Rosyth mum turned author tells Shannon's stories

Lisa Minty penned Shannon, the Rule Breaker, Meets the Wolf, after being inspired by the antics of her youngest child Shannon, four, who has Down's syndrome.

It tells the story of a little girl, also called Shannon, who doesn't listen to the rules set to make all the children safe on their nursery day out.

After finding her love of writing after having Shannon, who now attends the nursery at Kings Road Primary School, Lisa showed her efforts to a friend who encouraged her to send the book to a publisher.

She was amazed when she received a positive response.

"The last thing I was expecting was this," said Lisa, who lives in Brankholm Brae and has children aged 23, 22, 20, 18, nine and four. "My son warned me that when JK Rowling had sent her stories off, she had so many rejections then I had to text him to say a contract had come through the door. They have all been so supportive."

After sending off the script, she was delighted at what returned.

"I asked them to choose an illustrator and the only thing I asked was if they use the photos to try and make the character of Shannon and they couldn't have got closer if they tried," she said. "Some of the faces she is doing, Shannon pulls those faces.

"It's a mixture of funny bits as well as exciting and almost scary in places – I am hoping this book, and following stories, will change peoples' perspective of children and even adults with Down's syndrome.

"Down's syndrome is something my child was born with but it does not define her. Down's syndrome is nothing to be scared of and it doesn't mean that they should be limited.

"They are still children and adults first with a whole new level of mischief with it and I am hoping to break the outdated negativity surrounding Down's syndrome, bringing hope to parents on a similar journey to ours."

Shannon, the Rule Breaker, Meets the Wolf is published by Austin Macauley Publishers and available on Austinmacauley.com, Amazon and all good booksellers.