Novel Explores Deep-Rooted Themes of Ireland in the 1970's with Political and Religious Unrest, Bombings.and Strong Family Ties

Story is told through the Voice of a Child with Down Syndrome

By Michael Ireland
Senior Correspondent, ASSIST News Service

LONDON, UK (ANS) -- Down Syndrome Awareness month is coming up in October, and a new novel explores the life of someone afflicted with this disorder through the eyes of a child.

Down Syndrome, or Down's Syndrome (primarily in the United Kingdom) trisomy 21, is a chromosomal condition caused by the presence of all or part of an extra 21st chromosome. It is med after John Langdon Down, the British physician who described the syndrome in 1866. The condition was identified as a chromosome 21trisomy by Jerome Lejeune in 1959.

The most recent facts are: 1 in 800 babies born in United States is born with the chromosomal defect. More than 400,000 people in the United States have Down Syndrome, and family members living with a loved one with Down Syndrome have common -- and very different, approaches.

Martin Treanor -- an author born and raised in Ireland spent most of his childhood with his dear cousin who, at the time, in the late 70's and 80's was labeled a "Mongol."

Cover artwork for The Silver Mist.

Now, he has written a powerful novel -- The Silver Mist -- which is told via the voice of a young woman with Down Syndrome whom he modeled after his cousin.

After observing his cousin for years, Treanor grew to learn and appreciate the simplicity and perspective of his beloved cousin and found that perhaps she had the expectations and views of life correct? She was, in fact, the happiest of his family members.

The backdrop of the book is set in the late 70's amidst the most violent times in Dublin, Ireland -- making the main character's perspectives all the more interesting. Treanor's hope is to shed a different light and endearing perspective on this chromosomal defect.

The backdrop: Belfast's tragic and historical 'Bloody Friday' -- Friday, July 21st, 1972.

The story: a young Down Syndrome woman, Eve, is faced with tragedy and despair in her immediate family on the wake of her beloved father's death to leukaemia and with her mother and older sister caught up in the 'Bloody Friday' carnage.

The book: The Silver Mist by Martin Treanor.

The Silver Mist reveals a poignant journey to understand what happened on this day -- why some lives were significantly changed and others not, and takes the reader on an interwoven tale of family fortitude, strength and newfound understanding of the mental illness, Down Syndrome.

In the main character's quest to understand what is happening, Eve finds solace in other family members and acquaintances, which has the story taking a sharp turn into "a series of metaphysical journeys into the otherworldly darkness that lies beneath the oak tree at the centre of Eve's much loved meadow," Treanor says.

By way of these forays through space and time, Eve's sadness, the simple joy of acceptance, and the nature of "the silver mist" begin to unveil itself. Treanor points out that "in these metaphysical journeys, Eve learns that her brain is not wired quite as 'wrong' as she has been led to believe."

The Silver Mist sheds a new light and perspective on this mental illness and gives a newfound appreciation for hope.

With strong, revealing and emotional themes, The Silver Mist explores:

**War, conflict, and civil strife in Ireland
**Death and acceptance and how it affects the togetherness of family 

Down Syndrome 

**Bombs, shootings, violent death and the not always negative affects they have on families and communities
**The futility in retaliation 

**Drugs and alcohol and the effects on the inner and extended family

Author Martin Treanor

Martin Treanor was raised in Belfast, Northern Ireland in the 1970s. He is an award- winning writer who has been published in the US Journal, Zahir Speculative Fiction, the Spinetingler Anthology in UK/Ireland along with numerous other international publications and collections. He is also a contributor to Stoker Award winner and New York Times bestselling author, Jonathan Mayberry's, They Bite.

Martin Treanor's writing has been called "something new and different," "speculative" and described as having "an unspoken appeal."

Although raised in Belfast, over the years Martin has moved around Europe, and has worked as a university technician, lift installer, dishwasher, barman, and bookseller.

He currently resides in London.

More information about the author's awards, novels and The Silver Mist can be found on his website: www.Martintreanor.com  

The Silver Mist can be purchased in both paperback and Ebooks through Barnes & Noble,www.barnes&noble.com  , Borders, Bookiejar, Smashwords through www.amazon.com and www.amazon.co.uk  , Waterstone's Bookstores www.waterstones.com  (UK/Ireland), John Smith's Bookshops (UK/Ireland) and online at John Smith's, www.johnsmith.co.uk . Links to these can be seen via his website:www.martintreanor.com  

---

** Michael Ireland is Senior Correspondent for ANS. He is an international British freelance journalist who was formerly a reporter with a London (United Kingdom) newspaper and has been a frequent contributor to UCB UK, a British Christian radio station. While in the UK, Michael traveled to Canada and the United States, Albania,Yugoslavia, Holland, Germany,and Czechoslovakia. He has reported for ANS from Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Israel, Jordan, China,and Russia. Michael's volunteer involvement with ASSIST News Service is a sponsored ministry department -- 'Michael Ireland Media Missionary' (MIMM) -- of A.C.T. International of P.O.Box 1649, Brentwood, TN 37024-1649, at: Artists in Christian Testimony (A.C.T.) International where you can donate online to support his stated mission of 'Truth Through Christian Journalism.' If you have a news or feature story idea for Michael, please contact him at: ANS Senior Reporter