Completely Booked - Official Podcast of the Jacksonville Public Library
Listen to stories from local Jacksonville residents, learn something new, and get updates about events happening at the Jacksonville Public Library.
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Lit Chat Interview with Bestselling Author & Emmy-Winning Director Jeffrey Blount
03/04/2024
Lit Chat Interview with Bestselling Author & Emmy-Winning Director Jeffrey Blount
Jeffrey Blount is the award-winning author of four novels, including Almost Snow White, Hating Heidi Foster, , and . He is also an Emmy award-winning television director and a 2016 inductee to the Virginia Communications Hall of Fame. During a 34-year career at NBC News, Jeffrey directed a decade of Meet The Press, The Today Show, NBC Nightly News, and major special events. He is the first African American to direct The Today Show. He was a contributor for HuffPost and has been published in The Washington Post, The Grio.com and other publications, commenting on issues of race, social justice, and writing. Interviewer Fati D. Ashley is a Ghanaian-American literary and visual artist who resides in Florida. She holds a Master of Arts in English (Rhetoric and Composition) from the University of North Florida. Her poem “Cape Coast” was performed in Echoes of Us, a series of curated monologues, directed by Tony Award nominee Michele Shay in 2022. She is the Editor-in-Chief for The Banyan Review, a 2023 Best of the Net nominee, and a 2023 Fellow of The Craft Institute, "a non-profit organization dedicated to curating culturally inclusive ecosystems throughout the world of arts and entertainment..." Ashley consults and facilitates workshops for Authors Roundtable of North Florida and teaches creative writing at Jacksonville Arts and Music School. READ Check out from the library: THE LIBRARY RECOMMENDS More books about finding yourself and your community: , by Chanelle Benz , by James McBride , by Honorée Fanonne Jeffers --- Never miss an event! Sign up for email newsletters at Jacksonville Public LibraryWebsite: Twitter: Facebook: Instagram: YouTube: Contact Us:
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Lit Chat Interview with bestselling author Jami Attenberg
02/23/2024
Lit Chat Interview with bestselling author Jami Attenberg
Jami Attenberg is the author of seven books of fiction including Instant Love, The Kept Man, The Melting Season, The Middlesteins, Saint Mazie, and All Grown Up. Her most recent novel is All This Could Be Yours (2019). She is also the author of the memoir I Came All This Way to Meet You: Writing Myself Home (2022). Attenberg has written about food, travel, books, relationships and urban life for The New York Times Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, the Sunday Times, Slate, and others. Her work has been published in a total of sixteen languages. She lives in New Orleans, LA. Interviewer Nikesha Elise Williams is a two-time Emmy award-winning producer, an award-winning author, and producer and host of the Black & Published podcast. Her latest novel, The Seven Daughters of Dupree, was acquired by Scout Press and will be published in 2025. A Chicago native, Nikesha is now a columnist with JAX Today. Her work has also appeared in The Washington Post, ESSENCE, and VOX. She currently lives in Florida with her family. READ Check out some of from the library: THE LIBRARY RECOMMENDS More fiction to complement Jami’s works: by Gail Honeyman by Meg Wolitzer by Claire Messud JAMI RECOMMENDS My parents live over in Venice, Florida, across the state from all of you in Jacksonville, so that’s the part of Florida I know the best. These are my four favorite things about Venice: Belkis Cuban food inside the Citgo gas station. The people who run it are so nice and sometimes you just need to sit down with your family and eat an enormous Cuban sandwich. The free daily yoga on Venice Beach. The classes are offered by a lovely woman named Elin. She teaches it twice each morning. It’s basically just a lot of stretching but I like to go with my mom and then take a walk on the beach after. The Legacy Trail. An incredible miles-long multi-use recreational rail trail connecting Sarasota and Venice. My mother is on the Friends of The Legacy Trail board and helped with fundraising for its expansion, so I always think of it as the “Joan Attenberg Trail.” Humphris Park/South Jetty. Whenever I visit my parents, we go and watch the sunset here and it’s really lovely to see so many people come out and enjoy the natural beauty of Florida. --- Never miss an event! Sign up for email newsletters at Jacksonville Public LibraryWebsite: Twitter: Facebook: Instagram: YouTube: Contact Us:
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Lit Chat Interview with Lifetime Fighter for Justice, Nat Glover
02/01/2024
Lit Chat Interview with Lifetime Fighter for Justice, Nat Glover
Nat Glover was born in 1943, in segregated Jacksonville, Florida. At seventeen, he unknowingly headed into an angry white mob and the Ku Klux Klan attacking young black protestors staging a sit-in at a downtown whites-only lunch counter. Known as “Ax Handle Saturday,” this harrowing encounter with racism would commit him to a lifetime of fighting for justice. He joined the Jacksonville Police Department in 1966 where he was named Police Officer of the Year four times, promoted to detective, rose to sergeant, and was appointed the city’s first hostage negotiator. In 1995, Duval County voters elected him the first Black sheriff in Florida since Reconstruction. Hear more about his incredible work and his new memoir, Striving for Justice: A Black Sheriff. Nathaniel Glover has garnered national recognition for his community policing, ban on choke holds, and de-escalation training. Then-President Bill Clinton and U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno praised his initiatives during a walk-along with Glover in Jacksonville. He was also a mayoral candidate in 2003 and served as the 29th President of his alma mater, Edward Waters University. He was twice nominated for the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Male President of the Year. The school’s stadium is named the Nathaniel Glover Community Field and Stadium. He received a “Great Floridian” designation in 2016 for his dedication to law enforcement, higher education, and the city of Jacksonville. He was inducted into the Florida Law Enforcement Officer’s Hall of Fame in 2021. His memoir, Striving for Justice: A Black Sheriff, was released on August 22, 2023. Book proceeds help fund scholarships for need-based students through the Florida State College at Jacksonville’s Foundation and the “Where They Will Shine Scholarship Fund”. Learn more at . Interviewer Keitha Nelson is an award-winning journalist with 19 years of experience in the field of broadcasting. She currently serves as the co-anchor for Good Morning Jacksonville, First Coast News, NBC12/ABC25. She’s a true storyteller with the ability to connect with audiences. Throughout her career, Keitha has covered several major stories including Hurricanes Katrina, Matthew, and Irma as well as the Kamiyah Mobley story and Ahmaud Arbery shooting trial. Keitha is a regular speaker and volunteer. Most recently, she’s been honored with a Ken Knight award for her coverage and positive impact within the community. Notably, she has also won an Award of Excellence in Broadcast Journalism from Women in Media. Keitha has contributed to team awards including both an Edward R. Murrow and a Peabody for Hurricane Katrina coverage and an Emmy. She serves on the board of Jacksonville non-profit Hope at Hand, which provides art and poetry therapy to at-risk populations. Keitha is also a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated. READ Check out from the library! THE LIBRARY RECOMMENDS by Herman Mason , by Marshelle Berry , by Jada Wright-Greene --- Never miss an event! Sign up for email newsletters at Jacksonville Public LibraryWebsite: Twitter: Facebook: Instagram: YouTube: Contact Us:
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Lit Chat with Prolific Local History Author Tim Gilmore
01/18/2024
Lit Chat with Prolific Local History Author Tim Gilmore
The Spirit of Place Tim Gilmore is a prolific local history author who has written extensively about Jacksonville. As the writer and creator of , a project that explores place and catalogs the Southern Gothic, he has told more than 700 stories of strange and historic locations in and around Jacksonville, Florida. He has also published 22 books. "Ever since UNF English Professor Alex Menocal introduced me to the concept of psychogeography years ago, I’ve been enthralled with it," Gilmore says. "It’s a portmanteau word, the psychology of geography, [meaning] something like the spirit of place. It’s where the name for my website, , comes from." Gilmore seems equally fascinated with Jacksonville and its people. He is also the founder of . A literary arts festival, now in its 10th year, JaxbyJax was built on the theme of “Jacksonville Writers Writing Jacksonville.” Few writers have written about Jacksonville more than Gilmore. He joined us last November to talk about his latest book, . Tim Gilmore has written 22 books including Box Broken Open: The Architecture of Ted Pappas; Murder Capital: Eight Stories, 1890s-1980s; Channeling Anna Fletcher; Repossessions: Mass Shooting in Baymeadows; The Book of Isaiah: A Vision of the Founder of a City, illustrated by Shep Shepard; Devil in the Baptist Church: Bob Gray’s Unholy Trinity; and The Mad Atlas of Virginia King. Four of the works he’s written for the stage have been produced by Florida State College at Jacksonville DramaWorks and his writing has appeared in numerous publications both locally and nationally. JaxPsychoGeo has received mention in publications including The Miami Herald, The Washington Post and The New Yorker and was featured in the A24 book Florida! A Hyper-Local Guide to the Flora, Fauna and Fantasy of the Most Far-Out State in America. Gilmore teaches Literature and Writing at Florida State College at Jacksonville. He’s received awards from FSCJ, the Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville and Jacksonville City Council. He holds a Ph.D. in English from the University of Florida. You can also read his twice-weekly newsletter, Tim Gilmore’s deadpaper, at . Interviewer Shep Shepard is a professor of English at FSCJ’s Nassau Center. He received his Ph.D. in English from the University of Florida and has worked as a full-time instructor at FSCJ for twenty years. In his spare time, he produces music under various monikers, edits fiction and nonfiction prose, creates digital art, and enjoys time with his wife Ana and their dogs Meka and Moxie. READ Check out from the Library Catalog: Tim Recommends: Pyschogeographical Works I’ve long been a huge Cormac McCarthy fan. I’ve assigned to numerous classes over the years. Of all the McCarthy I’ve read, I most highly recommend The Road and two of his earlier novels: First, there’s the 1973 novel , which somehow manages to be one of the most horrifying things I’ve ever read and one of the most beautiful. Few writers could achieve that strange incongruous feat, perhaps none better than McCarthy. Meanwhile, his 1979 novel paints as detailed a picture of down-and-out Knoxville, Tennessee, as Joyce ever painted of Dublin. It’s perhaps the greatest American psychogeographical work. When I recently read John Oliver Killens’ 1954 novel Youngblood, I couldn’t believe I’d not read him already. This novel, alongside Harry Crews’ newly reissued 1978 memoir , has to be among the best writings ever to come out of Georgia. The two of them work like split-screen, a Black childhood and a white childhood, both so different and so similar. Both writers had ties to Jacksonville. Crews said mid-20th century Jax was the place poor Georgia farmers went when the crops failed. Various artists and writers have used psychogeography in different ways. I’ve returned time and again to my favorite such writings, which I can’t recommend enough – novels like Peter Ackroyd’s Chatterton and Hawksmoor and Toni Morrison’s . On the face of it, Ackroyd and Morrison couldn’t be more different, but they both explore how culture is haunted by history and how patterns of history present themselves as ghostly. Then there’s Joseph Mitchell’s , a nonfiction account of a homeless Greenwich Village icon who claimed to have written the longest book in the world. Tim Recommends: Other Jax Authors I’d be negligent if I didn’t give a shout-out to our local literary community, which runs so much deeper and wider than most locals realize and includes works like Julie Delegal’s and Andres Rojas’s and Johnny Masiulewicz’s zine series. I could name dozens of other writers I admire and their works, but as soon as I attempt a long list, I’ll foolishly omit someone and lose a few nights’ sleep. (I already see 15 or 20 people in my mind’s eye whose names I didn’t mention, but could have, just now.) Anyone who wants an extensive list of writers participating in the Jax community, just look at the archives for the last nine festivals at . I’ll just say this is the 10th year of JaxbyJax Literary Arts Festival, which my wife Jo Carlisle and I founded and then relinquished to the more capable hands of Darlyn and Brad Kuhn. --- Never miss an event! Sign up for email newsletters at Jacksonville Public LibraryWebsite: Twitter: Facebook: Instagram: YouTube: Contact Us:
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Lit Chat with LGBTQ+ Historical Romance Author Cat Sebastian
01/04/2024
Lit Chat with LGBTQ+ Historical Romance Author Cat Sebastian
Cat Sebastian writes queer historical romance. Her books have received starred reviews from Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, and Booklist, and she’s been featured in the Washington Post, Entertainment Weekly, and Jezebel. She was born in New Jersey and lived in New York and Arizona before settling down in a swampy part of the South. When she isn’t writing, she’s probably reading, having one-sided conversations with her dog, or doing the crossword puzzle. Interviewer Lori Sterling is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor who focuses on helping LGBT+ individuals both at her private practice, Tea Time Therapy, and with her career as a medical care coordinator at JASMYN, a nationally recognized LGBT+ youth center located in Jacksonville Florida. When not advocating for or working with the community, you can most likely find her painting, playing Animal Crossing, or on the mat with her Brazilian Jiu Jitsu class. READ Check out more of from the library! - CAT RECOMMENDS "Here are some non-fiction books and memoirs I've recently read for research purposes, and which I've loved." The Summer Game by Roger Angell Up in the Old Hotel by Joseph Mitchell Can't Anybody Here Play This Game by Jimmy Breslin by Pete Hamill - by Edmund White - --- Never miss an event! Sign up for email newsletters at Jacksonville Public LibraryWebsite: Twitter: Facebook: Instagram: YouTube: Contact Us:
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Lit Chat with Author and Journalist Mark Woods
12/20/2023
Lit Chat with Author and Journalist Mark Woods
The Legacies We Leave Behind For many childhood summers, Mark Woods piled into a station wagon with his parents and two sisters and headed to America's national parks. Mark’s most vivid childhood memories are set against a backdrop of mountains, woods, and fireflies in places like Redwood, Yosemite, and Grand Canyon national parks. On the eve of turning fifty and a little burned out, Mark decided to reconnect with the great outdoors. He'd spend a year visiting the national parks and write a book - thanks to a coveted fellowship from the Society of Professional Journalists. Mark had initially intended to write a book about the future of the national parks, but Lassoing the Sun grew into something more: a book about family, the parks, and the legacies we inherit and the ones we leave behind. His book, Lassoing the Sun, is about a journey that started with a sunrise in Maine, finished with a sunset in Hawaii and had a life-changing event in the middle: his mother's death. Mark Woods is the author of Lassoing the Sun: A Year in America’s National Parks. He has been Metro columnist at the Florida Times-Union in Jacksonville since 2003. Before that, he spent 20 years as a sportswriter at newspapers in Florida, Kentucky, Missouri and Indiana. He covered the earthquake in Haiti, Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, political conventions, Olympics, Wimbledon, the Masters, the World Cup and 11 Super Bowls – but he says none of those assignments compare with what he did in 2012, the year that led to Lassoing the Sun. Each year, the Society of Professional Journalists awards the Eugene C. Pulliam Fellowship to one writer in America. Mark Woods, who most Jacksonville readers will recognize from his work at the Florida Times-Union, won the fellowship in 2011. His project, built around the National Park Service and celebrating its centennial in 2016, asked the question: What is the future of our parks? The coveted fellowship allowed Woods to devote the following year to his plan — explore one park a month, each symbolizing a different issue for the future, from rising seas to fading night skies. Interviewer Barbara Goodman is an International Park consultant and co-founder of the Riverfront Parks Conservancy. Barbara retired from the National Park Service in 2015 after 33 years of service; most recently as the Superintendent of the Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve for 18 years. During this time she provided the leadership and vision for the development of an unprecedented tri-lateral agreement between the National Park Service, Florida Park Service, and the City of Jacksonville Preservation Parks to create a seamless system of parks and to cooperate in planning, promotion, and resource protection. Barbara provides consultation assistance and guidance to Directors of National Park systems internationally in the areas of park planning and tourism in association with Global Parks and the International Conservation Caucus Foundation. She served as the Deputy Secretary, Land and Recreation at the Florida Department of Environmental Protection overseeing the Florida State Park System – which includes 175 parks, 800,000 acres, 100 miles of beaches, 7,500 miles of trails, 4,000 miles of paddling trails; and the Florida State Lands program providing oversight for 12 million acres of public lands, land sales acquisition and the Florida Forever program. READ Check out from the Library! - "Earnest and heartfelt, [Lassoing the Sun] captures how one family handles the joys and sorrows of life, with America’s most beautiful landscapes standing in the background."--Travel & Leisure ARK RECOMMENDS “I've done several columns about local places. Seems like () might be fitting for a National Parks talk.” --- Never miss an event! Sign up for email newsletters at Jacksonville Public LibraryWebsite: Twitter: Facebook: Instagram: YouTube: Contact Us:
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Lit Chat with Local Author Sohrab Homi Fracis
12/01/2023
Lit Chat with Local Author Sohrab Homi Fracis
Sohrab Homi Fracis’s new book of North Florida and elsewhere stories, True Fiction, won the 2023 International Book Award for story collections. American Book Award winner Rilla Askew says of it: "True Fiction is a tour de force." Fracis is the first Asian American author to win the Iowa Short Fiction Award, described by the New York Times Book Review as "among the most prestigious literary prizes America offers," for his first book, Ticket to Minto: Stories of India and America. Publishers Weekly called it "A reminder of how satisfying the short story form can be...the work of an impressive new talent." His novel, Go Home, was shortlisted by Stanford University Libraries for the William Saroyan International Prize. Singapore Poetry described it as “newly poignant and even heartbreaking.” He taught literature and creative writing at University of North Florida. He was Twin Cities Visiting Writer in Residence at Augsburg College and Artist in Residence at Yaddo. He received the Florida Individual Artist Fellowship in Literature/Fiction. The South Asian Literary Association bestowed on him its Distinguished Achievement Award. Interviewer Michelle Lizet Flores is a graduate of FSU and NYU creative writing programs. She currently works as a teacher and co-hosts the What's in a Verse Poetry Open Mic in Jacksonville, FL. She has previously been published in magazines and journals such as The Miami Rail, Chircú Journal, and Travel Latina. A finalist for the Juan Felipe Herrera Award for Poetry, she is the author of the chapbooks Cuentos from the Swamp and Memoria, as well as the picture book, Carlito the Bat Learns to Trick or Treat. Her short fiction can be found in the anthology, Places We Build in the Universe through Flowersong Press. Her first full-length collection of poetry, Invasive Species, is forthcoming through Finishing Line Press. Find out more at michellelizetflores.com. READ Check out from the library! https://jkpl.ent.sirsi.net/client/en_US/default/search/results?qu=sohrab+homi+fracis&te= SOHRAB RECOMMENDS In addition to books and movies, I also love music and sports. Lately my Spotify playlists center around contemporary folk rock by such musicians as The Paper Kites, Birdtalker, Plains, , Bonny Light Horseman, and . Some of my characters are aspiring musicians, as in "Open Mic," the first story in True Fiction. Playing college sports in India taught me to hang in there when things were going wrong and then to turn them around. I still follow professional tennis and not long ago watched stars such as Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, and Venus Williams live at the Miami Open. I'm excited about the resurgent Jacksonville Jaguars. Go Jags! I see sportsmen as contemporary gladiators. Having been one helped me write the battlefield combat scene in True Fiction's concluding/signature novelette, "The Legend of Rostam and Sohrab," based on my ancient-Persian naming legend. --- Never miss an event! Sign up for email newsletters at Jacksonville Public LibraryWebsite: Twitter: Facebook: Instagram: YouTube: Contact Us:
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Lit Chat with Historical Fiction Author Tracey Enerson Wood
11/03/2023
Lit Chat with Historical Fiction Author Tracey Enerson Wood
Tracey Enerson Wood loves discovering amazing women whose stories have been lost to history and bringing them to life for today’s readers. Her debut novel, , historical fiction about the woman who built the Brooklyn Bridge, is an international and USA Today bestseller. Her newest book, , is centered on Edith Bolling Wilson, the second wife of Woodrow Wilson. She is sometimes described as America's first woman President because of the role she played after the President's massive stroke in October 1919. Tracey has always had a writing bug. While working as a Registered Nurse, starting her own Interior Design company, raising two children, and bouncing around the world as a military wife, she indulged in her passion as a playwright, screenwriter and novelist. She has authored magazine columns and other non-fiction, written and directed plays of all lengths, including Grits, Fleas and Carrots, Rocks and Other Hard Places, Alone, and Fog. Her screenplays include Strike Three and Roebling’s Bridge. Other passions include food and cooking, and honoring military heroes. A New Jersey native, she now lives with her family in Florida. Interviewer Jessica Hatch has a passion for writing laugh-out-loud fiction with a strong-beating heart. Her first novel, , debuted at #1 on Amazon’s “Humorous American Literature” charts in August 2022. It went on to be a Lonely Victories Best Book of 2022, and her follow-up, , was a BookLovr pick for spring 2023. Jessica has worked in book publishing since 2013. She has had bylines published in Writer’s Digest, The Millions, and G*Mob Magazine, among others, and she is a proud alumna of the Mors Tua Vita Mea workshop in Sezze Romano, Italy. Before being acquired by Bookouture, her debut novel won a pitch slam at the Brooklyn Book Festival in 2018 and was workshopped by acclaimed author Rumaan Alam at Aspen Summer Words in 2019. Jessica was born outside of Richmond, Virginia, and now lives in Jacksonville, Florida, with her bartender husband, Paul, and their three cats. When she is not writing, you can find her jogging on the Riverwalk or planning her next international trip. Say hello on Instagram at @JessicaNHatch. Prepare for the Discussion Check out from the library! The Library Also Recommends For more excellent historical fiction, try these titles! , by Lecia Cornwall , by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray , by Renée Rosen --- Never miss an event! Sign up for email newsletters at Jacksonville Public LibraryWebsite: Twitter: Facebook: Instagram: YouTube: Contact Us:
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Lit Chat Interview with Crime Thriller Novelist Hank Phillippi Ryan
10/23/2023
Lit Chat Interview with Crime Thriller Novelist Hank Phillippi Ryan
Hank Phillippi Ryan is the USA Today bestselling author of 14 psychological thrillers, winning the most prestigious awards in the genre: five Agathas, five Anthonys, and the coveted Mary Higgins Clark Award. She is also an on-air investigative reporter for Boston's WHDH-TV, with 37 EMMYs and dozens more journalism honors. National book critics call her “a superb and gifted storyteller”; she’s the only author to win the Agatha in four categories: Best First, Best Novel, Best Short Story and Best Non-Fiction. A story of psychological manipulation exploring the dark heart of marriage and friendship, her newest page-turning standalone thriller, The House Guest, has been dubbed "Gaslight meets Thelma & Louise." Hank is also the host of Crime Time on A Mighty Blaze and co-host of First Chapter Fun and The Back Room. She is a past president of National Sisters in Crime. Visit Hank at , Twitter @, Instagram and Facebook at . On Surprises and Suprise Endings You can also check out Hank on , , and . Interviewer Michael Wiley’s new novel is The Long Way Out, featuring Franky Dast, an exonerated ex-con who investigates a series of murders in Northeast Florida. Michael is also the author of three mystery and detective series, including the Shamus Award-winning Joe Kozmarski books, the Daniel Turner thrillers, and, most recently, the Sam Kelson PI novels, which are currently in development for television. His short stories appear often in magazines and anthologies, including Best Mystery Stories of the Year 2022. Read Check out all of from the library! - The Library Recommends Read similar books from other authors, including: by Alafair Burke by Lisa Jewell by Riley Sager --- Never miss an event! Sign up for email newsletters at Jacksonville Public LibraryWebsite: Twitter: Facebook: Instagram: YouTube: Contact Us:
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Lit Chat Interview with Deb Rogers, author of Florida Woman
09/12/2023
Lit Chat Interview with Deb Rogers, author of Florida Woman
Deb Rogers' novel Florida Woman was published in July 2022 by Hanover Square Press, an imprint of HarperCollins. Called "a bewitching debut" by Publisher's Weekly, Florida Woman was featured as an Indie Next Pick by the American Booksellers Association. Deb has lived and traveled throughout Florida working as an educator, policymaker and victim advocate, and she now lives on the Atlantic side of the state in the very haunted and very beautiful town of St. Augustine. While she'd love to stumble upon hidden pirate treasure along the coast someday, her daily obsessions tend to be thriller and heist movies, word puzzles, licorice, Florida manatees, and, of course, monkeys. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram at @debontherocks, or learn more on her website . Interviewer Kay Huggins is a creative, the owner of Aphelion Editing and Consulting, and the host of the Raindrop Corner Podcast. As a longtime resident of Jacksonville, Florida, they have sought to support local artistry, foster thought-provoking content, and aid in human rights advocacy. Kay is an English major with a concentration in psychology. For over a decade, their life has been dazzled with project management, technology industries, logistics, editing, writing, and production. Through the intersectionality of Kay’s craft, they aim to champion the community by providing a platform to marginalized groups. Currently, Kay is writing their debut novel and enjoying leisure moments with their fur babies. READ Jamie is a Florida Woman. She grew up on the beach, thrives in humidity, has weathered more hurricanes than she can count, and now, after going viral for an outrageous crime she never meant to commit in the first place, she has the requisite headline to her name. But when the chance comes for her to escape viral infamy and imminent jail time by taking a community service placement at Atlas, a shelter for rescued monkeys, it seems like just the fresh start Jamie needs to finally get her life back on track — until it’s not. Something sinister stirs in the palmetto woods surrounding her cabin, and secrets lurk among the three beguiling women who run the shelter and affectionately take Jamie under their wing for the summer. Check out from the library! -- "Florida Woman ushers in a new talent who knows the quirkiness of the Sunshine State." – Sun Sentinel DEB RECOMMENDS Learn about the origins of Central Florida's monkey problem by reading The Bitter Southerner's well-researched article: by Jordan Blumetti. Visit the and take a walk through our state's past, beginning in the epoch (when Florida was underwater). Read some of Deb's favorite books that are set in Florida including by Susan Orlean, by Steph Post and by Karen Russell. --- Never miss an event! Sign up for email newsletters at Jacksonville Public LibraryWebsite: Twitter: Facebook: Instagram: YouTube: Contact Us:
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Lit Chat Interview with Beatriz Williams for Historical Fiction Lovers
08/24/2023
Lit Chat Interview with Beatriz Williams for Historical Fiction Lovers
Beatriz Williams is the New York Times, USA Today, and internationally bestselling author of , , , , , , and several other works of historical fiction, including four novels in collaboration with fellow bestselling authors Karen White and Lauren Willig. A graduate of Stanford University with an MBA in Finance from Columbia University, Beatriz worked as a communications and corporate strategy consultant in New York and London before her first novel was published in 2012. Beatriz’s books have won numerous awards, have been translated into more than a dozen languages, and appear regularly in bestseller lists around the world. Born in Seattle, Washington, Beatriz now lives near the Connecticut shore with her husband and four children, where she divides her time between writing and laundry. Reviews "Williams’ particular gift as a writer is peeling back the pages of history to breathe life into the interior lives of women — how they lived, loved, and lost within the expectations and limitations of their time." — Entertainment Weekly "I think Williams is writing the best historical fiction out there. It's lush with period detail but feels immediate." — Elin Hilderbrand Interviewer Jessica Hatch has a passion for writing laugh-out-loud fiction with a strong-beating heart. Her first novel, debuted at #1 on Amazon’s “Humorous American Literature” charts in August 2022. It went on to be a Lonely Victories Best Book of 2022, and her follow-up, , was a BookLovr pick for spring 2023. Before being acquired by Bookouture, her debut novel won a pitch slam at the Brooklyn Book Festival in 2018 and was workshopped by acclaimed author Rumaan Alam at Aspen Summer Words in 2019. Jessica has worked in book publishing since 2013. She has had bylines published in Writer’s Digest, The Millions, and G*Mob Magazine, among others, and she is a proud alumna of the Mors Tua Vita Mea workshop in Sezze Romano, Italy. Jessica was born outside of Richmond, Virginia, and now lives in Jacksonville, Florida, with her bartender husband, Paul, and their three cats. When she is not writing, you can find her jogging on the Riverwalk or planning her next international trip. Say hello on Instagram at @JessicaNHatch. Reading Recommendations Check out from the library! --- Never miss an event! Sign up for email newsletters at Jacksonville Public LibraryWebsite: Twitter: Facebook: Instagram: YouTube: Contact Us:
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Lit Chat Interview with Camille Dungy
08/14/2023
Lit Chat Interview with Camille Dungy
In resistance to the homogenous policies that limited the possibility and wonder that grows from the earth, Dungy employs the various plants, herbs, vegetables, and flowers she grows in her garden as metaphor and treatise for how homogeneity threatens the future of our planet, and why cultivating diverse and intersectional language in our national discourse about the environment is the best means of protecting it. Camille T. Dungy is the author of four collections of poetry, most recently Trophic Cascade, winner of the Colorado Book Award. She is also the author of the essay collections Soil: The Story of a Black Mother’s Garden and Guidebook to Relative Strangers: Journeys into Race, Motherhood and History, a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award. Dungy has also edited anthologies including Black Nature: Four Centuries of African American Nature Poetry and From the Fishouse: An Anthology of Poems that Sing, Rhyme, Resound, Syncopate, Alliterate, and Just Plain Sound Great. A 2019 Guggenheim Fellow, her honors include NEA Fellowships in poetry (2003) and prose (2018), an American Book Award, two NAACP Image Award nominations, and two Hurston/Wright Legacy Award nominations. Dungy’s poems have been published in Best American Poetry, The 100 Best African American Poems, the Pushcart Anthology, Best American Travel Writing, and over thirty other anthologies. She is University Distinguished Professor at Colorado State University. Interviewer Nikesha Elise Williams is a two-time Emmy award winning producer, an award-winning author, and producer and host of the podcast. Her latest novel, The Seven Daughters of Dupree was acquired by Scout Press and will be published in 2025. A Chicago native, Nikesha is a columnist with . Her work has also appeared in , , and . She lives in Florida with her family. READ Check out from the library: https://jkpl.ent.sirsi.net/client/en_US/default/search/results?qu=camille+dungy&te= --- Never miss an event! Sign up for email newsletters at Jacksonville Public LibraryWebsite: Twitter: Facebook: Instagram: YouTube: Contact Us:
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Lit Chat Interview with Dennis Chan
07/27/2023
Lit Chat Interview with Dennis Chan
Anyone can be a writer – even an accomplished chef! The first step is deciding what you'll write about. It could be something you're passionate about or particularly skilled in... Or could it simply be the book (or cookbook) you think is missing from the world! Dennis Chan grew up in Jacksonville, where his family has owned twelve restaurants in the past eight decades. His earliest memories of food include standing on a little stool next to his grandfather’s restaurant stove while watching him cook. Somehow, Dennis always knew that he would end up in the restaurant business. He opened Blue Bamboo in his hometown in 2005, after graduating from the prestigious Culinary Institute of America and working with the Disney Company, and celebrity chef Ming Tsai. Chef Dennis is an adjunct professor at Florida State College at Jacksonville and teaches personal enrichment cooking classes at Blue Bamboo. Chan’s first cookbook, Hip Asian Comfort Food, was published in 2009. He also served as president of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association North East chapter. Dennis won the 2018 Neighborhood to Nation recipe contest by General Mills and was chosen as one of 16 chefs to participate in Hormel Foods’ Culinary Enrichment and Innovation Program. Chef Chan lives in Jacksonville, Florida with his wife Elizabeth, and seven-year-old sons Bennett and Michael. He says, “After working around the country, I am so happy to have found my way back home.” A supporter of many local organizations, Dennis believes that there is a place in everyone’s heart and schedule for worthwhile organizations. Officially known as the Boss of Food in her family, interviewer Lauren Titus is a long-time Northeast Florida resident who brings over 30 years experience in our area's local food movement to the magazine, along with a passion and expertise in baking and front-yard farming. After a career in digital production and enterprise content management, Lauren is excited to be focused on her first loves: writing and talking about food and the vital role it plays in our community. Lauren lives with her husband in St. Augustine, and while her children have flown from the nest, they continue to support the local food scenes in Austin and Los Angeles. READ Check out Dennis’s cookbook, , from the library! DENNIS RECOMMENDS Places in Jacksonville to hold events in: The Main Library’s is a cool place to hang out. It is also just a few floors away from the Main Library's which has an auditorium and a very functional event room. We have gotten the chance to cater in some pretty cool venues over the last 18 years. Some were on top of tall buildings, like the clubhouse at the Peninsula, and some were on the ground surrounded by trees, like Chandler Oaks Barn. We've catered at shooting ranges, and at homes right on the beach. We also I also love the venues making a difference for organizations in our community such as the soundstage at WJCT and the Glass Factory. Book inspirations: for playful decorating techniques on cupcakes. The author is the photographer from my mentor's book, Blue Ginger Cookbook. Looking through that book always brings a smile. I have authored two cookbooks currently, Hip Asian Comfort Food and . Local bookstores carry them, and there is a copy at the Main Library. from Celestia Mobley is my favorite local cookbook. Music inspirations: My favorite songs are cooking show theme songs. Sources for great ingredients: Jax Oriental, La Salsa, and Caribbean-Latino Asian are all well-stocked Asian markets. Atlantic Beach Urban Farms, Be Well Greens, and Bacon Farms are all great places to get fresh produce. The North Florida School has a good program teaching special needs children how to grow and maintain produce, and how to work in kitchens. Nothing beats Azar Sausage Company for locally made sausage. Cline's Custom Meats is the best place locally to get a steak to cook at home. We also have a cool "u-pick" persimmon farm here called Willie's Sweet Persimmons. Local Personal Enrichment Cooking Schools: A Chefs Cooking Studio and Italian Cooking Lessons Jax are two places that I teach on occasion, in addition to cooking classes at Blue Bamboo. --- Never miss an event! Sign up for email newsletters at Jacksonville Public LibraryWebsite: Twitter: Facebook: Instagram: YouTube: Contact Us:
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Lit Chat Interview with Wayne Wood
07/13/2023
Lit Chat Interview with Wayne Wood
Dr. Wayne W. Wood, Hon. AIA. Widely regarded as one of the foremost chroniclers of Jacksonville’s history and architecture, Dr. Wayne Wood has been called “the undisputed godfather of preservation in Jacksonville.” An author, historian, artist, and retired optometrist, Wayne is the founder of Riverside Avondale Preservation, the Riverside Arts Market, and Friends of Hemming Park. He is the author of the local classic book, Jacksonville's Architectural Heritage, and he recently published a completely new deluxe edition to commemorate the city’s Bicentennial. It was his fifteenth book on Jacksonville. In 2010 he was selected as one of the “Top Twenty Change Agents in Northeast Florida” by the Florida Times-Union. Wayne is the Historian-at-Large for the Jacksonville Historical Society. A self-proclaimed “Arts Agitator,” he was named one of the “50 Most Influential People in Northeast Florida” by Jacksonville Magazine, and Folio Weekly called him "The Most Interesting Man in Jacksonville." Interviewer Tim Gilmore is the author of 21 books and several works for the stage, and is the founder of the literary arts festival JaxbyJax. He’s also the writer and creator of , a project that explores nearly 600 stories of strange and historic locations in and around Jacksonville, Florida. READ Check out a copy of the Bicentennial Edition or the original edition of in our catalog! WAYNE RECOMMENDS For more great books on local history, check out: , by Wayne Wood , by Robert C. Broward , by Wayne Wood and Bill Foley , by Robert C. Broward --- Never miss an event! Sign up for email newsletters at Jacksonville Public LibraryWebsite: Twitter: Facebook: Instagram: YouTube: Contact Us:
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Lit Chat Interview with Michael Wiley
07/03/2023
Lit Chat Interview with Michael Wiley
Michael Wiley’s new novel is The Long Way Out, featuring Franky Dast, an exonerated ex-con who investigates a series of murders in Northeast Florida. Michael is also the author of three mystery and detective series, including the Shamus Award-winning Joe Kozmarski books, the Daniel Turner thrillers, and, most recently, the Sam Kelson PI novels, which are currently in development for television. His short stories appear often in magazines and anthologies, including Best Mystery Stories of the Year 2022. Michael grew up in Chicago and lived and worked in the neighborhoods and on the streets where he sets his Kelson and Kozmarski mysteries. He teaches literature at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville—the setting of The Long Way Out, an earlier Franky Dast novel (Monument Road), and the Daniel Turner novels. Interviewer Mark Ari authored the novel, The Shoemaker’s Tale (Zephyr Press) and publishes fiction, nonfiction and poetry. His paintings have been exhibited in group and solo shows in Spain, France, and the United States, especially New York City. Most recently, “Not in My Country,” an installation (text, film, sculpture, and scent) created with Ginger Andro and Chuck Glicksman was selected for Walls and Borders, an exhibition at Westbeth Gallery (NYC, 2021) sponsored by the Sculptors Guild (NYC). Recent writings appear in Adroit Journal, Heavy Feather Review, the International Journal of Professional Holistic Aromatherapy, and the anthology, Music Gigs Gone Wrong (Paycock Press). Ari is a three-time MacDowell fellow. Other awarded fellowships include the Ragdale Foundation (twice), Ucross Foundation, and Spain’s Fundacion Valparaiso. He is a multi-award-winning educator at the University of North Florida, where he directs the creative writing program. READ Check out all of from the library, as well as Ari’s ! Michael Wiley recommends three “first books” by other mystery and thriller writers: Megan Abbott, : “A terrific hardboiled story by a writer known best now for her psychological suspense thrillers.” S.A. Cosby, : “The newly re-released, amazing first book by the author of and .” Walter Mosley, : “The Easy Rawlins mystery by the writer of dozens of excellent books, though none better than this.” --- Never miss an event! Sign up for email newsletters at Jacksonville Public LibraryWebsite: Twitter: Facebook: Instagram: YouTube: Contact Us:
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Lit Chat Interview with Leela Corman at DCAZ 2023
06/15/2023
Lit Chat Interview with Leela Corman at DCAZ 2023
Leela Corman is a painter, educator, and graphic novel creator, working in the realm of diaspora Ashkenazi culture and third-generation restorative work. Her books include the Unterzakhn (Schocken/Pantheon, 2012), which was nominated for the Eisner, the L.A. Times Book Award, and Le Prix Artemisia, and won the ROMICS Prize for Best Anglo-American Comic. Her latest, a short comics collection called You Are Not A Guest, was released by Field Mouse Press in 2023. Her graphic novel Victory Parade, a story about WWII, women's wrestling, and the liberation of the Buchenwald concentration camp, will be published by Schocken/Pantheon in 2024. Her short comics have also appeared in The Believer Magazine, Tablet Magazine, Nautilus, and The Nib. Corman works primarily with Polish-Jewish history and life, in both her fiction and nonfiction comics, as well as women’s history, 20th-century New York history, trauma, loss and (occasionally) music. Interviewer Badr Milligan is a project manager by day and a podcast creator by night. Since 2012, he has been vocal in sharing his interests with the world and amplifying the stories of others. He's the creator and host of the award-winning podcast, , and recently launched podcast for music lovers. In 2018, he helped form the , a collective of podcasters and audio creators dedicated to helping one another through collaboration and community. Badr is also an FSCJ alumnus and veteran of the Florida Air National Guard, using both experiences to run his own small business, . Check out from the library: https://jkpl.ent.sirsi.net/client/en_US/default/search/results?qu=leela+corman&te= Unterzakhn by Leela Corman: A mesmerizing, heartbreaking graphic novel of immigrant life on New York's Lower East Side at the turn of the twentieth century, as seen through the eyes of twin sisters whose lives take radically and tragically different paths. For six-year-old Esther and Fanya, the teeming streets of New York's Lower East Side circa 1910 are both a fascinating playground and a place where life's lessons are learned quickly and often cruelly. Leela Recommends “I am a recommendations factory!” Places to visit in Florida: The Springs! Visit with care and gentleness for their fragile ecosystems and be amazed at their hallucinatory beauty. They're Florida's best-kept secret! Chamblin's Book Mine in Jacksonville. Hear Again Records, the amazing Third House Books, and Volta Coffee, all in Gainesville. Podcasts Leela Recommends: Maintenance Phase! Essential listening for debunking all the wellness pseudoscience, diet culture, and anti-fatness we all grew up with. The BMI episode alone should be required listening. Plus it's very funny! Conspirituality, a weekly deep dive into the intersection of cults, yoga and wellness culture, right-wing extremism, mis- and disinformation, and politics. On The Media, essential investigative journalism and media literacy. Reveal, one of the best investigative journalism podcasts I've heard, especially in the areas of systemic racism and abuses of power in the US, hosted by the fantastic Al Letson, who I believe is a Florida native. [Editor’s note: An Orange Park High School grad!] Artists Leela Recommends: Clarity Haynes Jinal Sangoi Jeanne Mammen Joan Semmel Television Leela Recommends: Reservation Dogs, a funny and heartbreaking series about contemporary Indigenous life in Oklahoma, created and starring Indigenous folks. Pose, set in the queer ballroom scene of New York in the late 1980s and early 90s, starring, among other greats, national treasure Billy Porter. This is going to sound strange, but I'm really into German detective shows on Netflix, especially Dogs Of Berlin, Same Sky, NSU German History X, and Kleo, all of which deal in various ways with the end of the Cold War, the rise of racist movements after the Wall fell, and the complexities of immigration and contemporary Germany. CW for violence and depictions of racism. Severance is an excellent sci-fi, reminiscent of the very best of . Films/Directors Leela Recommends: That documentary about Little Richard, I Am Everything. What a beautiful person he was! Music Leela Recommends: Come, the best band of the 1990s, who've been re-issuing their back catalog and playing reunion shows everywhere. Bill Orcutt Quartet, "Music For Four Guitars", very up my Branca/Verlaine alley. Chris Brokaw, "Puritan". Thurston Moore Group. Prose Leela Recommends: books. Jewish Currents magazine, the best of contemporary diaspora thought and politics. by Carlene Bauer, the most pitch-perfect Gen X novel I have yet encountered. This Way for the Gas, Ladies and Gentlemen, by Tadeusz Borowski. A corrosive work written a few years after the author's release from Auschwitz, that is required reading for high school students in Poland. Comic Creators Leela Recommends: Lauren Weinstein Rina Ayuyang 4Ever! Miscellaneous Recommendations: Casey Johnston's newsletter She's A Beast, in which she writes about weight lifting, debunking and dismantling diet culture and fitness pseudoscience and anti-fatness, and celebrates getting swole. --- Never miss an event! Sign up for email newsletters at Jacksonville Public LibraryWebsite: Twitter: Facebook: Instagram: YouTube: Contact Us:
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Lit Chat Interview with Jessica Q. Stark
06/01/2023
Lit Chat Interview with Jessica Q. Stark
Jessica Q. Stark is the author of Buffalo Girl (BOA Editions, forthcoming April 2023), Savage Pageant (Birds, LLC, 2020) and four poetry chapbooks, including INNANET (The Offending Adam, 2021). Savage Pageant was named one of the “Best Books of 2020” in The Boston Globe and in Hyperallergic. Her poetry has most recently appeared or is forthcoming in Best American Poetry, Poetry Society of America, Pleiades, The Southeast Review, Carolina Quarterly, The Boiler, Tupelo Quarterly, Glass Poetry Journal, among others. She is a Poetry Editor at AGNI and is an Assistant Professor of Creative Writing at the University of North Florida. She co-organizes the Dreamboat Reading Series with Dorsey Craft in Jacksonville, Florida. Interviewer Dorsey Craft is the author of Plunder, winner of the May Sarton New Hampshire Poetry Prize. Her work has received support from the Sewanee Writer's Conference and the Anderson Center at Tower View. Dorsey's poems have appeared recently or are forthcoming in Blackbird, Cincinnati Review, Copper Nickel, Pleiades, Poetry Northwest, and elsewhere. She currently serves as Assistant Poetry Editor of AGNI and teaches composition and creative writing at the University of North Florida. JESSICA RECOMMENDS Top three poetry books on my shelf: Dorothy Chan's Babe Carmen Jimenez Smith's Diane Seuss' Semi-secret favorite haunts in Jax: Light on the Sugar bakery for phenomenal Asian pastries and creme puffs Trent's Seafood for the best low-key seafood in town Camp Chowenwaw Park for unique, treehouse camping just outside of town --- Sign Up for Library U to hear about the latest Lit Chats and catch them live! — Jacksonville Public LibraryWebsite: Twitter: Facebook: Instagram: YouTube: Contact Us:
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Lit Chat Interview with Aaron Woodson
05/18/2023
Lit Chat Interview with Aaron Woodson
Aaron Woodson is a Florida-based military combat veteran who has served in the US Air Force and US Air National Guard for over 15 years. He began his military career participating in military campaigns such as Operation Iraqi Freedom and Inherent Resolve. At a very young age, Aaron began to nurture an interest in and passion for poetry. He began to write poems at school and his love for writing grew so deep that he told his parents that someday he would publish his own book. Having moved to Jacksonville in 2016, he decided to finish up his now-completed book, The Face of Expression, a poetry book that fuses story-telling and non-fiction clips into it. The Face of Expression highlights topics about life, love, pain, struggle, rejection, faith, and experiences. Aaron gets his inspiration to write from his spirituality, traveling, singing, music, positive quotes, and experiences, among others. Interviewer Taryn “LoveReigns” Wharwood is a poet, writer, author, emcee, motivational speaker, entrepreneur and curator. Taryn is the program manager for The Performers Academy, a 12-year partner of Family Support Services. The Performers Academy uses the healing power of the arts as behavioral intervention and diversion for youth and teens, and Taryn manages programs including the Just Like Me Cultural and Exhibition Experience for teens. Taryn conducts weekly writing workshops for adults in recovery, at-risk youth in drug rehabilitation centers, youth in foster care and in juvenile detention centers. She is the CEO of IAmLoveReigns Enterprises LLC, providing online business solutions for small- to medium-sized businesses, artists and entertainers. Taryn is also the host of the Random Thoughts of Reign podcast, which she began during the pandemic as a way to connect the world with creators during quarantine. LoveReigns is the founder of Artis(Tree) Live and The Closet Jax and co-founder of The Cypher Open Mic Poetry & Soul, which is, to date, the longest-running open mic in Jacksonville history. READ Check out all of the books in the Face of Expression series ! AARON RECOMMENDS Books: Movies: --- Sign Up for Library U to hear about the latest Lit Chats and catch them live! — Jacksonville Public LibraryWebsite: Twitter: Facebook: Instagram: YouTube: Contact Us:
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Lit Chat Interview with Christopher Gorham
05/04/2023
Lit Chat Interview with Christopher Gorham
Christopher Gorham is a lawyer and teacher of modern American history at Westford Academy, outside Boston. He has degrees in history from Tufts University and the University of Michigan, where he studied under legendary historian Sidney Fine. Gorham has a J.D., summa cum laude, from Syracuse University College of Law, where he served on the editorial staff of the Syracuse Law Review. His writing has appeared in The Washington Post and in online journals. Interviewer Kelsi Hasden is an adjunct professor of composition at the University of North Florida and Florida State College at Jacksonville. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in English focusing on Postcolonial theory and Women’s studies and a Master’s degree in Rhetoric and Composition. She writes about a range of issues and events, dines out as often as she can, and attends events around Jacksonville. Kelsi writes and edits articles for The Jaxson and Modern Cities. READ Check out The Confidante in print, digital, and audio ! CHRISTOPHER RECOMMENDS Here are the three books I found especially enlightening as I wrote The Confidante. Kristin Downey’s is the story of the progressive whose wish list essentially became the New Deal (minimum wages, Social Security, etc.). Perkins was the first woman cabinet member in American history, serving as Secretary of Labor for the entirety of Roosevelt’s presidency (1933-1945). Personally, Perkins was not particularly warm and could be seen as rather mirthless. But her legacy as a New Deal heroine is deserved and her prominence in FDR’s cabinet underscores how much Roosevelt respected competence regardless of sex or ethnicity. FDR and Perkins went back to his days as Governor of New York, and even before that, women played a large role in his professional life. In , by Kathryn Smith, we learn that after Roosevelt contracted polio in 1921, Roosevelt brought on Marguerite “Missy” LeHand, a working-class woman from Somerville, Massachusetts as his secretary. In time, she became much more. When FDR became President in 1933, Missy came to Washington. She was not only the gatekeeper of his social and professional calendar but was essentially his Chief-of-Staff until a series of strokes incapacitated her in 1940-41. It was at this time, as I discuss in my book, that Anna Rosenberg became part of FDR’s innermost circle. The dual struggles for equality in defense work and desegregation of the armed forces were undertaken within the Roosevelt White House by Mary McLeod Bethune, Robert Weaver, Bill Hastie, Al Smith, and Robert Vann. Bethune was the leader of the “Black Cabinet,” but the men alongside her performed admirable work in the service of advancing the Black cause. In her excellent book, , Jill Watts describes the successes of the Black Cabinet—and the challenges: all five risked losing their jobs, being cashiered to faraway agencies, or being labeled Communist by reactionary congressmen. --- Sign Up for Library U to hear about the latest Lit Chats and catch them live! — Jacksonville Public LibraryWebsite: Twitter: Facebook: Instagram: YouTube: Contact Us:
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Lit Chat Interview with Jessica Hatch
04/20/2023
Lit Chat Interview with Jessica Hatch
Author Jessica Hatch is a professional freelance editor and novelist with more than a decade of publishing experience. She worked her way through the slush pile at New York-based literary agencies like Writers House, New Leaf Literary & Media, and Fox Literary Management, and learned what attracts readers to a book at St. Martin’s Press. Jessica’s editorial clients have gone on to receive partial and full manuscript requests from agents, to earn Kirkus starred reviews and placement on Best Book of the Year lists, and to win national awards. As a writer, Jessica has won pitch wars; attended juried workshops in Aspen, London, and Rome; and has been published in The Millions, Writer’s Digest, Fast Company, Burrow Press, and Babes Who Hustle, among others. Her debut novel, My Big Fake Wedding, debuted at #1 on Amazon's Humorous American Literature charts. Interviewer Michelle Lizet Flores is a graduate of FSU and NYU creative writing programs. She currently works as a teacher and co-hosts the What's in a Verse Poetry Open Mic in Jacksonville, FL. She has previously been published in magazines and journals such as The Miami Rail, Chircú Journal, and Travel Latina. A finalist for the Juan Felipe Herrera Award for Poetry, she is the author of the chapbooks Cuentos from the Swamp and Memoria, as well as the picture book, Carlito the Bat Learns to Trick or Treat. Her short fiction can be found in the anthology, Places We Build in the Universe through Flowersong Press. Her first full-length collection of poetry, Invasive Species, is forthcoming through Finishing Line Press. Find out more at . READ Check out Jessica’s contemporary romantic comedies ! JESSICA RECOMMENDS Places in Jacksonville mentioned in my novel: The Volstead (though under a different name), the Main Street Bridge, James Weldon Johnson Park, The Jessie, and the of the library! Film/TV inspirations: , anything and everything in the '80s, New Girl, Parks & Recreation Book inspirations: Beth O'Leary's Music inspirations: by Fleetwood Mac Important organizations doing work related to a subplot in my novel: Ability Housing Jax, the JAX Rental Housing Project at UNF, HabiJax. --- Sign Up for Library U to hear about the latest Lit Chats and catch them live! — Jacksonville Public LibraryWebsite: Twitter: Facebook: Instagram: YouTube: Contact Us:
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Lit Chat Interview with Deborah Goodrich Royce
03/17/2023
Lit Chat Interview with Deborah Goodrich Royce
Deborah Goodrich Royce’s thrillers examine puzzles of identity. Ruby Falls won the Zibby Award for Best Plot Twist in 2021 and Finding Mrs. Ford was hailed by Forbes, Book Riot, and Good Morning America’s “best of” lists in 2019. She began as an actress on All My Children and in multiple films, before transitioning to the role of story editor at Miramax Films, developing Emma and early versions of Chicago and A Wrinkle in Time. With her husband, Chuck, Deborah restored the Avon Theatre, Ocean House Hotel, Deer Mountain Inn, United Theatre, Savoy Bookstore, and numerous Main Street revitalization projects in Rhode Island and the Catskills. She serves on the governing and advisory boards of the American Film Institute, Greenwich International Film Festival, New York Botanical Garden, Greenwich Historical Society, and the PRASAD Project. Deborah holds a bachelor’s degree in modern foreign languages and an honorary doctorate of humane letters from Lake Erie College. Interviewer Jessica Hatch is a professional freelance editor and novelist with more than a decade of publishing experience. She worked her way through the slush pile at New York-based literary agencies like Writers House, New Leaf Literary & Media, and Fox Literary Management, and learned what attracts readers to a book at St. Martin’s Press. Jessica’s editorial clients have gone on to receive partial and full manuscript requests from agents, to earn Kirkus starred reviews and placement on Best Book of the Year lists, and to win national awards. As a writer, Jessica has won pitch wars; attended juried workshops in Aspen, London, and Rome; and has been published in The Millions, Writer’s Digest, Fast Company, Burrow Press, and Babes Who Hustle, among others. Her debut novel, My Big Fake Wedding, debuted at #1 on Amazon's Humorous American Literature charts. --- Sign Up for Library U to hear about the latest Lit Chats and catch them live! — Check out all of from the library: And , too: Jacksonville Public LibraryWebsite: Twitter: Facebook: Instagram: YouTube: Contact Us:
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Lit Chat Author Talk with Kristy Cambron
03/02/2023
Lit Chat Author Talk with Kristy Cambron
Kristy Cambron is a vintage-inspired storyteller writing from the space where art, history, and faith intersect. She’s a Christy Award-winning author of historical fiction, including her bestselling novels, The Butterfly and the Violin and The Paris Dressmaker. Her work has been named to Cosmopolitan’s Best Historical Fiction Novels of 2021, Publishers Weekly Religion & Spirituality TOP 10, Library Journal Reviews’ Best Books, RT Reviewers’ Choice Awards, INSPY Award nominations, received a 2020 Christy Award for her novel, The Painted Castle, and is a 2022 Carol Award Finalist for The Paris Dressmaker. Interviewer Madeline Martin is a New York Times and international bestselling author of historical fiction and historical romance. She lives in sunny Florida with her two daughters, two incredibly spoiled cats and a husband so wonderful he's been dubbed Mr. Awesome. She is a die-hard history lover who will happily lose herself in research any day. When she's not writing, researching or 'moming', you can find her spending time with her family at Disney or sneaking a couple spoonfuls of Nutella while laughing over cat videos. She also loves travel, attributing her fascination with history to having spent most of her childhood as an Army brat in Germany. ---- Sign Up for Library U to hear about the latest Lit Chats and catch them live! — Check out from the library, including her World War II novels and verse mapping books: https://jkpl.ent.sirsi.net/client/en_US/default/search/results?qu=AUTHOR%3D%22kristy+cambron%22&te= And for more WWII reads and some Highland romance, check out from the library: Jacksonville Public LibraryWebsite: Twitter: Facebook: Instagram: YouTube: Contact Us:
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Lit Chat Interview with Valerie Bowman
02/16/2023
Lit Chat Interview with Valerie Bowman
Valerie Bowman’s debut novel was published in 2012. Since then, her books have received starred reviews from Publisher’s Weekly, Booklist, and Kirkus. She’s been an RT Reviewers’ Choice nominee for Best First Historical Romance and Best Historical Romance Love and Laughter. Two of her books have been nominated for the Kirkus Prize for fiction. Valerie grew up in Illinois with six sisters (she’s number seven) and a huge supply of historical romance novels. After a cold and snowy stint earning a degree in English Language and Literature with a minor in history at Smith College, she moved to Florida the first chance she got. Valerie now lives in Jacksonville with her family including her mini-schnauzers, Huckleberry and Violet. When she’s not writing, she keeps busy reading, traveling, or vacillating between watching crazy reality TV and PBS. Interviewer Jessica Hatch is a professional freelance editor and novelist with more than a decade of publishing experience. She worked her way through the slush pile at New York-based literary agencies like Writers House, New Leaf Literary & Media, and Fox Literary Management, and learned what attracts readers to a book at St. Martin’s Press. Jessica’s editorial clients have gone on to receive partial and full manuscript requests from agents, to earn Kirkus starred reviews and placement on Best Book of the Year lists, and to win national awards. As a writer, Jessica has won pitch wars; attended juried workshops in Aspen, London, and Rome; and has been published in The Millions, Writer’s Digest, Fast Company, Burrow Press, and Babes Who Hustle, among others. Her debut novel, My Big Fake Wedding, debuted at #1 on Amazon's Humorous American Literature charts. --- Sign Up for Library U to hear about the latest Lit Chats and catch them live! — Valerie BowmanCheck out Valerie's books from our catalog: Twitter: Website: Jessica HatchCheck out Jessica's books from our catalog: Twitter: Website: Jacksonville Public LibraryWebsite: Twitter: Facebook: Instagram: YouTube: Contact Us:
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Lit Chat Author Talk with Madeline Martin
02/02/2023
Lit Chat Author Talk with Madeline Martin
Madeline Martin is a New York Times and international bestselling author of historical fiction and historical romance. She lives in sunny Florida with her two daughters, two incredibly spoiled cats and a husband so wonderful he's been dubbed Mr. Awesome. She is a die-hard history lover who will happily lose herself in research any day. When she's not writing, researching or 'moming', you can find her spending time with her family at Disney or sneaking a couple spoonfuls of Nutella while laughing over cat videos. She also loves travel, attributing her fascination with history to having spent most of her childhood as an Army brat in Germany. Interviewer Valerie Bowman’s debut novel was published in 2012. Since then, her books have received starred reviews from Publisher’s Weekly, Booklist, and Kirkus. She’s been an RT Reviewers’ Choice nominee for Best First Historical Romance and Best Historical Romance Love and Laughter. Two of her books have been nominated for the Kirkus Prize for fiction. Sign Up for Library U to hear about the latest Lit Chats and catch them live! — Madline Martin Check out Madeline's books from our catalog: Twitter: Valerie BowmanCheck out Valerie's books from out catalog: Twitter: Website: Jacksonville Public Library Website: Twitter: Facebook: Instagram: YouTube: Contact Us:
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Lit Chat: Interview with Julie Delegal
01/21/2023
Lit Chat: Interview with Julie Delegal
In her self-published novel, Seen, Julie G. Delegal takes a story straight from Jacksonville’s headlines and tells a fictional version that explores a similar event from two perspectives. Join us to chat with Julie about the process of fictionalizing true events and how she was inspired to write this novel! Julie G. Delegal is a freelance journalist and author who lives in Jacksonville. Her novel, Seen, earned the 2022 Independent Book Awards Gold Medal (IPPY) for best fiction in the Southeast region. For ten years, Julie covered education and other topics for Folio Weekly, Jacksonville’s alternative weekly magazine. She has published journalism, editorials, and feature articles in various online and print media outlets throughout Florida. A proud PTA veteran, Julie also wrote for the family law firm, now Delegal and Poindexter, P.A., while raising three children with her husband, Tad. She earned her bachelor’s degree in English, minoring in Political Science and Women’s Studies, from the University of Florida. Interviewer Kay Huggins is a creative, the owner of Aphelion Editing and Consulting, and the host of The Raindrop Corner Podcast. As a longtime resident of Jacksonville, Florida, they have sought to support local artistry, foster thought-provoking content, and aid in human rights advocacy. For over a decade, their life has been dazzled with project management, technology industries, logistics, writing, and production. Through the intersectionality of Kay’s craft, they aim to champion the community by providing a platform to marginalized groups. Currently, Kay is writing their debut novel and enjoying leisure moments with their wife and fur babies. Sign Up for Library U to hear about the latest Lit Chats and catch them live! — Julie Delegal Check out Julie's book Seen from our catalog: Twitter: Webiste: Kay Huggins Twitter: Website: Jacksonville Public Library Website: Twitter: Facebook: Instagram: YouTube: Contact Us:
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Lit Chat: Interview with Chris Barton and Alton Yates
01/07/2023
Lit Chat: Interview with Chris Barton and Alton Yates
Chris Barton and Alton Yates in conversation with local educator TiLena Robinson discussing Chris's book Moving Forward, a nonfiction children's book about Alton's roles in Space Age military experiments and in Jacksonville's 1960 civil rights sit-ins that culminated in Ax Handle Saturday. Chris Barton is the author of picture books including bestseller Shark vs. Train, Fire Truck vs. Dragon, Sibert Honor-winning The Day-Glo Brothers, and Whoosh! Lonnie Johnson’s Super-Soaking Stream of Inventions, which has been included on 21 state reading lists. His new books in 2021 and 2022 include How to Make a Book (About My Dog) and Moving Forward: From Space-Age Rides to Civil Rights Sit-Ins with Airman Alton Yates. Chris and his wife, YA/middle-grade novelist Jennifer Ziegler, live in Austin, Texas, and co-host the children’s literature video series “This One’s Dedicated to…” Interviewer TiLena Robinson worked as a middle and high school social studies teacher with Duval County Public Schools for nine years before becoming a Secondary Social Studies Specialist with the school district in October 2015. She transitioned into her current role as a Regional Social Studies Specialist for high school in October 2021 and continues to work with administrators, teachers and students to carry out the vision and mission of Duval County Public Schools. She is a member of DCPS’s African American History Task Force and works to bring equity, inclusion, and diversity to education by working with teachers to implement the teaching of Africa and its’ peoples and the contributions of African Americans into high school social studies. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science, a Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction with a Specialization in Reading, and a certification in Educational Leadership. Sign Up for Library U to hear about the latest Lit Chats and catch them live! — https://jaxpubliclibrary.org/library-u-enrollment Chris BartonCheck out Chris Barton's books from our catalog: Twitter: Webiste: Jacksonville Public Library Website: https://jaxpubliclibrary.org/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/jaxlibrary Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JaxLibrary/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaxlibrary/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/jaxpubliclibraryfl Contact Us: [email protected]
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Lit Chat with Jim Rugg
10/27/2022
Lit Chat with Jim Rugg
Jim Rugg is an Eisner and Ignatz Award-winning cartoonist, designer, and YouTuber. His comics have been published by Marvel, DC, Image Comics, AdHouse Books, New York magazine, Dark Horse Comics, Titan Books, and Fantagraphics. Rugg’s comics career began with the publication of in 2004. Street Angel comics are part of the National Archives and the Smithsonian Collection. In 2007, Cecil Castellucci and Jim Rugg created , launching the Young Adult graphic novel explosion. Rugg’s graphic novel Afrodisiac was honored on the AIGA 50/50 list for book design. In 2018, Rugg started on YouTube with Ed Piskor (X-Men Grand Design). Cartoonist Kayfabe celebrates all things comics – with creator interviews, history, tutorials, and discussions about comics. In 2020, Jim Rugg created the world’s 1st blacklight comic book, Mtsyry: Octobriana 1976. He taught visual storytelling at the School of Visual Arts from 2012-2022. Rugg has run one marathon so far and lives in Pittsburgh with his wife and cats. Interviewer Badr Milligan is a project manager by day and an audio creator by night. Since 2012, he has used a mic to help others share their stories. He hosts the award-winning show, , and recently created the podcast for fellow vinyl lovers. Inspired by the expanding podcast medium and community around him, he assembled the first meet-up in 2018, a now regular event with a fast-growing collective of podcasters and audio enthusiasts dedicated to helping one another through collaboration and community. Badr is also an FSCJ alumnus and veteran of the Florida Air National Guard, using both experiences to run his own small business, . --- Sign Up for Library U to hear about the latest Lit Chats and catch them live! — Jim Rugg Borrow Jim’s books from our collection: = Website: Twitter: Instagram: Badr Milligan/The Short Box Website: Twitter: Instagram: Jacksonville Public Library Website: Twitter: Facebook: Instagram: YouTube: Contact Us:
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Lit Chat with Marc Cameron
10/13/2022
Lit Chat with Marc Cameron
Marc Cameron is a New York Times bestselling author. Cameron’s Jericho Quinn Thriller Series debuted in 2011. Since then, he’s written eight Quinn novels and four Arliss Cutter novels featuring a deputy US marshal based in Alaska, including the most recent Cutter, Cold Snap. Marc is the author of five Tom Clancy/Jack Ryan novels for the Tom Clancy estate, including the most recent, Chain of Command. A retired Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal, Marc spent nearly thirty years in law enforcement. He holds a second-degree black belt in jujitsu and is a certified law enforcement scuba diver and man-tracking instructor. The job of a deputy US marshal is extremely varied. Marc’s career focused primarily on dignitary protection and fugitive operations. As a member of the rural Tactical Tracking Unit for the US Marshals District of Alaska, Marc routinely tracked lost hikers, hunters, and fugitives in the vast Alaska bush. His assignments have taken him from Alaska to Manhattan, Canada to Mexico and dozens of points in between. Interviewer Michael Wiley writes the Sam Kelson Chicago PI mystery series, the Shamus Award-nominated Franky Dast mysteries, the Daniel Turner thrillers, and the Shamus Award-winning Joe Kozmarski hard-boiled detective mystery series. He lives in Jacksonville and teaches at the University of North Florida. --- Sign Up for Library U to hear about the latest Lit Chats and catch them live! — Marc Cameron Borrow Marc’s books from our collection: https://jkpl.ent.sirsi.net/client/en_US/default/search/results?qu=AUTHOR%3D%22marc+cameron%22&te= Website: Twitter: Michael Wiley Borrow Michael's books from our collection: = Website: Twitter: Jacksonville Public Library Website: jaxpubliclibrary.org Twitter: twitter.com/jaxlibrary Facebook: facebook.com/JaxLibrary Instagram: instagram.com/jaxlibrary YouTube: youtube.com/user/jaxpubliclibraryfl Contact Us: jplpromotions (at) coj.net
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Teen Lit Chat with Chris Crutcher
08/25/2022
Teen Lit Chat with Chris Crutcher
Chris Crutcher’s first novel, , was published in 1983, and by 1984 made USA Today's top ten banned books list, along with nine other long-celebrated novels. He is proud to report that nearly all of his subsequent works have been censored and/or banned somewhere in the great U.S. of A, and that those challenges have earned him two lifetime achievement Intellectual Freedom Awards, one from the National Council of Teachers of English and the other from the National Coalition Against Censorship. Crutcher first came face to face with his professional destiny and the vibrant, often courageous community that would provide inspiration for his fictional work as a teacher, then director, of a racially-diverse K-12 alternative school in Oakland, California. That and his subsequent twenty-odd years as both a therapist specializing in child abuse and neglect and chairperson for his region's Child Protection Team have informed his thirteen novels and two collections of short stories. In the midst of all that heartbreak and unforgiveable neglect and violence, he says, "new heroes arose" — compelling Crutcher to fashion his stories around them. Interviewer Stacey Horan left her career as a corporate lawyer to become an award-winning author of young adult novels. Her works include , , and The (a five-book series). She also hosts a podcast called The Bookshop at the End of the Internet, which is dedicated to helping book lovers discover new authors. Visit her website at or find her on social media at @staceyleehoran. Sign Up for Library U to hear about the latest Lit Chats and catch them live! — https://jaxpubliclibrary.org/library-u-enrollment Chris Crutcher Borrow Chris' books from our collection: https://jkpl.ent.sirsi.net/client/en_US/default/search/results?qu=AUTHOR%3D%22chris+crutcher%22&te= Website: http://www.chriscrutcher.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/chriscrutcher Stacy Horan Website: www.staceyhoran.com Twitter: @staceyleehoran Jacksonville Public Library Website: jaxpubliclibrary.org Twitter: twitter.com/jaxlibrary Facebook: facebook.com/JaxLibrary Instagram: instagram.com/jaxlibrary YouTube: youtube.com/user/jaxpubliclibraryfl Contact Us: jplpromotions (at) coj.net
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Lit Chat with Nikesha Elise Williams
08/15/2022
Lit Chat with Nikesha Elise Williams
Nikesha Elise Williams is a two-time Emmy award winning producer, an award-winning author, and producer and host of the Black & Published podcast. Her latest novel, Beyond Bourbon Street, was awarded Best Fiction by the Black Caucus of African-American Librarians in the 2021 Self-Published eBook Literary Awards. It also received the 2020 Outstanding Book Award from the National Association of Black Journalists. Nikesha's forthcoming book, Mardi Gras Indians, will be published by LSU Press on October 5. A Chicago native, Nikesha is an Editor at Narrative Initiative and a columnist with JAX Today. Her work has also appeared in The Washington Post, ESSENCE, and VOX. She lives in Florida with her family and is working on her next novel. Interviewer Yvette Angelique Hyater-Adams is a poet, teaching artist, and proven culture change strategist. She publishes, curates, and facilitates storytelling for healing, creating art, for consciousness-raising, and advocacy. Her most recent work is a digital poetry chapbook: Something Old, New, Borrowed, and The Blues. As a recovering bank executive and management consulting firm CEO, Yvette runs a social arts practice, Narratives for Change, LLC. Writing poetry and essay, teaching, and activism is central to her social arts practice. She teaches creative writing for women and girls, and Scholarly Personal Narrative (SPN) for social justice thought leaders. Yvette is on the editorial board for Practicing Social Change for Applied Behavioral Science. She is a volunteer for TEDx Jacksonville as a curator and speaker coach. She is the Chair of the Board of Directors for Alternate ROOTS, a social justice organization for artists and cultural organizers. Yvette lives with her banker-jazz musician husband in Atlantic Beach, FL. Sign Up for Library U to hear about the latest Lit Chats and catch them live! — Nikesha Elise Williams Borrow Nikesha's books from our collection: Website: Twitter: Yvette Angelique Website: Twitter: Jacksonville Public Library Website: jaxpubliclibrary.org Twitter: twitter.com/jaxlibrary Facebook: facebook.com/JaxLibrary Instagram: instagram.com/jaxlibrary YouTube: youtube.com/user/jaxpubliclibraryfl Contact Us: jplpromotions (at) coj.net
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