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Sylph #3.5
Alphabet Soup for Sylphs
Sylphs. Earth, Air, Water, Fire, Healing, and Battle. They come to the human world to find love, but are betrayed and made into slaves instead, except for in one place. In Sylph Valley, they're allowed to live their own lives and those lives are filled with humour, angst, fury, and passion.
Twenty-four short pieces to accompany the novels in the Sylph series by L.J. McDonald. Enter their world.
Twenty-four short pieces to accompany the novels in the Sylph series by L.J. McDonald. Enter their world.
146 pages, ebook
First published April 1, 2012
3 people are currently reading
158 people want to read
About the author
L.J. McDonald
13 books190 followers I first started writing in 1986, when my grade ten English teacher read some of my poetry and said that I had talent. I was so floored at the concept that I started writing short stories. My parents weren't quite so thrilled that I was doing something that took my away from my schoolwork, so I arranged to write a novel for two school credits, thereby turning writing into homework. Those two credits resulted in the creation of the novel Cure for the Phoenix, which I haven't read in over twenty years and which will likely not see the light of day. Even now I remember it as being quite clichéd, though my husband likes it.
I did make some attempts to get published over the years, and almost made it at one point, but other things were on my mind. To me, not submitting was easier than dealing with rejection slips, so I stopped trying. I did still keep on writing though. It's true that for writers, it's a compulsion. I just never considered the idea that anyone other than my husband would want to read any of it.
That changed when I picked up a book titled Moongazer by Marianne Mancusi. It had an ad in it for the Shomi Romantic Fantasy Novel Writing Contest, where the winner would get a guaranteed publishing contract in Canada and the United States. I mentioned it to my husband and he nagged me until I entered the first three chapters of The Battle Sylph in March of 2008. Sometime after that, I was wandering the Shomi site and found a link to a page detailing what features the judges were looking for. Other than my book being fantasy, I hadn't done a single thing on the list and figured I must have lost. My husband said, okay, wait for them to confirm that, then ship it out to the next company. You're not hiding for the next twenty years this time.
So, time passed, and the contest closed. The day after the winner was chosen, I was emailed by someone at Shomi who did confirm that, yes, I'd lost the contest, but the head Editor liked my three chapters so much he wanted to see the rest of the book. So I had a minor heart attack and sent it in. I then heard nothing until November 2008, when I was contacted by Chris Keeslar, Senior Editor for Dorchester Publishing, asking if the book was still available. I said yes, as were the four sequels. A week later, he bought the first three books in the series and I had another near heart attack. I also decided I needed an agent.
It's a lot easier to find an agent when you submit emails with subject lines that read "I have a guaranteed publishing contract for three novels - need an agent". Within a month, I'd signed with Michelle Grajkowski with the Three Seas Literary Agency, and the rest, hopefully, will be happy history for everyone.
I did make some attempts to get published over the years, and almost made it at one point, but other things were on my mind. To me, not submitting was easier than dealing with rejection slips, so I stopped trying. I did still keep on writing though. It's true that for writers, it's a compulsion. I just never considered the idea that anyone other than my husband would want to read any of it.
That changed when I picked up a book titled Moongazer by Marianne Mancusi. It had an ad in it for the Shomi Romantic Fantasy Novel Writing Contest, where the winner would get a guaranteed publishing contract in Canada and the United States. I mentioned it to my husband and he nagged me until I entered the first three chapters of The Battle Sylph in March of 2008. Sometime after that, I was wandering the Shomi site and found a link to a page detailing what features the judges were looking for. Other than my book being fantasy, I hadn't done a single thing on the list and figured I must have lost. My husband said, okay, wait for them to confirm that, then ship it out to the next company. You're not hiding for the next twenty years this time.
So, time passed, and the contest closed. The day after the winner was chosen, I was emailed by someone at Shomi who did confirm that, yes, I'd lost the contest, but the head Editor liked my three chapters so much he wanted to see the rest of the book. So I had a minor heart attack and sent it in. I then heard nothing until November 2008, when I was contacted by Chris Keeslar, Senior Editor for Dorchester Publishing, asking if the book was still available. I said yes, as were the four sequels. A week later, he bought the first three books in the series and I had another near heart attack. I also decided I needed an agent.
It's a lot easier to find an agent when you submit emails with subject lines that read "I have a guaranteed publishing contract for three novels - need an agent". Within a month, I'd signed with Michelle Grajkowski with the Three Seas Literary Agency, and the rest, hopefully, will be happy history for everyone.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
April 24, 2012
I love the Sylph series, mostly because I think it's such an unique concept, and I admire McDonald for resisting the temptation to 'humanize' the Sylphs. They are alien creatures and they remain alien creatures throughout the series. I don't even know if I would classify these as romances so much as fantasy novels with strong romance elements. Unfortunately for us, McDonald is a victim of the morass of confusion and shadows surrounding Dorchester. As a result, it's exceedingly difficult to get your hands on her books.
However, if you've already read at least the first two, McDonald has released a FREE anthology/collection of drabbles via Smashwords. The concept behind it, as she explains in the Foreword, is to write a ficlet for each letter of the alphabet. McDonald also includes an afterword that provides context to some of the ficlets, which was really smart. For example, she says 'F is for Forever' is an idea she's been kicking around and is not necessarily canon.
I wouldn't recommend this to the uninitiated, but I thoroughly enjoyed this. J through P focuses on two baby sylphs and one brave little battler. It was so freaking adorable! He was so exasperated as he did his best to watch over his 'siblings.' Alphabet Soup for Sylphs is like director's commentary and deleted scenes all wrapped up into one readable treat. If you're a fan of the series, there's no reason not to pick up this book.
However, if you've already read at least the first two, McDonald has released a FREE anthology/collection of drabbles via Smashwords. The concept behind it, as she explains in the Foreword, is to write a ficlet for each letter of the alphabet. McDonald also includes an afterword that provides context to some of the ficlets, which was really smart. For example, she says 'F is for Forever' is an idea she's been kicking around and is not necessarily canon.
I wouldn't recommend this to the uninitiated, but I thoroughly enjoyed this. J through P focuses on two baby sylphs and one brave little battler. It was so freaking adorable! He was so exasperated as he did his best to watch over his 'siblings.' Alphabet Soup for Sylphs is like director's commentary and deleted scenes all wrapped up into one readable treat. If you're a fan of the series, there's no reason not to pick up this book.
June 12, 2012
Two words: read this! Especially if you're already a fan of the Sylph world. This is a free novella (you can get it at Smashwords) meant to be both a companion to the series and slightly spoilerish. Each short section begins with a different letter of the alphabet. My favorites were:
B is for Blocks This is set in the time when Lizzy was a young girl and Ril was still trapped in the form of a bird. It is so poignant. You will get the warm fuzzies reading this one.
D is for Devotion The main character in this one is Five-Eighty. There's really not much I can say without giving away the story, but I have to tell you, when the climax of the story came I bawled like a baby.
F is for Forever The best one and the most moving of the stories. I read this one twice. Leon, Ril and Lizzy star in this one and this is another one that will make you cry huge crocodile tears. If you don't read any other story, read this one.
J is for Jeopardy introduces us to some upcoming characters and I absolutely cannot wait!!! The characters are a baby battler and his two "sisters" and they steal the show. I haven't laughed that hard in ages. Another must read.
My final favorite was U is for Undone and stars Solie and Heyou. It revisits the passion these two explored in the first book and it was wonderful.
If you're reading the series, this is a must addition.
4.5 stars
B is for Blocks This is set in the time when Lizzy was a young girl and Ril was still trapped in the form of a bird. It is so poignant. You will get the warm fuzzies reading this one.
D is for Devotion The main character in this one is Five-Eighty. There's really not much I can say without giving away the story, but I have to tell you, when the climax of the story came I bawled like a baby.
F is for Forever The best one and the most moving of the stories. I read this one twice. Leon, Ril and Lizzy star in this one and this is another one that will make you cry huge crocodile tears. If you don't read any other story, read this one.
J is for Jeopardy introduces us to some upcoming characters and I absolutely cannot wait!!! The characters are a baby battler and his two "sisters" and they steal the show. I haven't laughed that hard in ages. Another must read.
My final favorite was U is for Undone and stars Solie and Heyou. It revisits the passion these two explored in the first book and it was wonderful.
If you're reading the series, this is a must addition.
4.5 stars
April 4, 2012
This collection of snippets makes me realize how much I love this series! The baby battle sylph was adorable..need more!
March 3, 2017
I love the series because the sylphs are kept just alien enough (E was quite clever). My favorite charater...is either Leon, Ril or Heyou...or Devon or Mace...oh my.
My favorites entries were F, U, H. (Heh, I had to read Forever four times to make sure it was real and canon.)
Blocks and Cold would have made it too, if they had just a little more depth. Razz was great, fitting for this book, but not my fav.
I feel like Undone should already figure in the first or second book. After all, the series doesn't read like romances at all. Instead, the already existing subgenre Romance Fantasy would fit them perfectly.
My favorites entries were F, U, H. (Heh, I had to read Forever four times to make sure it was real and canon.)
Blocks and Cold would have made it too, if they had just a little more depth. Razz was great, fitting for this book, but not my fav.
I feel like Undone should already figure in the first or second book. After all, the series doesn't read like romances at all. Instead, the already existing subgenre Romance Fantasy would fit them perfectly.
April 8, 2012
I so love little Razz.
July 22, 2018
A random assortment of short stories in the sylph world. Some were better than others, but I liked the short storyline about the baby sylphs.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews