Lit Chat 2024

"In October 1997, the town of Ringgold in northwest Georgia was shaken by reports of a murder in its midst. A dead woman was found in Alvin Ridley's house - and even more shockingly, she was the wife no one knew he had." Georgia attorney-turned-writer, McCracken Poston Jr., joins us live via Zoom to tell the story behind one of his most famous defense cases and his upcoming book, Zenith Man: Death, Love and Redemption in a Georgia Courtroom.

The Friends of the Bill Brinton Murray Hill Library are sponsoring a special Lit Chat Interview with local poet Michelle Lizet Flores live at the Library this February! Michelle will chat with fellow poet and Lit Chat alum, Jessica Q. Stark, about her latest book of poetry.

Are you ready to fall in love with the international bestselling Jacksonville Rays hockey romance series? Local author and TikTok sensation, Emily Rath, joins us for a Galentine’s Day chat with local novelist Jessica Hatch live at the Library! They will talk about all things romance, the Jacksonville Rays, and what it's like to be BookTok famous.

Need for a new romance book to spice up those cold winter nights? Looking for some fun Galentine's Day ideas for you and your besties? We've got a Lit Chat Interview with two local romance authors and a romance-themed Writer's Lab workshop for anyone planning to put their own pen to paper. February is also Black History Month and we've got some great ideas for celebrating that, too! Jerry Urso returns for another History Chat - this one about the exciting life of Captain James W. Floyd. We'll also delve into poetry, true crime, gardening, business, finance, and more!

What would you do if you suffered a sudden, severe, and highly publicized fall from grace? Would you run? Seek out a quiet life of anonymity and seclusion? Or would you find a way to redeem yourself? Mr. Jimmy from Around the Way is a mesmerizing look at one man’s fall from grace and the age-old struggle for redemption. Meet the author, Jeffrey Blount, at our next Lit Chat Interview, live at the Pablo Creek Regional Library.

The New York Times bestselling author of the 2022 memoir, I Came All This Way To Meet You, is coming all the way from New Orleans to meet you, her readers and fellow writers, at Jacksonville Public Library for two back-to-back bookish events! First up: Aspiring writers will learn how to best serve their own creative processes, find inspiration, and carve out a life in the business of art in a hands-on Writer's Lab workshop. Then, after lunch, Jami Attenberg returns for a Lit Chat interviewer and local author Nikesha Elise Williams.

It's going to be a busy January here at the Library! Whether you're resolving to read more, challenging yourself to (finally) write that novel that's been kicking around in the back of your head for years, or just continuing your pursuit of lifelong learning: We've got a great lineup of adult programs this month! Improve your day-to-day life with one of ten Life Lit workshops, get inspired with a Writer's Lab workshop and Lit Chat Interview featuring bestselling author Jami Attenberg, come together as a community for a thought-provoking Forward Thinking panel discussion, or check out a brand new Library Book Club.

Hey, Jax readers! Are you ready for Jax Book Fest?! Celebrate great books, bestselling authors, and (of course) READING with us and hundreds of your fellow book fans on Saturday, September 21 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Main Library in downtown Jacksonville. The event includes Lit Chat Interviews and Talks with three #1 New York Times bestselling authors, dozens of local authors, literacy advocates, multiple children's performers, scavenger hunts, and other fun reading-related activities for all ages.