Sylvia Mayall
Sylvia was born in Salford and educated in Manchester. She had always had a desire to travel so after training in nursing (SRN, RSCN & SCM) she worked primarily with children with Government Agencies, private organisations in Zambia, Aden, Saudi Arabia and Iran and in 1980 worked with Save the Children in Uganda.
Sylvia had always written throughout her life and in 1970 the seed of this book was sown as she used writing as a channel during a particularly difficult period of her life. Latterly Sylvia writes for pleasure and in 2000 she undertook some formal studies in creative writing.
The Silent Mentor has been written over a seven-year period.
Sylvia continues her journey and now spends most of her time wild camping in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland where she feels most comfortable and at ease….
2QT Publications
{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }
I had the privilege of reading this book prior to publication and it contains the most wonderfully evocative and poetic writing.
Best of luck, Sylvia, with its future and yours.
Sylvia is my aunt and I know she has been writing for a while. I’m incredibly happy for her success as I know this has been a dream of hers. I don’t live in the UK but thanks to the internet I can follow her progress. Well done Syl xx
Well blow me down Sylvia! can’t wait to read your book. I knew you would be a success with your writing so keep it up.
I was totally absorbed by this book. Sylvia is truly an amazing women, whom I have had the pleasure of meeting on several occasions. Sylvia I wish you much success in doing what makes you happy
My husband bought this book on Saturday – I have just finished reading it – Very compelling. I think I get it….
I enjoyed the read, I was able to follow the thread of the book. I did find the italics a bit confusing.
The ending left me a bit bemused as I would have liked the story to have been wrapped up, it left me wondering what the relationship of the two women and the solicitor was.
It was very nice to meet you in person. I wish you all the best in any future writings.
I was so drawn by this book that i couldn’t put it down and will recommend it to my reading group.
I was halfway through before suddenly realising that Avylis was an anagram. Very cleverly and beautifully crafted.
I was very fortunate to meet Sylvia @ Dalesbridge camp site on the Easter weekend. She very kindly gave me a copy of her book, i have so enjoyed reading this. Thank you very much, i found it to be very compelling and could not wait to have a read. It is something i shall treasure, and hope to meet you again at some point in life.
Thank you
I met Sylvia at a campsite in Scotland in May, when she gave me a copy of The Silent Mentor. I found the book to be a compelling read but, at the same time, easy and very descriptive. It seemed to me to be a very personal book. I did wonder whether the narrator and Avylis were the same person for a lot of the book, but evidently not. Perhaps Avylis was the narrator’s mother? The book created a lot of discussion between my daughter and myself which was very thought provoking. Thank you for the book Sylvia and I wish you well with the next one!
The web editor has made one small edit with this comment.
HI Carol – great comment and thank you – glad to see its creating discussion. We did just take out one bit that Sylvia would prefer it was kept as something for others to discover as not everyone has noticed your little discovery!
Met Sylvia at The Barn at Beale, last Saturday 11th August. Have had the pleasure of good conversation with her (writing – related and other !) and am honoured that she has given me copy of The Silent Mentor which I read in 2 sessions. As has been said here, the book is very evocative and poetic and had me ‘hooked’ from start to finish. Definitely ‘my kind’ of story.
Congratulations Sylvia on The Silent Mentor and good luck and all good wishes for your continuing book signings and future writing.
(I have told you Sylvia that I will do a proper review/critique for the book which I will do very soon. You have not signed this copy of the book so don’t go sneaking away from Lindisfarne without doing so !! )
Just finished reading your book Sylvia,very interesting. I think the book could be about the authors pathway in a difficult time of her life and seeking and finding God? Or is she the silent mentor through her fascinating book? I wish you well.
Thank you Anna for your comment. This book has definitely got readers thinking and talking. Part of the beauty of this book for me, is that it there is a lot in the book but it perhaps only gives up what you need to hear? I have read it a couple of times and with each read I pick something new up that I seemed to have missed the first read through.
Sylvia, I had the great pleasure of meeting and chatting with you at your book signing in Waterstone’s , Liverpool, in September.
Firstly, taken at face value The Silent Mentor is at the very least a most delightful story in its own right. However, I feel there is far deeper, personal meaning within the story.
I told you that although I don’t embrace religion in any formal way, but that I feel a spiritual connection to the natural world, through my wildlife watching, particularly in Scotland.
The further I read into the story, the greater the sense I had that I had joined you on your personal journey, and also the sense that much of this was personal narrative, not just story telling? I may be entirely wrong of course!
I sense that you are a deeply spiritual soul, and I had to wonder if you were describing your own soul searching, through conversation with God, questioning directly your own doubts and fears, perhaps having recently found him through your personal experience?
I feel you have threaded a message throughout the story, one from which the reader may take his/her own personal interpretation from, and again, I know I may be way off the mark.
When I asked on which of the Islands you based the story, you declined to say, and I now realise that it’s essentially immaterial, my imagination filled any gaps!!
Regardless of whether my interpretation is correct, The Silent Mentor was a delight to read, and beautifully written. Meeting you was an even greater delight. We spoke for little more than 15 mins, but I think we each revealed a little of ourselves – having read the book, I feel I know you even better.
Many many thanks, with my regards,
Nick Gordon, Douglas, IOM (Apologies for a long winded text!!)
Thank you Nick for your comments. It re-affirms other comments made about The Silent Mentor and also meeting Sylvia.