Jacksonville Public Library will host the next edition of its series of talks with authors this Saturday. Bill Delaney, cofounder and editor of The Jaxson, will join Lit Chat to talk about his new book Secret Jacksonville: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure, released earlier this year by Reedy Press. Alan Bliss, CEO of the Jacksonville Historical Society, will serve as interviewer. The event will be at 1 p.m. Saturday, December 4, at Willow Branch Library; you can attend in person or watch virtually via Zoom. Click here to register.

Secret Jacksonville is a guidebook covering 86 different unusual and underknown spots across the First Coast, from Cumberland Island to St. Augustine. The Lit Chat will discuss a few favorites, including two relevant to the Jacksonville Public Library: Willow Branch’s role in Jacksonville’s LGBTQ and music history, and the Main Library’s collection of 16th-century engravings depicting the lost French colony of Fort Caroline.

Bill will be selling and signing copies of the book before and after the event. You can also order a signed copy online at thejaxsonmag.com/books, or check one out from the library.

About the author

Bill Delaney. Photo by Erik Hamilton.

In addition to his work on The Jaxson, Bill is a co-owner and editor of Edible Northeast Florida Magazine and ModernCities.com. He has a deep passion for his hometown and a keen interest in underrepresented stories, and his work focuses on the history and culture of the First Coast. He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English from the University of North Florida.

Other upcoming Secret Jacksonville events include tabling at Art Walk from 5 to 9 pm Wednesday, December 1 in front of Wolf & Cub on Laura Street, and a walking tour of spots from the book on December 11. Order your tickets here.