To my favorite author, coming from an author

Hi Gordon! My name is Daniel and I love your reading. In fact I’d like to become an author myself at 13 yrs old.

I’m currently creating a book called belief, where this kid is having trouble in school because of what recently happened with his mother: she died. And now his dad is taking it even worse. And when his dad starts dating again he gets mad, thinking he’s replacing her. And she even believes in Christianity: a religion. But once he starts knowing her better he also starts liking the religion better.

I’m wondering what advice you have. I usually struggle with making them both long and entertaining. Do you have any ideas on what I could do to stretch them out?