Acerbic wit, Southern charm and youthful ideals
combined in one unique voice.

“You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you.”

~ Ray Bradbury

While other third graders were falling in love with recess and cartoons, Shannon O’Neil was falling in love with the art of writing. Given the ability to create entire worlds with the flick of a pen, O’Neil embarked on a journey to entertain the masses with her talent and skill. With the second edition of her debut novel, I’ll Be Home for Christmas, O’Neil is a star on the rise in the local and national writing scene.

Fueled by the unique spirit of her hometown, St. Augustine, Fla., O’Neil spent her first eighteen years honing her writing skills and, along the way, picked up a few accolades to show for it. In addition to the several articles and letters that were printed in local publications, Shannon was also awarded first prize in The St. Augustine Record’s Christmas story contest in 2000.

After earning her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from FSU, O’Neil returned to St. Augustine in the fall of 2008. Facing the struggles of a sinking economy like everyone else, O’Neil found herself unemployed. So she turned back to her dreams of writing and penned her first novel in a few short months.

Released through Lulu.com in November of 2008, Ancient City Christmas sold nearly a hundred copies in its first run. Readjusted, renamed and retooled, the novel was re-released through a larger publisher with a larger target audience in 2009. Pick up a copy of I’ll Be Home for Peacemas today or download the eBook version to instantly enjoy. Peacemas is also available online through Amazon.com, Barnesandnoble.com, Booksamillion.com or you can request a copy through your local bookseller.

When she manages to tear herself away from her writing, O’Neil enjoys spending time with her family and friends, reading some of her favorite authors, listening to music and of course, following her beloved Florida State Seminoles with reckless abandon.

Helping others achieve self-publishing success.

In early 2010, Shannon joined forces with longtime friend and talented graphic designer Toni Tesori to form Duolit, a consultation firm with information, tools and resources for authors interested in self-publishing. Having survived two cycles on the confusing carousel of self-publishing herself, Shannon felt like other authors could benefit from a small, more personal company who could help them see their dreams through to fruition.

The business has quickly gained momentum in the writing community and now boasts a large following of aspiring authors all over the world. Although Shannon enjoys helping other authors navigate the muddy waters of the self-publishing industry, she also continues to work on expanding her own writing career in the self and traditional publishing realms.