Paul A. Mendelson

Henry Jaffa, son of superhero Orangeman and teacher Jenny, has powers—but only sometimes, and never when he really needs them. Hoping he’s not alone, Henry invites other kids like him to Christmas lunch, and the League of Not Really Very Super Heroes is born!Their first mission? Rescue Prince Derek, who they believe has been replaced by a super-realistic robot. The adult heroes think it’s nonsense, but Henry and his friends know better—teenagers can always spot a fake.With time running out, the League must find the real prince before the robot embarrasses the Royal Family on live TV and drags Orangeman’s reputation down with it.But with their unreliable powers, can they pull off the rescue?And what’s with all the Mars Bars? Everything, as it turns out!

The Makings of Emily Jensen is a collection of short stories and novellas by BAFTA-nominated comedy writer Paul A. Mendelson.The title story is a romantic comedy about a single woman in her late thirties who sets out to have a baby without any strings or attachments, but soon discovers that fathers need babies too.Better Late is an unusual ghost story where a middle-aged man meets the father he never knew: a 21-year-old biker who died before his son was even born.Penalty! is a memory tale; a man in his seventies happily recalls how he and his three school pals exacted poetic revenge on the Car-Washing Maniac of Number 43.The longest novella, SKI-ing, is all about murder. It’s what two adult siblings decide to do when their rich but seriously awful parents suddenly announce that they are going SKI-ing (Spending Kids’ Inheritance). But parenticide isn’t easy, so they swiftly need ‘professional’ help.