Completely Booked - Official Podcast of the Jacksonville Public Library

#40 DCAZ - Duval Comic and Zine Festival Mar 16, 2020

We sit down with Dawn Wailey and Lindsey Anderson from DCAZ to talk about the Duval Comics and Zine Fest. Originally scheduled for March 28 at the Main Library, the event has been postponed due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. DCAZ will be Jacksonville’s first event designed to celebrate regional self-publishers. This free event will offer tabling for self-publishers to showcase their work, bookbinding, zine-making workshops and panel discussions featuring the local creators who helped lay the foundation for Northeast Florida’s DIY and self-publishing community.

New Releases - March 2020 (Bonus Episode) Mar 09, 2020

Hello book friends! We're back with another bonus podcast to chat about new releases you'll ♥ this March.

#39 Jax Book Fest 2020 - Brad Meltzer Mar 02, 2020

Brad Meltzer is the No. 1 New York Times bestselling author of The Inner Circle, The Book of Fate, and 10 other bestselling thrillers including The Tenth Justice, The First Counsel, The Millionaires, The President’s Shadow, and The Escape Artist. Meltzer has books on bestseller lists for nonfiction (The First Conspiracy), advice, children’s books, and even comic books, for which he won the prestigious Eisner Award.

#38 Tenikka's Books for Kids - Tenikka Hughes Feb 24, 2020

Action News Jax anchor Tenikka Hughes joins us on the podcast to chat about Tenikka's Books for Kids, an annual effort to collect book donations for children who participate in our Summer Learning Program. We chat about her passion for literacy in children, her career as an Emmy-award winning journalist and everything you can expect during the book drive's kick off at Jax Book Fest this Saturday, Feb. 29!

#37 BAKES - Calli Marie Feb 17, 2020

Calli Marie is the author of BAKES and co-owner of BREW Five Points, a coffee shop and craft beer bar in Jacksonville's historic Riverside neighborhood. Calli chats with us about her journey as a baker, becoming a successful business owner and the process of publishing her first book.

#36 Word Revolt - Theresa and Todd Rykaczewski Feb 10, 2020

Theresa and Todd Rykaczewski are the founders of Word Revolt Art Gallery in Atlantic Beach. It's a non-profit gallery dedicated to hosting free exhibitions and events that benefit artists, charities and the community.

New Releases - February 2020 (Bonus Episode) Feb 05, 2020

Hello book friends! We're back with another bonus podcast to chat about new releases you'll ♥ this February, plus details on African American History Month programs, free tax help, Book Fest and more.

#35 Finding Your Passion - Stacey Horan Feb 03, 2020

Stacey Horan is an award-winning author of young adult novels including Inland, Sycamore Lane and The Elixir Vitae Adventures. Stacey chats with us about her journey from corporate lawyer to full-time writer and podcast host. To chat more with Stacey, you can meet her at Jax Book Fest 2020 on Feb. 29 at the Main Library.

#34 Children's Author - Allison McGill Jan 27, 2020

Allison McGill is the author of The Adventures of Duke, the Therapy Dog: Duke Finds a Home. Based on a true story, this picture book for children shares the tale of a rescue dog and his new life with a happy ending. She chats with us about her writing process, starting her own publishing company, and upcoming projects she has on the horizon.

#33 Re-Release - Times-Union Photojournalist - Bruce Lipsky Jan 21, 2020

We were off this Monday, so we dug into the archive and pulled a great podcast from earlier last year!

On this episode, we chat with former Times-Union photojournalist, Bruce Lipsky. He's captured 35 years worth of Jacksonville's history– the good, the bad, and the ugly– and today, he shares some of those experiences with us.

#32 Mapping Jax - Steve Williams Jan 13, 2020

Steve Williams is well known throughout Jacksonville as the CEO of Harbinger Sign, the owner of Florida Mining Gallery, and a hard-core advocate of the arts and development in the urban core. He chats with us today about Mapping Jax, an initiative to inspire, preserve, educate, and advocate for our city's natural and built environments.

#31 JAX Film Bar Mondays - Tim Driscoll Jan 06, 2020

Tim Driscoll is a film producer here in Jacksonville, and has been a major force in cultivating the local film community. Today, he chats with us about JAX Film Bar Mondays, a casual meetup group that brings producers, actors, directors, writers, and technical experts together.

RA New Releases - January 2020 (Bonus Episode) Jan 02, 2020

Happy New Year, book friends! Shawn Norton from the Readers' Advisory Committee joins us again to chat about new releases coming to the library this January. If your New Year's resolution is to read more, this podcast is for you.

#30 New Year's Eve Champagne Guide - Justin Tichy Dec 30, 2019

Happy New Year’s Eve from all of us at the Jacksonville Public Library! Our guest, Justin Tichy, joins us today to talk about something wildly popular for NYE festivities: Champagne. We talk about the history of the Champagne region in France, how to decode labels on a bottle, misconceptions people have about popular Champagnes, the best places to find a good bottle of bubbles in Jax, and more.

#29 The Greater Jacksonville Fair - Gayle Hart Dec 16, 2019

Gayle Hart is the VP of Marketing for the Greater Jacksonville Agricultural Fair. She joins us on today's episode of Completely Booked to chat about the wonderful things her team does for the community and how she first became involved with the fair.

#28 TubaChristmas - Marc Dickman + Suna Hall Dec 09, 2019

TubaChristmas is a free concert that's presented around the world where tuba and euphonium players get together and play Christmas music for one hour every year. Today, we chat with Marc Dickman and Suna Hall, the conductor and coordinator of Jacksonville's TubaChristmas performance, about the upcoming show on December 14, 2019 in Jacksonville Beach at 1:30 p.m. Our producer, Justin, guest hosts this episode as he is a longtime player in TubaChristmas.

New Releases - December 2019 (Bonus Episode) Dec 04, 2019

Hello book friends! This segment is for you. Welcome to our first Wednesday podcast episode highlighting new releases to look out for this month! We sit down with Shawn Norton from our Readers' Advisory Committee to chat about materials coming to the library in December 2019.

#27 Channeling Anna Fletcher - Tim Gilmore Dec 02, 2019

Local author and historian Tim Gilmore returns to Completely Booked this week to chat about his recently published book, Channeling Anna Fletcher: On Seances and Women’s Rights. We also talk about Tim’s website, Jax Psycho Geo, that contains nearly 500 unique, unusual, and macabre stories on local Jacksonville history.

#26 Getting Ready for the Holidays - Rebecca McNeil Nov 25, 2019

The holiday season is here, so we have preschool teacher Rebecca McNeil back on Completely Booked to help you get your family ready. We go over tips for handling holiday traditions and gift-giving with your children, fun activities you can do with your family over the break, and, of course, her top holiday book recommendations for the little ones.

#25 Finding Your Voice - Anna Claire Hodge Nov 18, 2019

Anna Claire Hodge is a writer and professor based in Jacksonville, Florida, and holds a Ph.D in creative writing from Florida State University. We chat about everything from her greatest literary inspirations to the hidden world behind beauty blogging and Instagram influencing, which ultimately led to how she found her voice as a writer.

#24 Buffalo Soldiers Historical Society - Joe Tillman Nov 11, 2019

Today is Monday, November 11, which is Veterans Day. So on this episode of Completely Booked, we interview Joe Tillman, President of the Buffalo Soldiers Historical Society here in Jacksonville, Fl. We explore ways to go beyond the uniform and express appreciation for veterans on Veterans Day.

#23 JaxbyJax Literary Arts Festival - Darlyn and Brad Kuhn Nov 04, 2019

Each year JaxbyJax hosts a literary arts festival highlighting Jacksonville stories and settings, and this year one of its main venues is the Main Library! On this week's episode of Completely Booked, we chat with the driving forces behind JaxbyJax, Darlyn and Brad Kuhn, about everything you need to know for the upcoming festival on Saturday, November 16.

#22 Investigating Willowbranch Library - PFC Paranormal Oct 28, 2019

Halloween is right around the corner, so this episode is a spooky special edition of Completely Booked. We teamed up with PFC Paranormal to investigate the Willowbranch Library. Located in Riverside, the Willowbranch Library opened in 1930, making it the oldest existing library branch in Jacksonville. This episode includes our interview with Misty Darnell, the founder of PFC Paranormal, and one of her team members, Bree– plus a bit of audio from our paranormal investigation.

#21 Jax Cooking Studio - Terri Davlantes Oct 21, 2019

On this episode we chat with the founder of Jax Cooking Studio, Terri Davlantes. Terri believes that food should enrich your life, so she started Jax Cooking Studio to teach people how to plan and cook hearty, delicious meals that are easy and affordable.

#20 Southern Living Idea House - Matt Birdwell & Jarrod Knox Oct 14, 2019

On this episode, we interview the builders of the 2019 Southern Living Idea House. Matt Birdwell and Jarrod Knox of Riverside Homes led the project, and they share what it was like to build the "Ultimate Southern Dream House" in only five months.

#19 Industry West - Jordan England Oct 07, 2019

On this episode, we chat with Jordan England, founder and CEO of Industry West. Industry West is a seriously swanky furniture manufacturer based in Jacksonville that's known for designing industrial and mid-century modern inspired pieces that can work with just about any style and setting.

#18 Sally Corporation - John Wood Sep 30, 2019

Founded in 1977, Sally Corporation began as an animatronic production company to help market corporate brands in a unique and entertaining way. Since then, Sally has evolved into the world’s leading designer and manufacturer of the most successful dark rides around the world. We interview Sally Corp chairman and CEO, John Wood, about the magic that happens inside their Jacksonville headquarters.

#17 Oh, Florida! - Craig Pittman Sep 23, 2019

Author and Journalist, Craig Pittman, joins us on the show to talk about his New York Times Best-Selling book, Oh, Florida! It's a hilarious and historical exploration of our marvelously weird "Sunshine State" that proves Florida is both a paradise and a punchline.

#16 Young Buck Coffee - Ryan Fletcher Sep 16, 2019

On this episode, we interview Ryan Fletcher who is the owner of Young Buck Coffee Roasters here in Jacksonville. It’s a start-up coffee company that’s already making a huge splash in the community, no pun intended. Ryan gives us his expert insight on coffee, plus we do an on-air coffee tasting that’s both educational and delicious.

#15 Top Gun Days - Dave "Bio" Baranek Sep 09, 2019

Dave "Bio" Baranek was an aerial combat instructor at the elite Navy Fighter Weapons School, Topgun. While serving as an instructor in 1985, he had the unusual experience of flying aerial sequences used in the film "Top Gun." We chat with him about his experiences and about his book Top Gun Days: Dogfighting, Cheating Death, and Hollywood Glory as One of America's Best Fighter Jocks.

#14 - Headbanging and Hurricanes - Florida Man Lane Pittman Sep 02, 2019

Don't try this at home, kids! As we wait for Hurricane Dorian to arrive, we wanted revisit Hurley and Jenna's interview from last year with Lane Pittman, also known as Hurricane Lane. His videos headbanging to Slayer holding an American flag during hurricanes have millions of views. He has been featured on Fox News and invited to rock out with some incredible bands. Lane Pittman is a Jacksonville legend and he talks all about his overnight fame with Hurley and Jenna. Don't miss our video of Lane doing his infamous headbanging throughout the Main Library!

#13 A Life Beyond Reason - Chris Gabbard Aug 26, 2019

On this episode, we chat with Chris Gabbard about his new book, A Life Beyond Reason: A Father's Memoir. Dr. Gabbard recounts his unexpected journey to enlightenment while caring for his son, August, who was profoundly mentally and physically handicapped due to medical malpractice.

#12 Celestial Farms - Veronica Pasciuto Aug 19, 2019

On this episode, we sit down with Veronica Pasciuto, owner and founder of Celestial Farms. Celestial Farms is an animal rescue that opened in the spring of 2000 with the goal to learn, heal, and grow. Veronica talks about the work her and her team put into the farm every day, the adorable animals you can expect to find if you visit, and some of the fantastic activities and events they have coming up!

#11 Local Author - Michael Wiley Aug 12, 2019

Dr. Michael Wiley is a local author and literature professor at the University of North Florida. He joins us today to discuss his latest novel, Monument Road, which is a robust and thrilling tale set right here in Northeast Florida. Dr. Wiley tells us about his writing process and the peculiar research that goes into writing crime fiction.

#10 Preschool Prep for Parents - Rebecca McNeil Aug 05, 2019

To help parents and kids get back in the groove of a school routine, we sit down with Rebecca McNeil, an early educator at Riverside Presbyterian Day School to help inspire you to start the year off right. We cover the things to do, read and say to make this transition a confidence-building experience for both you and your child.

#9 Congaree and Penn - Scott Meyer Jul 29, 2019

On this episode of Completely Booked, we chat with Scott Meyer from Congaree and Penn. Scott started Congaree and Penn as a tiny rice farm in 2014 and with the help of his wife, Lindsay, it’s now a thriving farm that’s spearheaded a new wave of agrotourism in Jacksonville. Congaree and Penn is not your average farm, and Scott gives us his insight on what it has been like to grow the business over the years.

#8 Prosecuting Ted Bundy - Bob Dekle Jul 23, 2019

Bob Dekle was the leading prosecutor in the Ted Bundy trial for the murder of Kimberly Leach. He talks us through the process of piecing together evidence in a time before DNA testing was available and how he was able to convict Bundy of first degree murder. We pick Mr. Dekle’s brain a bit to find out what it was like to prosecute one of the most notorious serial killers in history.

#7 Coming to America - Voices of the First Coast Archive Jul 15, 2019

In 2010, the library started a project called Voices of the First Coast. It was a local initiative modeled after StoryCorps, a nationwide story project, designed to record, preserve and share the stories from our local community. Jacksonville Public Library and the local National Public Radio station WJCT collaborated to capture these oral histories of Northeast Florida, and we wanted to share some of these stories on this week's episode of Completely Booked.

#6 American Civility Association - Amy Barnett Jul 08, 2019

Today we chat with Amy Barnett, President of the American Civility Association. Following the Sandy Hook Elementary tragedy, Amy founded the ACA in 2014 to implement programs under the multi-platform, interactive Brain-builder's Operation Safe Schools series that takes trainers, educators and their students on a journey into the world of civility and brain-building. As of 2019, B.O.S.S has reached over 25,000 students, educators and school counselors in Florida.

#5 Graphic Novels in Libraries Month - Shawn Norton Jul 01, 2019

July 2019 marks the very first Graphic Novels in Libraries Month! Shawn Norton, manager of the Bill Brinton Murray Hill Library, chats with us about his personal graphic novel recommendations, as well as the literary merits of comics and graphic novels.

#4 Times-Union Photojournalist - Bruce Lipsky Jun 24, 2019

On this episode, we chat with former Times-Union photojournalist, Bruce Lipsky. He's captured 35 years worth of Jacksonville's history– the good, the bad, and the ugly– and today, he shares some of those experiences with us.

#3 Sustainable Solutions - Juan-Carlos Villatoro Jun 17, 2019

Today, we chat with Juan-Carlos Villatoro. He’s a Navy Veteran and entrepreneur who’s spearheaded a variety of startups and programs focused on environmental sustainability and challenging the way we recycle and process old materials. Juan-Carlos breaks down some pretty complex projects he’s been a part of, and what’s he's currently working on in his quest to change the industry for the better.

#2 It’s a Glorious Thing to Make a Thing - Mark Ari Jun 10, 2019

If you’re pining for some creative inspiration, Mark Ari has you covered. Ari is a writer, painter, singer-songwriter, and among many other things– a creative writing professor at UNF. On today's episode, he chats with us about his writing process, cultivating a creative community in Jacksonville, and how his Jewish American heritage shaped him an artist.

#1 The Riverdale Inn - Mary Mychael and Eric Waln Jun 03, 2019

Mary Mychael and Eric Waln, owners of The Riverdale Inn, join us on our show today to talk about the Riverside mansion's unique history, what it takes to be successful innkeepers, and the importance of preserving our city's past. You'll also meet the new Completely Booked Podcast hosts, Amanda and Gabby!

#51 Professional Musician - Kate Caliendo May 27, 2019

Kate Caliendo, one of the talented horn musicians with the Jacksonville Symphony, joins us on our show today to talk about her trajectory into classical music, her all-time favorite symphonic pieces, as well as the future of classical music.

#50 Every Kid Should Build a Robot - Mark McCombs May 20, 2019

Mark McCombs believes that every kid should build a robot. He's the founder of Renaissance Jax, a nonprofit organization providing STEM education and robotics competition to North Florida. He's out to make Jacksonville a better, smarter place!

#49 Human Cheetah - Kelsey Beckman May 13, 2019

Kelsey Beckmann is here to tell you that good food can make you faster, stronger and healthier. She's a registered dietician and owner of Meteor Nutrition, where she offers customized meal plans for clients, particularly athletes. Kelsey is also a qualifier for the 2020 Olympic marathon trials (no big deal). In fact, the first race she ever ran was 50 kilometers—that's 31 miles.

#48 Yes And - Robert Reid May 06, 2019

This week on our show, former Second City improviser Robert Reid catches us up on his current improvising with his troupe Spotlight Giant and discusses the importance of "yes and" in every part of life.

#47 Downtown Jax - Jake Gordon Apr 29, 2019

Jake Gordon is the CEO of Downtown Vision, Inc., a not-for-profit 501(c)6 organization whose mission is to create and support a vibrant Downtown and to promote Downtown as an exciting place to live, work, visit and invest.

Jake tells us all about what Downtown Vision is currently working on, and what the goals are for the future. He gives us some updates on big projects like the future of the Jacksonville Landing and the Laura Street Trio renovation. We also get some stellar book recommendations from his kids!

#46 State Attorney - Melissa Nelson Apr 22, 2019

Melissa Nelson is the State Attorney for the Fourth Judicial Circuit, serving Clay, Duval and Nassau Counties ... she explains what that means, don't worry! We talk with her about her path from law school to running for a public office. She tells us about the difficulties of this position and how she maintains work-life effectiveness.

Follow State Attorney Melissa Nelson's journey on Twitter and Facebook.

#45 Stumbling Into Sobriety - Tracy "Dot Com" Collins Apr 15, 2019

Tracy Collins, aka Tracy Dot Com, is on the show today to discuss her new book, Stumbling Into Sobriety. We discuss what it's like to live a sober life as a media personality, as well as her biggest challenges writing her book.

#44 Short Box Podcast - Badr Milligan Apr 08, 2019

Badr Milligan is one of the founders and co-hosts of The Shortbox Podcast, Jacksonville's premier comic book and pop culture podcast! Hurley and Jenna were featured on their show in February 2019 to talk Goosebumps and Jax Book Fest. Badr discusses his show and love of comic books. Jenna and Producer Bryan give you an overview of our upcoming Comic Con events!

#43 Stronger Than Stigma - Gabrielle Magid Apr 01, 2019

Gabrielle Magid is Stronger Than Stigma. The nonprofit organization founder started focusing on millennial mental health advocacy back in 2013 when she was a student at the University of Florida. During our conversation, Gabrielle shares the challenges of running a nonprofit from a young age, the mission behind her Nobody's Happy comedy tour, as well as the reasons why we should stop throwing around words like "crazy" and "depressing."

#42 Curious Music - Keith Marks Mar 25, 2019

Keith Marks wants us all to get curious. He's the founder of Avant, a nonprofit organization bringing musical acts to the Jacksonville area—many of which the people of Jacksonville have never heard of. He's also the donor of the Jacksonville Public Library's Radical Jewish Music collection, which he tells us all about during our engaging conversation.

#41 Jumbo Shrimp - Ken Babby Mar 18, 2019

In this episode of Completely Booked, Ken explains the vision and process of the name change and what he hopes to bring to the Jacksonville community. He discusses his career at the Washington Post; starting as an intern and rising to the position of Vice President of Advertising, and most recently, Chief Revenue Officer of Washington Post Media and General Manager of Washington Post Digital.

The Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp Baseball 2019 season starts April 4, and you can purchase tickets on their website or at the box office at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville.

#40 Down the Hatch - Jessica Hatch Mar 11, 2019

Ever wondered what it takes to take a book from manuscript to publication? Literary editor Jessica Hatch of Hatch Editorial Services is here to walk us through the process. How does a book get picked up for trade publishing? What does it take for a book to become a bestseller? Find out on this episode!

Jessica also tells us some of her favorite books:

Tonight I'm Someone Else by Chelsea Hodson

Baby Teeth by Zoje Stage

#39 Goosebumps - R.L. Stine Mar 04, 2019

This is it! R.L. Stine is on Completely Booked this week. We fainted just before we recorded this so hopefully you can't tell. Bob (he let us call him Bob) was one of the nicest and most jovial people ever. He told us about his start writing for a comedy magazine, and how he tried to resist writing the Goosebumps books at first. He also tells us why he thinks Jack Black did such a poor job portraying him in the first Goosebumps movie.

#38 Duval Folx - DJ Geexella Feb 25, 2019

DJ, rapper and queer-identifying social justice warrior GeeXella is on our show today. We discuss Duval Folx, an inclusive dance party they established in 2018, as well as the tragic car accident that shaped their life.

Follow GeeXella on Instagram.

BONUS: Meet R.L. Stine at Jax Book Fest! Feb 20, 2019

Jax Book Fest is this Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019! Goosebumps author R.L. Stine and author of the Black Lagoon series, Mike Thaler will be there to meet you and sign your books. Hurley and Jenna are giving you the inside scoop on how to guarantee you have a spot in line for R.L. Stine's presentation and book signing. Don't miss this incredible event! More details and full event schedule can be found at jaxbookfest.org.

#37 Civil Rights in Jacksonville - Rodney L. Hurst Feb 18, 2019

Rodney Hurst is a civil rights activist, a black historian, and the author of two award-winning books. He joins Hurley and Jenna on Completely Booked to tell the real history of the bloody events of August 27, 1960, when 200 whites with ax handles and baseball bats attacked members of the Jacksonville, Florida Youth Council NAACP who were demonstrating peaceably at White lunch counters in downtown Jacksonville. This event is now known as Axe Handle Saturday.

#36 WWE Diva - Alicia Fox Feb 11, 2019

Jacksonville native, Victoria Crawford or Alicia Fox as she's known in the ring, is on the show today! Alicia is the longest contracted WWE Diva, or female WWE wrestler. She tells us about her career in the ring, and what she has coming in her life beyond WWE.

#35 NEW BOOKS 2019! - Alison McCarty + Jill Haile Feb 04, 2019

We love books around here, especially new and exciting books. Our resident Librarian Ninjas are telling us what's hot in 2019, and how the library decides which books to buy.

Books Jenna and Hurley are reading:

The Greatest Love Story Ever Told by Nick Offerman + Megan Mullally

And We're Off by Dana Schwartz

Inevitable Bestsellers in 2019:

I Owe You One by Sophie Kinsella

Connections in Death by J.D. Robb

A Justified Murder by Jude Deveraux

Silent Night by Danielle Steel

Run Away by Harlan Coben

Books to watch out for in 2019:

On the Come Up by Angie Thomas

The Lost Man by Jane Harper

Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James

Finding Dorothy by Elizabeth Letts

Girl, Stop Apologizing by Rachel Hollis

White by Bret Easton Ellis

#34 Grow Your Groceries - Man in Overalls Jan 28, 2019

Nathan Ballentine aka the Man in Overalls is here to save the day and your dead plants. Nathan is a huge advocate for growing your own groceries, and he offers lots of free resources to help you do it. He also lends his expertise (for a fee) getting your personal garden started.

Hurley and Jenna also start a new segment called "Renew or Return" where Producer Bryan asks if they would renew (keep it) or return (didn't like it) different stuff. Check the new theme music too!

Learn more about the Man in Overalls: http://maninoveralls.blogspot.com/

#33 Let's Get STEAMy - William Jackson Jan 21, 2019

William has been an educator for 31 years and has a passion for technology and teaching students about STEAM. William is also a proud Educator Cardholder and listener of the Completely Booked podcast. He tells us about his love of educating and why STEAM is so important for children.

#32 Diversity in Children's Books - Dontavious Pittman + Natalie McGriff Jan 14, 2019

WE NEED DIVERSE BOOKS! And our guests on the show today, Dontavious Pittman and Natalie McGriff both agree. These incredible authors have taken it on themselves to write encouraging and diverse children's book. Natalie wrote her first book when she was just seven years old! Learn more about Natalie and her series "The Adventures of Moxie McGriff": https://moxiemcgriff.com/. Learn more about Dontavious and his book "I Didn't Ask to be Creative": https://cardboardclouds.com/#Authors.

#31 Jax Psycho Geo - Tim Gilmore Jan 07, 2019

Author, historian, and local celebrity Tim Gilmore shares some of his favorite memories of writing and researching the sketchy history of our peculiar city. Tim is the author of 17 books, the founder of the JaxbyJax literary festival, and the creator of jaxpsychogeo.com.

#30 Re-release- Alligators on the Roof - Dr. Adam Rosenblatt Dec 31, 2018

We're taking a break this week, but we wanted to make sure you got to listen to one of our favorite episodes of the year. Happy New Year friends, we'll see if you in 2019!

What happens when you put 400 alligator eggs from Louisiana on a rooftop in Jacksonville, FL? Find out in our interview with Adam Rosenblatt, assistant professor of Biology at the University of North Florida! Dr. Rosenblatt tells Hurley and Jenna all about his recent experiment, as well as his journey toward a lifelong love of alligators.

#29 Happy Holidays! - Santa Claus Dec 24, 2018

Happy Holidays everyone! Hurley and Jenna are joined by their most famous guest yet ... SANTA! The jolly ole chap gives some crucial advice to kids still trying to make the nice list, and let's in on some of his favorite reads.

#28 Best Books of 2018 (according to us)! Dec 17, 2018

Some incredible books were released in 2018; Becoming by Michelle Obama, Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi, and so many more! Hurley and Jenna, and several library staff members tell us about their favorites from the year! Visit our podcast page to put these great reads on hold!

#27 Notorious Tearjerkers - StoryCorps with Jacqueline Van Meter Dec 10, 2018

Since 2003, StoryCorps has collected thousands of stories from people all across the United States. The NPR oral history project archives each story in the Library of Congress' American Folklife Center. We spoke with the site manager Jacqueline Van Meter, who's parked the StoryCorps Airstream mobile studio in Memorial Park to collect stories from the people of Jacksonville.

Record your own story at the library! Visit jaxpubliclibrary.org/podcast for more information.

#26 Live from Art Walk - Ties and Knots Exhibit Dec 03, 2018

The latest exhibit in the Jax Makerspace Gallery is called Ties and Knots: Weaving Narratives of Northeast Florida. Hurley and Jenna talk with three of the extremely talented artists during the opening reception at downtown Art Walk. They tell us about their processes as an artist and what compelled them to begin working in this notoriously traditional medium.

#25 America's Favorite Book Is... Nov 26, 2018

Harper Lee’s novel To Kill a Mockingbird has impacted generations. The book was voted America’s best-loved novel during The Great American Read. We spoke with Cheryl Goodman, English teacher at Nease High School, about the ways this book stays relevant in the 21st century.

#24 Elbows Deep in Pimento Cheese - Chef Kenny Gilbert Nov 19, 2018

Celeb chef Kenny Gilbert is here to share his top BBQ secrets. He discusses his journey to becoming a multi-restaurant owner and contestant on Top Chef and Beat Bobby Flay, plus his experience writing his first book, A Chef’s Journal. We also get into a heated round of rapid fire questions, plus a pimento cheese and smoked conch dip tasting that leaves Hurley and Jenna speechless.

#23 Barefoot Brain - Dr. Tracy Alloway Nov 12, 2018

Dr. Tracy Alloway is an associate professor of Psychology at UNF and a working memory expert. Dr. Alloway stops by to tell us how her research of working memory can improve our health. She also explains the reasoning behind her odd hobby of barefoot running.

BONUS: Mayor for the Day - Micah Hall Nov 09, 2018

On Nov. 1, 2018, fourth grader Micah Hall took office. He was nominated by two of his teachers to be Kid Mayor for the day with Mayor Lenny Curry. Micah stops by the podcast studio to tell Jenna all about his day in office and his hoop dreams. Micah was our first mayor on the show, but definitely won't be the last.

#21 Who Ya Gonna Call? - Completely Spooked Halloween Special Oct 29, 2018

On this special Halloween episode of Completely Spooked we sit down with the Ghostbuster of Jacksonville, Misty Darnell. Misty is the founder of PFC Paranormal, a local nonprofit that investigates what goes bump in the night. Misty tells a spooky ghost stories that keeps Jenna and Hurley up for weeks.

#20 Nevertheless She Persisted - Author Nikesha Williams Oct 22, 2018

This week, local author Nikesha Elise Williams joins us to chat about her books, Four Women and The Appeal of Ebony Jones. As a television producer, many of the stories in her books derived from real news events, such as the killings of Trayvon Martin and Jordan Davis. Williams shares her motivation for writing fiction, plus a startling tale of a novel she lost in a technology incident.

#19 Will Robots Take Over the World? - Pablos Holman Oct 15, 2018

Pablos Holman is an inventor, futurist and notorious hacker from Seattle. Producer Bryan and Jenna caught up with him before his talk at UNF to chat about his work saving the world with his inventions, his friendship with Bill Gates, and why we should be nice to robots. One of our longest episodes yet but worth the full listen for sure.

Boo! Guess who? - Jax Book Fest Featured Author Oct 10, 2018

Drumroll please! The headlining author for the 2019 Jax Book Fest is ... You'll have to listen to find out obviously. But make sure you mark your calendars to attend Jax Book Fest at the Main Library Feb. 23, 2019! Authors can apply to sell their books at the event now through Nov. 30, 2018 at jaxbookfest.org.

#18 Have You Seen Kamiyah? - Eileen Kelley + Gary Mills Oct 08, 2018

Eileen Kelley is an investigative reporter for the Florida Times-Union. She and Gary Mills produced the podcast, Have You Seen Kamiyah?, telling the story of the 5-hour-old baby taken from a Jacksonville hospital in 1998. Eileen tells us about the emotional journey she went through to retell this tragic story on it's 20th anniversary.

#17 Children for Sale - Author Kristina McMorris Oct 01, 2018

Kristina McMorris is a New York Times and USA Today best-selling author published by Sourcebooks Landmark, Penguin Random House, HarperCollins, and Kensington Books. She stopped by our Pablo Creek Regional Library on her 50-stop book tour to discuss her latest novel Sold On a Monday.

Sold On a Monday was inspired by an actual newspaper photograph of four children sitting on a stoop by a sign that reads "Children for Sale. Inquire within." Kristina tells how she came to befriend one of the children in the original photo and all about her love for historical fiction.

#16 Let's Talk About Poop - Poozeum Sep 24, 2018

That's right. We're talking about poop on Completely Booked this week. Fossilized poop that is, or Coprolite, as the fancy pants say. We prefer just good ole poo though. George Frandsen is the creator of the Poozeum, and the owner of the largest fossilized poop collection in the world. He is very passionate about his poop and hopes to one day own the largest piece of fossilized poop in the world. We are hoping that dream comes true for him!

#15 Tropical Shirts and Tight Deadlines - Tim Dorsey Sep 17, 2018

Jenna and Hurley go live with author Tim Dorsey from the Beaches Branch Library. Tim Dorsey is a dark satirical Florida author from Tampa, known for his outrageous serial character Serge A. Storms. Tim takes time before his appearance at the Flamingo Book Club at the Beaches Library to talk about his transition from life as a reporter to writing 23 novels.

#14 Sisterhood of the Traveling Tales - Angelina + Berkeley Sep 10, 2018

Angelina (4 years old) and Berkeley (2 years old) are our youngest, and dare we say cutest, guests on Completely Booked thus far. With the help of their mom Erica they are showing the world how to have fun while doing science projects on their Instagram account @ScienceSis. Learn more about their favorite library service, the Traveling Tales. Our Early Childhood Specialist Susan Mankowski tells why the Traveling Tales are a great way to engage kids in learning.

#13 ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL? - Cole Pepper Sep 03, 2018

The Jaguars are back baby! Hurley and Jenna talk burgers, bacon, and Jaguars with local sports reporter Cole Pepper. Cole discusses his relationship with Mark Brunell and what it's like to work with Mark after covering his career as a Jag. Cole makes a bold prediction for the season, and gives us his analysis of the "was Myles Jack down" debate.

#12 Alligators on the Roof - Dr. Adam Rosenblatt Aug 27, 2018

What happens when you put 400 alligator eggs from Louisiana on a rooftop in Jacksonville, FL? Find out in our interview with Adam Rosenblatt, assistant professor of Biology at the University of North Florida! Dr. Rosenblatt tells Hurley and Jenna all about his recent experiment, as well as his journey toward a lifelong love of alligators.

#11 Island of Misfit Toys - Aysha Miskin Aug 20, 2018

The Zine scene is strong in Jacksonville. It also just so happens the Jacksonville Public Library has the largest Zine Collection in the Southeastern United States! Aysha Miskin is a local artist and co-contributor to the Nickname Zine. She explains zine culture and how creating her own has given her more confidence in herself as an artist. Jenna is inspired to create her own friendship-centered zine.

#10 Rockbot Studios - Josh Cobb + Producer Bryan's Debut Aug 13, 2018

Josh Cobb grew up on a dairy farm before moving to Florida and slowly moving his way up the coast to Jacksonville. Josh owns Rockbot Studios right down the street from our Willowbranch Library in Riverside and is a long-time friend of our very own Producer Bryan. Producer Bryan makes his debut on the mic talking about how he met Josh and all of his different bands that have recorded at Rockbot Studios. Hurley and Jenna realize their dream of recording their own album ... the dream dies after a sad attempt to rap.

#9 Live from Art Walk - Tale of My City Exhibit Aug 06, 2018

The Jax Makerspace Gallery has a new photography exhibit called Jacksonville: A Tale of My City. Jenna and Hurley talk with three of the photographers, Malcolm Jackson, Bob Self, and Cheryl McCain, during the opening reception at Downtown Art Walk. The three photographers tell us about their work and how they went about capturing the true identity of their favorite Jacksonville neighborhoods and monuments.

BONUS: Hula Hoop Dreams - Cirque du Soleil Aug 01, 2018

Cirque du Soleil is back in Jax! We caught up with Circus Artist Sante and Corteo's publicist Maxwell at the Lexington Hotel. Sante tells us how her dance career evolved into a circus artist career, and what it's like to perform on a chandelier. Use promo code CORTEO15 to receive an exclusive discount for library customers on tickets for the Aug. 1 - 5 show at the Veterans Memorial Arena. Learn more about our weekly podcast at jaxpubliclibrary.org/podcast.

#8 Hip Asian Comfort Food - Chef Dennis Chan Jul 30, 2018

Chef Dennis Chan is the owner of Blue Bamboo Restaurant on Southside Boulevard, and author of the Hip Asian Comfort Food Cookbook (in our collection, obvi). He is also a huge supporter of the Friends of the Library bookstore at the University Park Branch Library. Chef Dennis shares his families history with owning restaurants in Jacksonville and teaches Hurley and Jenna how to kill it in the kitchen with three simple ingredients.

BONUS: Great American Read Jul 25, 2018

Our first BONUS episode! Circe Le Noble, the Grants and Education Outreach Manager for WJCT joins us to discuss the PBS Great American Read. The Great American Read eight-part television series and national voting campaign are designed to get the country reading and passionately discussing books. You can vote for your favorite title on the list of 100 books through Oct. 18. You can also check out every book on the list from our library collection!

#7 Tenikka's Books for Kids - Tenikka Hughes Jul 23, 2018

Action News Jax Anchor Tenikka Hughes comes from humble beginnings. Her love of reading and desire to give back to her community inspired her to start the Tenikka's Books for Kids Book Drive. This fall she collected more than 3,000 children's book to give to students who complete their Summer Reading Goal at the library. Listen to more episodes from Completely Booked at jaxpubliclibrary.org/podcast.

#6 Catalina On Air - Catalina Alers-Alers Jul 16, 2018

Catalina Alers-Alers is the afternoon host for 97.9 Kiss FM, host of But First Brunch Podcast, and fellow book nerd. We talk about her journey to her dream job at Kiss FM, and how books have helped her get in touch with her Columbian roots, and how the library has taken over for Blockbuster with DVD rentals. Oh and stay tuned past the ending music to hear some of Hurley's vocal warmups. Check out more at jaxpubliclibrary.org/podcast.

#5 Exploring Your Passion - Patrick Lane Jul 09, 2018

Patrick Lane is an Agent Analyst for Aira, a company that provides video-equipped smart glasses, and one-button access to a network of trained professional agents. Patrick shares his personal connection to the company and how the Aira agents help their "explorers" navigate the world.

#4 Heartbeat of the Community - Social Grounds Coffee Company Jul 02, 2018

Jason Kelloway is a veteran, owner of Social Grounds Coffee Company, and creator of Cup of Love ministry. Jason discusses his journey from homelessness to starting his Springfield based coffee company.

#3 Summer Adventures - Fun4FirstCoastKids Jun 25, 2018

Terri Mashour from Fun4FirstCoastKids.com stops by to talk free summer fun in Jacksonville! From MOSH exhibits, summer learning excitement, and Florida hiking trails, we will definitely "Completely Book" your summer days! Learn more about Completely Booked on our website.

#2 Gateway Olives - Olive My Pickle Jun 18, 2018

Charlotte Tzabari and her husband Shai moved to Jacksonville and started Olive My Pickle from the San Marco Branch Library in 2010. Charlotte comes in to tell us about their old-world fermentation process and Hurley and Jenna discover their gateway olive.

#1 Finding a Purpose - Kendra Turnage Jun 04, 2018

Kendra Turnage is a veteran, critical-care nurse, and mother to artist Joshua Turnage. Kendra talks to Jenna and Hurley about how her wheelchair-bound, nonverbal son creates gorgeous artwork.

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