Lightspeed Look for Busy Space Travelers

Bio

Maddie Mozley writes middle-grade sci-fi where stardust meets stubborn hope. Her lifelong love of futuristic worlds drives her to craft stories where science feels like magic and courage prevails against impossible odds.

Fast Facts

When not writing or editing for her company Embers Igniting Editing, she can be found baking oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, practicing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, or serving as Dungeon Master for her children’s D&D campaigns. She lives in the wild mountains of New Mexico.

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Topics Maddie Loves

• The Pro-Family Rebellion: Why Childhood is the Ultimate Act of Defiance
• Engineering Seraph‘s Flight: Weaving Realistic Science into High-Stakes Sci-Fi for Kids
• Beyond the “Chosen One”: The Power of Sibling-Led Adventures
• Faith in Sci-Fi: How Outer Space is the Ultimate Setting for Illustrating God’s Power
• The D20 Effect: Using DnD to Teach Your Children Life Skills
• The Professional Eye: 15 Years of Editing Secrets Every Author Needs to Know
• The Science of Safe Struggle: How BJJ Gives Kids a Place to Learn Resilience

Click here to see Maddie’s full Press Kit

Beyond Lightspeed: An Author Deep Dive

Maddie’s Story

Maddie Mozley writes in the quiet glow of her computer while her children sleep. Since penning her first poem at age six, Maddie has been exploring the wonderful world of words. Now, she writes middle-grade science fiction where science feels like magic and hope prevails against impossible odds.

With a background in creative writing and psychology, Maddie has long been fascinated by the stories we tell and the complexities of their characters. However, she started her career as a technical editor for brilliant scientists.

During that time, she also founded a literary magazine with her close writing friends, which eventually evolved into the editing business Embers Igniting Editing. All the while, she wrote her own books for adults.

But everything changed when she had children and discovered the wonder and challenges of motherhood. She tucked her books away in a metaphorical drawer, finding she didn’t have time or energy for them with a young baby.

Soon, she had a toddler and a newborn to contend with. A few years later, she had her third beautiful kiddo. She and her husband were officially outnumbered. Maddie set writing on the backburner, confining it to stolen moments between naps or the ten minutes spent waiting at the dentist’s office.

As her children grew older, Maddie began the hybrid homeschool journey. Her eldest son blossomed into a voracious reader. When Maddie shopped for books for him, she discovered that she couldn’t quite find what she was looking for.

What surprised her more than anything was how many stories demanded young readers grow up far too fast. She began to see a need in the world that she could meet as a writer.

She scribbled the broad idea for her McCades in Space series on the easel in her kids’ schoolroom. “A brother and sister search for their mom across a distant planetary system where being a child is against the law.”

As she sat back and studied the concept, her little ones chattering behind her as they worked through handwriting assignments, a defiant hope spread through her chest. Maybe, just maybe, she could be a mom and an author.

Even more daring? Maybe her two passions fit perfectly together.

From 10pm to 1am for many weeks, with copious cups of tea and fine lines growing under her tired eyes, Maddie wrote Seraph’s Flight, the first book in the McCades in Space series.

Her middle-grade science fiction doesn’t just entertain. It celebrates childhood and encourages young readers to choose hope, even when obstacles seem insurmountable.

When not lost in fictional universes, Maddie serves as Dungeon Master for her children’s ongoing D&D campaign, practices Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and digs in her garden with dirt happily embedded under her fingernails. Her home is a haven for her cat and fluffy dogs named after female action heroes.

Right now, the aroma of oatmeal chocolate chip cookies or freshly baked crusty bread likely fills the air at Maddie’s house as her brave crew of kiddos bustles about. Her children are simultaneously her greatest inspiration and her most delightful distraction from writing, but she wouldn’t have it any other way.

After all, it’s the messy, beautiful reality of family life that grounds her stories in emotional truth, reminding readers that even in the farthest reaches of space, the things that matter most remain the same: togetherness, courage, and the unwavering light of hope shining rebelliously in the distance.

Have more questions about Maddie? Check out her FAQ, or you can contact her to ask your own question. To learn more about McCades in Space and follow along as it comes to life, be sure to join Maddie’s mailing list here!

A Note for Parents

Maddie doesn’t just write for kiddos. She also writes post-apocalyptic sci-fi for adults under a different pen name. Her adult fiction is for a completely separate audience and explores fundamentally different themes than her middle-grade fiction.

A passage in Corrie ten Boom’s The Hiding Place has long guided Maddie’s thinking on this. As a child, Corrie ten Boom asks her father about a difficult subject, and he tells her, “Some knowledge is too heavy for children. When you are older and stronger, you can bear it. For now you must trust me to carry it for you.”

Maddie’s adult fiction is written for those who are “older and stronger.” The two worlds of Maddie’s writing are purposefully and respectfully kept distinct. Because kids? They deserve to be kids. They deserve wonder, adventure, encouragement, and light—which is exactly what you’ll find in Maddie’s middle-grade stories.

Professional Background

Maddie has been an editor for over fifteen years, and she adores helping writers improve their work.

She got her BA in creative writing and psychology at UNM, receiving various writing awards and accolades during her time there. During and after college, she worked as a technical editor for five years, partnering with brilliant scientists in the generation of their operating procedures and other documents.

She now helps talented authors make their books even better over at Embers Igniting Editing. Embers Igniting started out as a literary magazine in 2013 founded by Maddie and her close writing friends. Over time, the Embers staff grew eager to work with writers of longer works and officially launched Embers Igniting Editing in April of 2019. Maddie is blessed to work with amazing writers in pursuit of improving their craft!

Testimonials

Her structural edit was honest, focused, and insightful. She revealed issues in my manuscript regarding world-building and characterization and confirmed other areas I suspected needed work. [Maddie’s] notes about clarity problems proves she looks at a story from both an editor’s and a reader’s point-of-view, and her suggestions at the end of the manuscript are helping me weave a believable story arc and craft a more satisfying ending. ~KL W.

Embers Igniting helped make my middle-grade chapter book shine! They are brilliant professionals who understand and truly care about good storytelling. Their meticulous and constructive line editing and proofreading services truly made all the difference. And I now have a polished, publication-ready final draft to show for it! ~Teko B.

I have had a great experience working with all the editors at Embers Igniting for different projects over the years. I have used all four forms of editing they offer and found each was invaluable to hone my manuscript, which I have recently published with great success. I recommend them to anybody serious about progressing their writing and publishing journey. I have found each editor to be highly professional, personal, and supportive. They are always kind and gracious in their feedback but, of course, honest when they need to be. ~Mark B.