Celtic Knot - An Orphan’s Tale of Survival, Family, and Love in Chicago
Synopsis of Celtic Knot
Based on a true story.
One moment can change your life forever. For eight-year-old Tim, this occurred when both of his parents, immigrants from Ireland, perished in 1885. Separated from his siblings, friends and the only world he knows, Tim becomes a resident of an orphanage northwest of Chicago where he encounters an ill-intending priest. Tim executes a harrowing escape and returns to live on the rough and tumble streets of Chicago. He encounters the red-light district, tuberculosis, smallpox, the Spanish flu and the mob in a notorious time in Chicago history which includes the Iroquois Theatre fire, the Eastland Disaster, and more. Using his smarts and will to survive, Tim’s unceasing desire to again experience love of family keeps him alive through extraordinarilychallenging events.
Link to WFLD TV Morning Show ChicagoNOW Spot:
https://youtu.be/1UnNYT9TJFE
Link to Celtic Knot on Publishers Website:
https://eckhartzpress.com/shop/celtic-knot/
Bio - Robert Patrick Conlon
Robert Patrick Conlon has been a trial attorney since 1985 representing businesses in commercial disputes across the country. He is a Founding Partner of Chicago based law firm, Walker Wilcox LLP. Robert and his wife, Pam, have worked and lived in Chicago and the Western Suburbs throughout their married life. They have three adult children and six grandchildren. Robert
Reviews
- Take an orphan whose childhood reads like Charles Dickens, set his essentially true story in the epic and tragic boom town of early 20th century Chicago, share the amazing account of that young Irish-American boy’s rise to manhood and success in such a dynamic, turbulent city, sprinkle in a little Irish magic and you’ve got The Celtic Knot. Bob Conlon’s narrative of his grandfather’s life is told with love, humor, charm and more than a few page-turning tales of adventure. A work of non-fiction with a little poetic license and a wink of imagination thrown in. How very Irish. Brendan Sullivan, author of "The Living Wills"
- Although Celtic Knot is primarily about the Irish immigrant experience, it transcends ethnicity to touch the descendants of all immigrant families. Reading Celtic Knot had me pining for more, especially a movie version. James A. Shapiro, Chicago Literary Club, President
- This is as much the story of Chicago growing up as it is Tim Conlon growing up. Both suffered growing pains, and both emerged battle weary, but still standing strong. Sally Armstrong, The Beacher
Target Audience
I believe people interested in the following subjects will enjoy Triquetra:
Historical Fiction;
Chicago History - from the mid-1800s through the mid-1900s. The novel covers the Chicago Fire, and the great rebuilding that ensued. Also, the protagonist has close brushes with the fire at the Iroquois Theater where more than 600 people died and the Eastland Disaster, where 844 souls perished in twenty feet of water in the Chicago River, while still tied to the moorings;
Immigration to the United States - the novel discusses the Irish and Scottish influx to the States, in particular Chicago, coinciding with the Potato Famine of 1845;
Family History and Ancestry - the novel explores family roots, ancestors’ sacrifices and how that shaped who we and our country are today;
- Survivors of Sexual Assault;
- Orphans and Homeless Children;
- Coming of Age Stories;
- The Small Pox, Tuberculosis and the Spanish Flu Epidemics at the turn of the 20th Century;
- Irish Lore, Mythical Creatures, and Banshees;
- The early Chicago Mob; and
- Family Bonds and Love.