No Strings.

This junior novel is my 16th book and it's aimed at readers aged 10-14.

Felix Bartlett is thirteen and an accelerated student, but will he ever be a world-class saxophonist? And will a tempting musical opportunity back home mean he can't go to China with the Stage Band after all? Felix is totally confused, but it's not just music that's the problem. Coming from a split family, Felix struggles with his own identity, until a series of seemingly unrelated, dramatic events has surprising consequences.

If you've read No Regrets you'll meet up with old friends from Malvern College like Julia Wright, but if you haven't it's not a problem because this is Felix's story and it can be read totally independently of No Regrets.

Keen No Regrets and No Strings readers will be interested to know that the third story in the 'No' series will be Xanthe's story about her trip to Perth to compete in the National diving competition in the following summer. It is called No Tears and was published in August 2006.

Chapter 1 extract.

'How amazing is that guy?' Felix put down his saxophone. 'I'll never, ever be that good. He's incredible.' Juggling the hard case against his long legs, Felix stuffed a handful of coins into the drink machine, pushed the button for water and waited. You never knew if the dumb things would work. Seconds later the plastic projectile clunked down the chute. Seriously thirsty after the two-hour workshop, Felix grabbed the bottle, ripped off the top and poured the mineral water straight down his throat. He was feeling a bit weird - kind of disoriented - his head was cloudy, his thoughts scrambled. Maybe the water would help.

'He's so good on the sax - and a gifted composer!' Transfixed by memories of the musician he considered to be the world's best saxophonist, Felix kept talking out loud to himself, even though he was aware that most people had left the music house and gone back to their regular classrooms. 'He's the best - the maestro. I'll never be that good.' The clouds inside his head thickened and he grappled with an accelerating mood of hopelessness. How could he feel so elated and yet so down at the same time? Felix knew he was a good sax player - this didn't make sense.