I was inspired to write this story when my son Jordan was in preschool. There was some water fighting going on at a church picnic, and I could tell Jordan wanted to get involved, but he didn’t know how. I gave him a cup of water and told him to dump it on somebody. Then somebody else offered him a dollar to dump that same cup on me. I got wet, Jordan got paid, and he fell asleep that night holding onto his dollar bill. I said the words, “He’s going to become a water fight professional,” and thus, my story was born.

First, The Water Fight Professional was a short story. It came out in a book of short stories. Second, it got picked up to be used in over half-a-million English tests for students. Third, I’d written it into this novel and had a publisher offer to buy it from me, but the publisher ended up going out of business. Now, as the book is about to be published, my Jordan is a high school student. And I just want you to know something: It was worth the wait.

So whether you like to write stories the way I do, or whether you play sports or have ideas for your own business like the characters in my book, keep at it. Keep doing what you love. Keep being the unique person you are. And though you will probably get discouraged or distracted somewhere along the way, if you don’t give up, you too can create something so great that it’s worth the wait.

I’d love to hear more about you and your dreams, so keep visiting me at www.angelaruthstrong.com. I’ve also got some contests you can enter, an upcoming book trailer you can watch, a series you won’t want to miss, and an opportunity for you to join me in breaking the world record for biggest water balloon fight ever!

#kids