the secrets that will haunt them for decades to come.

Meet the author and score your own, free copy of the brand-new book!

Library U is a collection of programs and classes for adults as well as free email newsletters that keep you connected, sharing ideas and learning. Meet and learn from published authors, master gardeners, small business experts and other curious people, just like you!

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!

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)!

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.

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.

April is National Poetry Month and we are featuring two awesome local poets in our Lit Chat Interview Series. It’s also a great month for Great Decisions, our film and discussion group about current events. And this month we welcome a new book club with a fantastic name – Shelf Conscious Book Club at Maxville! Check out all of our great adult programs happening this month!

March 27 - April 1 is Celebrate Reading Week in Jacksonville! As an adult who loves reading, you already know the power of stories! You also know how important it is for everyone, but especially for children, to see themselves reflected in the pages of the books they read. Books can be mirrors for a child wondering where they fit in. They can also be windows, giving them a look at the lives of others. When we all have the power to tell our own stories, in our own voices, that's really something special.

Patricia J. Murphy is an award-winning children's author and a passionate literacy advocate who believes in giving children the tools they need to capture their big ideas and share them with the world.