Hero, Perry Moore

'Oh, that's the gay guy.'

He didn't say it with venom. He didn't need to. He said it loud enough so we could hear it, like it was just so obvious. You don't make an accusation  that the sky is blue; it's simply a matter of fact. The coach's smile dropped, my teammates looked uncomfortably in other directions and tried to pretend they didn't hear what they all had obviously heard.

You've all seen the movie The Incredibles, right? Well Hero is a bit like that. Sort of. Except Thom Creed's mother disappeared a few years ago, after his father was disgraced and kicked out of the Hero League.

Superheroes are a forbidden topic in Thom's house - his father now works in a factory, and people uncomfortably look away when they see him on the street. The problem is, Thom is developing powers of his own. And he doesn't want to upset his dad, so he stays quiet about them. Even when he gets invited to join the League.

The final thing to add to the list of 'things Thom doesn't know how to tell his dad'? He's gay.

A great read full of superheroes, secrets, action and heart.

Hero is longlisted for the Silver Inky.