YALLFest 2025 begins with this keynote from three powerhouse authors—thriller virtuoso Tiffany D. Jackson (Allegedly, The Scammer), queen of retellings Marissa Meyer (The Lunar Chronicles, The House Saphir), and fantasy sensation Rebecca Ross (Divine Rivals, Wild Reverence).

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Please note that keynote tickets are exclusively for keynote attendance and do not guarantee a place in the signing line for the authors.

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TIFFANY D. JACKSON is the multi-NYT Bestselling, award-winning author of such YA/MG novels as Monday’s Not Coming, Allegedly, Let Me Hear A Rhyme, Grown, White Smoke, The Weight of Blood, Blood in the Water, The Scammer and co-author of Blackout and Whiteout. A Coretta Scott King — John Steptoe New Talent Award-winner and the 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.

MARISSA MEYER is the #1 New York Times–bestselling author of The Lunar Chronicles series, the Renegades trilogy, the Gilded duology, the Wires and Nerve graphic novels, and The Lunar Chronicles Coloring Book. Her first standalone novel, Heartless, was also a #1 New York Times–bestseller, and she has also written two standalone rom-coms, Instant Karma and With a Little Luck. Her first middle-grade novel is Let It Glow, written with Joanne Levy. Marissa hosted a popular podcast, "The Happy Writer," and her book of the same name shares her writing tips and experiences. She lives in Tacoma, Washington, with her husband and their two daughters.

REBECCA ROSS is the #1 New York Times, USA Today, and Sunday Times bestselling author of fantasy books for teens and adults. Her books have been translated into thirty-one languages and are international bestsellers. When not writing, she can be found in her garden where she plants wildflowers and story ideas. She resides in Northeast Georgia with her husband, her dog, and a friendly flock of chickens.

YALLFest 2025's closing keynote brings together three sensational YA authors—BookTok sensation Alex Aster (Lightlark, Grim and Oro), fantasy maven Rachel Griffin (The Nature of Witches, The Sun and the Starmaker), and shining debut Shannon J. Spann (A Stage Set for Villains)

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Please note that keynote tickets are exclusively for keynote attendance and do not guarantee a place in the signing line for either author.

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ALEX ASTER is the #1 New York Times Bestselling author of the Lightlark series. She lives in New York, and is never too far from a coffee shop.

RACHEL GRIFFIN is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of magical and romantic YA novels. When she isn’t writing, you can find her wandering the Pacific Northwest, reading by the fire, or drinking copious amounts of coffee and tea. She lives in the Seattle area with her husband and growing collection of houseplants. Visit her online at rachelgriffinbooks.com or say hi on Instagram @TimesNewRachel.

SHANNON J. SPANN is an NYC-based writer from Virginia, where she grew up as one of six sisters and spent most days crafting stories in the woods (and subsequently performing them for anyone who would listen). A lifelong fan of ghost stories, old movies, and all things theatrical, Shannon can most often be found wandering Central Park, exploring her local bookstore, or hunting down a sunbeam to read in.

YALLFest 2025 ends with a bang—the annual Smackdown, a fun and chaotic event where your favorite authors play games on stage, led by veteran Smackdown Host Soman Chainani (The School for Good and Evil, Young World)