Karen Strong is the critically acclaimed author of middle grade novels Just South of Home, which was chosen for several Best of Year lists including Kirkus Reviews Best Books; Eden’s Everdark, a Junior Library Guild and BCCB Blue Ribbon selection; and The Secret Dead Club, publishing August 20, 2024 from Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. Karen is the editor of the young adult anthology Cool. Awkward. Black. and a Star Wars contributor featured in From a Certain Point of View: The Empire Strikes Back and Stories of Jedi and Sith. Her short fiction appears in the award-winning anthology A Phoenix First Must Burn; the forthcoming horror anthology, The White Guy Dies First, publishing July 2024 from Tor Teen; and the forthcoming middle grade anthology, Black Girl Power, publishing November 2024 from Freedom Fire. Born and raised in Georgia, Karen is an avid lover of strong coffee, yellow flowers, and night skies. You can visit her online at karen-strong.com.