Brooks Decker 2024 Director
The JaxbyJax Literary Arts Festival turned ten years old in 2023, and we're pleased to start our second decade in 2024 with a brilliant new Director: poet Brooks Decker. ​As a writer, artist, and mental health therapist in Jacksonville, Brooks Decker has been featured in local zines and literary magazines. She published her first chapbook, Purge & Bloom, in 2023. She has spent the past seven years providing art and poetry lessons to instituionalized youth and adults with a local non-profit and is the current host of Second Sunday with Poets and Authors at Happy Medium Books in Riverside. When she isn't working or creating, you may find her at the thrift store, her front porch or moseying along the St. Johns River.
Click on musical note at bottom right corner of video to hear sound.
Video produced and narrated by Brad Kuhn
Here's a word from JaxbyJax Founder & Director Emeritus, Tim Gilmore.
Click on musical note at bottom right corner of video to hear sound.
This celebration of Jacksonville talent would not be possible without the generosity, support, and enthusiasm of our sponsors. The writers and readers of JaxbyJax thank you!
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One such sponsor is Chamblin's Bookmine and Chamblin's Uptown Cafe. Ron Chamblin not only gives generously to the festival, he also provides dedicated JaxbyJax shelves at both bookstore locations so fans can find books by their favorite local authors. Look to the right to view a short video of Ron stating why he is a believer in the JaxbyJax Literary Arts Festival.
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Click on musical note at bottom right corner of video to hear sound.
Video produced by Brad Kuhn
Meet the 2023 writers below.
(Click on photo to see writer's name and bio.)
Documentary Film
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and out of an abundance of caution for the health and safety of our writers and their fans, JaxbyJax did not hold a face-to-face reading as part of the festival in 2020. Instead, we produced a documentary video.
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TO WATCH JAXBYJAX LITERARY ARTS FESTIVAL VII, you MUST have a Facebook profile and GO TO: facebook.com/JaxbyJax and LIKE the page.
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Here are links to JaxbyJax Literary Arts Festival VII, in the video section of the JaxbyJax Literary Arts page.
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Day One:
https://www.facebook.com/1434005530221644/videos/271272430775623
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Day Two:
https://www.facebook.com/1434005530221644/videos/700879380540755
Please note that both videos have identical openings for the first minute and twenty seconds, but different writers and different content after that.
Day One will LIFT YOUR SPIRITS and OPEN YOUR MIND, featuring poetry and prose by Yvette Angelique, Ben Atkinson, Tayve Neese, Abel Harding, Lex Hamilton, Tim Gilmore, Taryn "Love Reigns" Wharwood, Brad Kuhn, Shannon Pulusan, Johnny Masiulewicz, Michelle Lizet Flores, Damon Thomas, singer/songwriter Jesse Montoya, and featured poet Lynn Skapyak Harlin, who will read her work and also wrap things up with a 15-minute workshop on HOOKS that you won't want to miss.
Day Two will HEAL YOUR HEART, featuring poetry and prose by Andres Rojas, Sarah Crooks, Thomas Ferriello, Sonja Mongar, Tricia Booker, Nikesha Williams, Sohrab Homi Fracis, singer/songwriter Jesse Montoya, and the fabulous STUDENT SHOWCASE. We'll learn how to get involved with Women Writing for a Change from Jennifer Wolfe, talk with Ron Chamblin about the importance of bookstores, and walk with Tommy Shapard through his experience at Baptist Health with COVID-19.
​Chamblin's Bookmine and Chamblin's Uptown Cafe
Alternate ROOTS
Mellon Foundation
Ford Foundation
FSCJ
​904WARD
​Brad Kuhn & Associates, LLC
​Scribbles
​Jacksonville Literary Arts Alliance
​Babs' Lab
​JaxPsychoGeo
​San Marco Books and More
