Tiffany D. Jackson is a New York Times–bestselling author and a 2026 Edgar Award recipient for Blood in the Water, as well as several young adult novels and two picture books. A 2025 Margaret A. Edwards Award recipient, Tiffany is also a Coretta Scott King–John Steptoe New Talent Award winner and an NAACP Image Award nominee. She received her Bachelor of Arts in film from Howard University. The thrills continue in Jackson’s newest middle grade novel, Ghost in the Night. A ghost‑tour enthusiast, twelve‑year‑old Harmony travels with her musician father to Savannah, Georgia, where she winds up on a ghost tour that leaves her shaken after she spots something unexplainable. Soon, Harmony finds herself caught up in a murder mystery full of surprises and secrets that are sure to give readers goosebumps.
After the mega success of your first middle grade novel, Blood in the Water, did writing Ghost in the Night come easier this time around? Did you experience the same challenges or new ones? What feels especially meaningful about writing for this age group?
I sooooo wish it was easier. (LOL!) The first book I wrote in a fog of postpartum. This time, it was just plain old fashion HARD. The challenges were rooted in my desire to tell a complicated thriller but making it digestible for kids. I often had to ask myself what is too much or too scary for kids today? But I appreciate how middle grade pushes me out of my comfort zone.
The challenges were rooted in my desire to tell a complicated thriller but making it digestible for kids.”
Each setting in your books becomes a character of its own, from the picturesque shores of Martha’s Vineyard to the humid, mossy, tree-lined streets of Savannah. What comes first for you, the setting or the story?
A little bit of both. I love books where the setting is a character. It brings so much of the story to life. Especially for Ghost in the Night. Savannah is one of my favorite cities in the country. The history, the ancient homes, the creepy trees….finding a way to tell a story there was my top mission.
You’re skilled at creating wonderfully complex, dimensional Black female main characters. Readers met and fell in love with Kaylani in Blood in the Water. Now, can you introduce us to Harmony? What makes her tick?
Harmony is obsessed with ghost tours and the paranormal. Which isn’t typical for a black girl her age so it immediately makes her unique. She sets out to prove that ghosts are real by trying to capture a picture of one. Her determination, along with grieving her grandmother, makes her relatable to both children and adults.
Building on that, how do you approach writing young, determined Black girls? Do you put pieces of yourself into each character, or do they contain pieces of other people in your life? Are you crafting role models for your younger self with these characters?
This book was born out of my own ghost story. I mentioned that I loved going on ghost tours but always seemed to be the only black girl on them. Since I was a kid who loved ghosts and was often teased for it, I wanted to write a book that young Tiffanys in the world–the quirky, nerdy, cool Black girls– can see themselves in. So I’m crafting characters that tell young girls it’s okay to be who you are.
So I’m crafting characters that tell young girls it’s okay to be who you are.”
Both Blood in the Water and Ghost in the Night explore the dynamic between Black fathers and their daughters. Why is this relationship important for you to highlight in your stories?
The mother-daughter relationship dynamic is covered so often. But Daddy’s girls is a special club that deserves a spotlight. Father-daughter relationships highlight healing, growth, and independence for both parties involved. It’s important for kids to see flaws in their personal superheroes and that perfection is a myth.
It’s important for kids to see flaws in their personal superheroes and that perfection is a myth.”
Black history is central to Ghost in the Night, especially as Harmony and her friends discover Savannah’s (sometimes dark) past through ghost and Black heritage tours. Both of your middle grade titles show kids confronting history that isn’t always positive. Why is it important to teach kids about their history, both the good and the bad?
The cool thing about books is that you have the opportunity to learn about subcultures you’ve never been exposed to, even in your own communities. I’ve been to countless schools, talking to Black kids who had no idea about the Black history on Martha’s Vineyard. I’m excited to introduce those same kids to the pockets of history in Savannah. If we don’t talk about gritty history, our roots become buried in the past and we never learn from them.
Harmony is someone who deeply loves her family and friends and shows incredible bravery in the face of danger. Why is it important to portray a young Black girl who is inquisitive, creative, smart, brave, but who also faces the familiar struggles of many preteens?
Kids are incredibly inquisitive, brilliant, and brave. But it’s often adults who downplay and underestimate them. It’s our job as authors to accurately portray kids as they are today. To respect their abilities and hold up a mirror to build their confidence.
It’s our job as authors to accurately portray kids as they are today. To respect their abilities and hold up a mirror to build their confidence.”
Female friendship also shines in Ghost in the Night, from Harmony’s friends back in New York, Kiki and Truth, to her new friendship with Myah. Why is it important to show supportive female friendships to young readers?
Friendship at any age is vital, but there is something about the friendships you make on the precipice of teenhood that really stays with you. I’m hoping Harmony encourages young girls to not only be a supportive friend but lean into their own villages. You don’t have to do life alone.
Hopefully, the world of middle grade can expect more adventures from you in the future. Can you give us any hints at what’s to come?
There are so many historic Black places that deserve a spotlight. Beach towns, islands, and forgotten cities…I plan to write about them all!
And finally, the most important question of all: do you believe in ghosts?
Absolutely! I experienced a ghost while researching for this book so please buy it. Don’t let these gray hairs be for nothing. 🙂
