Tiffany D. Jackson: Grief Is Fickle
In this interview, author Tiffany D. Jackson shares how her latest novel started as a lunch conversation with her agent and more.
Tiffany D. Jackson is the highly acclaimed, New York Times bestselling author of YA and MG novels such as Blood in the Water, Monday's Not Coming, Allegedly, The Scammer, and more. She is also the coauthor of Blackout and Whiteout, and author of the picture books Santa in the City and Trick-or-Treating in the City. The recipient of the 2025 Margaret A. Edwards Award, Tiffany is a Coretta Scott King-John Steptoe New Talent Award-winner and a NAACP Image Award-nominee.
She received her bachelor of arts in film from Howard University and has over a decade in TV/Film experience. The Brooklyn native is currently splitting her time between the borough she loves and the south, most likely multitasking. Learn more at writeinbk.com
In this interview, Tiffany shares how her latest novel started as a lunch conversation, what beginning writers should do when it comes to picking a lane, and more.
Name: Tiffany D. Jackson
Literary agent: Jenny Bent
Book title: Ghost in the Night
Publisher: Scholastic
Release date: August 4, 2026
Genre/category: Middle Grade Thriller
Previous titles: Allegedly, Monday’s Not Coming, Grown, Weight of Blood, The Scammer, Blood in the Water
Elevator pitch: A girl on tour with her blues playing father, goes on a ghost tour in Savannah and thinks she’s taken a photo of a ghost, but it might be a clue that will lead her to solving a murder.
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What prompted you to write this book?
Funny story: I was at a Scholastic brunch with my editor and mentioned how much I love going on ghost tours in different cities when I travel. Except I’m usually the only black girl on the ghost tour. My editor said, “Hey! Now that’s a book!” And the rest was history.
How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?
We fast tracked the idea within a year, to follow up with my MG debut, BLOOD IN THE WATER. Some elements from the original outline changed, but the overall tone of the story remained.
Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?
Almost 10 years in the game and I’m still learning about the various pockets in the middle grade world. The educators, the book fairs, the way.
Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?
Since this is my second middle grade, I’m still learning how to write for a younger audience. What I think they’ll understand, may be TOO advanced or complicated. Kids want a flashy ending, not a long drawn out soliloquy.
What do you hope readers will get out of your book?
That grief, especially with children, is fickle and sometimes manifests in different ways. But I think we all deal with grief in our own way.
If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?
Find a lane and stick to it for a minimum of two books. Build an audience, find your footing in the industry, and improve your writing chops.
