"JACK: The very first time I laid eyes on Alanna, I thought, 'There's a woman I want to saw in half.' She was in the audience, on the end of a row, one leg stuck stiffly into the aisle. I found out later it was in plaster. She'd permanently done her knee in and had to leave the ballet company.

After the show I watched her leave. Most people in plaster move like a pair of compasses. Alanna made everyone else look awkward. I sent my assistant to catch her at front of house. Almost rushed out myself, but that wouldn't do -- people come to Jack Springett, not vicey-versa.

My assistant must have realised it'd be the kiss of death for her. That my act needed restrained balletic grace, not bum-waggling and pouting. Claimed she couldn't catch Alanna up. I wasn't going to leave it at that.

Took me three months to find her. By that time she'd another job. Didn't take much persuading out of it. We're having dinner to celebrate when lo and behold, she has to go and spoil the occasion. Leaning forward, the candlelight on her lovely skin, nearly cross-eyed with angst.

'It won't be easy leaving the rehabilitation unit.'

I frown. 'That was just a fill-in.'

'Ye-es. But there's this person.' Her eyes focus on infinity.

I do my mentalist act, hands to temples. 'I'm getting a picture. This "person" is male, right?'

'Right'.

And over the wild boar cutlets with cherry sauce, out pours the saga of Corporal Bloody Duckett the one-legged soldier..."

Extract from Soldier by Alex Barr

Read Alex's thoughts on winning the competition

More literary links in Mid Wales on the Bookshelf