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About Shannon

Several years ago, Shannon found herself at the San Francisco Writers Conference with no intention of becoming a writer and appalled by the idea of “Speed Dating” agents (or anyone else). Equally inexplicably, she signed up for Ellen Sussman’s Novel in a Year class a year later, during which Shannon completed a first draft of a novel.  She is currently querying a different novel, Just Give Me This.

Her love of books began when she was a young girl and visited the public library with her mother.  Convincing the librarians to allow her to check out books in excess of the weekly limit honed her negotiating skills.  Not surprisingly, Shannon practiced as a litigation attorney until, more recently, she rediscovered her love of reading and writing fiction.

Shannon grew up in a small town in Kansas, approximately 100 miles from the geographic center of the United States.  Since then, she has lived in Kansas City, San Francisco, Richmond (VA), and Lake Tahoe.  She’s back in Kansas City, where she lives with her husband and their adorable Corgi, Sophie.

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Just Give Me This

Max and Sheila Edwards arrive at a campground in West Texas burdened by a secret. There, they meet Marcia O’Connor, and as the Edwards and O’Connor families forge tentative bonds, lies and betrayals mount, resulting in a desperate search for a four-year-old girl gone missing.

 After suffering a catastrophic courtroom loss, attorney Max Edwards announces to his wife Sheila that he traded their home for an RV.  “A road trip, Sheil, just like we dreamed.”  Sheila, a consultant who recently snagged her biggest client ever, scoffs at Max’s plan.  When they arrive at Sol y Luna, a funky resort in Marfa, Texas, Max gains a grudging go-ahead to park the RV, although “it’s not that kind of campground.”  

Sol y Luna’s temporary manager, Marcia O’Connor, grew up on a nearby ranch and is in Marfa with her father, Daniel, and her uncle, Roger, to mourn the sudden death of her brother Jesse.  When Jesse’s young daughter Emily is abandoned by her mother to the O’Connors, Daniel insists that Marcia give up her life in California to care for the little girl. Meanwhile, Daniel and Roger battle the banks, the weather and old grievances to save the family’s ranch. 

 At Marcia’s urging, Max embraces his passion for penning poetry.  Sheila befriends Marcia and rediscovers her love of horses – and cowboys – at the O’Connor ranch.  Roger and Daniel reach a shaky rapprochement.  But the arrival of Devon – the Edwards’ troubled adult daughter -- upsets the families’ careful equilibrium.  When Emily goes missing, accusations fly, and no one can claim innocence in the matter of her disappearance.

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