New Orleans natives Rosary O’Neill and Rory O’Neill Schmitt frequently collaborate on writing projects, often turning back to the Crescent City for inspiration. The mother-daughter duo have just launched their latest book, “The Haunted Guide to New Orleans: Ghosts, Vampires, and Voodoo.”

Surrounded by ribbons and racks of fur coats in Yvonne LaFleur’s boutique ahead of a book signing, O'Neill and her daughter, Schmitt, talked about their experiences with New Orleans spirituality, veering off into stories of haunted restaurants, prayer methods to avoid ghosts and encounters they believe they've had with poltergeists.

The following interview has been edited for clarity and length.

How did your interest in ghosts start?

Rory Schmitt: My house was haunted. … My brother, my dad and I had a

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