Spooky Season Starts Here: Tiffany D. Jackson on “Ghost in the Night”

Stories live here — and this one comes with ghosts. Calling all mystery lovers and ghost hunters: bestselling author Tiffany D. Jackson is spilling the secrets behind her spooky new book, Ghost in the Night — follow-up to her middle-grade debut Blood in the Water. Grab a booklover and join the conversation with co-moderators Amber O’Neal Johnston and Desira Stewart.  Ask your burning questions, get the goosebumps, and find your next favorite read.

Tiffany D. Jackson

Tiffany D. Jackson is the New York Times bestselling, award-winning author of Blood in the Water, and YA novels Monday’s Not Coming, Allegedly, Let Me Hear A Rhyme, Grown, White Smoke, Santa in The City, The Weight of Blood, and co-author of Blackout. A Coretta Scott King-John Steptoe New Talent Award-winner and NAACP Image Award-nominee, she received her bachelor of arts in film from Howard University. The Brooklyn native splits her time between the borough she loves and the south.

Amber O’Neal Johnston

Amber Johnston lives in Georgia, nestled among pine trees, hammocks, and ziplines with her husband and their four children. Her happy place is the back porch on a rainy day, preferably with a giant mug of hot tea and a good book. Although she was raised in the air conditioning, somehow, the woods is where she feels most at home these days. Amber is the author of A Place to Belong and Soul School, two books that help families celebrate their heritage, community, and the world around them. She is also the editor of Homegrown, a collaborative project offering guidance and inspiration for navigating the homeschooling journey. Amber shares how to weave multicultural mirrors and windows into a life-giving education at HeritageMom.com | @heritagemomblog.

Desira Stewart

Desira B. Stewart is a home educator and children’s author. A former college administrator and middle school teacher, she uplifts underrepresented voices through her stories, helping young readers feel seen and valued. Combining homeschooling and children’s books, Desira created and hosted a popular Soul School Series – a set of conversations with a leading home education expert and award-winning kidlit authors and illustrators. She is the 2024 SCBWI Emerging Voices Award Winner and a 2025 PB Rising Stars Runner-Up. Desira is a member of SCBWI, the PB Collective in addition to her participation in writing conferences and communities. When she’s not writing, Desira enjoys taking long walks, traveling, swimming, line dancing, and spending time with her amazing family in Maryland. Born and raised in New Jersey, Desira earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication from Rutgers University, and a Master of Education degree from the University of Maryland.