Episode 234: A Mother/Daughter Duo Explores Haunted New Orleans
It’s common lore the ghost and spirit-infused stories of New Orleans. The vast history of the area along with the endless amounts of tragedy leave behind a lingering spirit you feel the moment you step into the city. But what lead to the Big Easy’s cemented status as one of the most haunted places?
Mother/daughter duo Rory O’Neill Schmitt and Rosary Hartel O’Neill took the time to dive into the story of the ghosts, vampires and spirits that haunt New Orleans. Their new book “The Haunted Guide to New Orleans” takes readers on a journey that goes beyond the scary stories and into the heart ofwhat makes the city so spooky.
This week, the two chat with us about what it’s like to write a book together, why they moved their focus to haunted history and the details that went into the research behind the words.
*See the duo for a book signed Dec. 20, 2025 at Garden District Book Shop.
about
Rory O’Neill Schmitt, PhD is an Executive Producer for The Long Long Night series (Duplass Brothers Productions), starring Mark Duplass and Barret O’Brien, which was featured at the Tribeca Festival (2023) and South by Southwest (2024). Applauded as a filmmaker and storyteller by Tribeca Festival, Rory received invitations to participate in Tribeca’s Creators Market in 2023 and 2024.
Rosary Hartel O’Neill, Ph.D, is the author of seven published books and thirty-one plays (Samuel French, Inc.) Her pantheon includes a 12-episode TV series, written under five fellowships with David Black of Law and Order at Harvard University and Norman Mailer’s homes in Provincetown, Maine and Brooklyn. The founder of Southern Rep Theatre New Orleans, O’Neill has received invitations to and sponsorships from American Embassies in England, France, Georgia, Russia, and Hungary. O’Neill has been a senior Fulbright Drama Specialist for 20 years serving the American Embassy and teaching artists around the world.
A mother-daughter team, Rosary and Rory co-authored the feature film screenplay, Edgar Degas: The Impressionable Years, which is in pre-production with MediaFusion Productions and Serein Productions (France). Their film, Garden District, won global awards in every category: for best short film, director, actor, actress, supporting actor, set design, and editing. The mother-daughter duo has been touted at international residencies: Tyrone Guthrie Theatre Center, American Academy in Rome and the Irish Cultural Center in Paris. All of their nonfiction books have been published with Arcadia Publishing and The History Press, and have spawned films, currently in pre-production. In November 2025, the duo will be honored in Paris at a book signing and exhibition at the Irish Cultural Center.
