CJ Silvers and the Long Ride follows a young girl as she attends her first wakeboard lesson who is afraid and wants to quit when things get hard. What was the inspiration for your story?

I was inspired by my daughter attending a girls’ ride wakeboard event. While there, I saw many girls being scared to get hurt and the negative emotions around not succeeding. I also saw many families supporting their daughters. As the event progressed, I saw falling/failing become less emotional, and small successes drive the girls to succeed. This was important to me as my daughter was one of the girls.

Was there anything from your own life that you put into the characters in your book?

The main character CJ Silvers is based on my daughter, Cassidy. She is now nine, and I am very proud that she has the confidence to try new things. I also tried to capture my wife Rebecca’s spirit and how she talks to Cassidy to help her grow up.

What were some educational aspects that were important for you to include in this children’s book?

I think it was important to show that failure is part of learning and getting better. Also, failure itself is not fun, but with practice and guidance, everyone can achieve great things.

Where does the next book in the series take the characters?

CJ Silvers and her family will be having a Christmas adventure. New characters will be introduced, and a clear message that presents are not the most important part of the holiday season will be delivered.

Author Links: Amazon