Phoebe Finds Her Voice (19 page)

“I'm so proud of you, Phoebe,” Mum said, coming in and sitting on my bed. “You were fantastic, and I don't just mean in the show.”

But I knew what she meant. She was talking about the other day. I still don't know what happened exactly, when Mum and Dad went off up the road – but whatever it was it had brought my family back together, for now at least. Like I said, they don't call me
Phoebe Franks Super-Sorter
for nothing.

“What's the next production going to be? Has Mandy told you yet?”

“I'm not sure, Mum. She did say something about it but I was so excited I wasn't really listening properly.”

“You do want to carry on at Star Makers, don't you? It's done you the world of good. It really has.”

I glanced up at my poster of Donny I couldn't stop smiling: a great big sparkly
Razzle Dazzle Smile
. Of course I was going to carry on. Joining Star Makers Drama Club was the best thing I'd ever done. And Mystic Sara was right after all; something did happen to me that day – and it did change my life.

For ever.

Hi guys,

I grew up dreaming about being on the stage. I joined a drama club and spent every spare moment singing and dancing – convinced I was going to be a star.

But at secondary school I began to feel shy about performing. I lost a lot of confidence and for the first time I wasn't sure if my dream to be on stage would come true.

Years later I started up my own drama club, Full Circle. I guess it was a way of keeping my dream alive. I found that running a drama club was as brilliant as performing myself – all the same nerves and excitement!

One day I started to scribble down some ideas for a book about a group of characters who join a drama club. I called it Star Makers. There was Phoebe who was very shy but could sing like an angel and Polly who just wanted everything to stay the same, Sam the big show-off who was desperate to be a serious actress, and Monty B who liked to clown around. I'd created a special place where everyone is different but everyone has their moment to shine.

This is Polly's story and it's for everyone going through a change – new school, new friendships, new home. Changes are tough and scary, but it's Polly's friends at Star Makers who help her to see that they can be so exciting too.

I still have BIG dreams – but these days they're much more about writing than about singing and dancing.

Dreams are so important…I hope all of yours come true!

Look out for more sparkly stories from the Star Makers Club

Why has Polly's mum left her to go and live in Spain? When will her new stepmum stop trying to be so nice all the time? What happens when she ignores Dad and goes on the friend2friend website? And, most importantly, can she learn her lines in time for Star Makers' fab new production?

ePub ISBN 9781409532002

Why has Sam's sister fallen out with their mum? Will Dad ever reveal his secret from the past? How can Sam get her family back on track? And, most importantly, will she hold it all together on the night of Star Makers' fab new musical?

ePub ISBN 9781409537496

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This ebook edition first published in 2010 by Usborne Publishing Ltd., Usborne House, 83-85 Saffron Hill, London EC1N 8RT, England.
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Copyright © Anne-Marie Conway, 2010

The right of Anne-Marie Conway to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988.

Illustration copyright © Usborne Publishing Ltd., 2010

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This is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents, and dialogues are products of the author's imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

ePub ISBN 9781409531975

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