Maddie's in the Middle

Maddie's in the Middle is a story of strength and resilience.
Maddie is tough. She's spunky and she's smart. She's got grit. She's a middle school kid who excels in school but keeps her homelife hidden. Her mother's mental illness, her father's abandonment and early death, and her stepmother/guardian's alcoholism and emotional abuse make life unpredictable and chaotic at best and unbearable at worst. She's socially isolated, has no friends, and doesn't fit in. Tossed between homes but tightly bonded with her older sister and younger brother, Maddie maintains hope for a better life while fearing for her own sanity and future.
Told in the first person through Maddie's voice, Maddie's in the Middle is a novel of 73,355 words intended for teens aged 13 - 17. The story celebrates resilience as it offers eventual hope while exploring the emerging issues of adolescence in a dysfunctional family.

Mariah Clark Skewes, known in her real life as Mary Boyle, writes whimsical and touching books for children, teens, and adults, all with themes of imagination, perseverance, and hopefulness. Her degrees in Psychology and Special Education and her experience as a teacher, school administrator and parent guide her writing. She lives with her husband on a vineyard in the Sierra Nevada foothills, growing wine grapes and raising honeybees and Southdown Babydoll Sheep. When not writing, she enjoys volunteering as a CASA with children in foster care, running on trails, competing in world marathons, travelling, and spending time with her four adult children and their families. Her philosophy? Life may not be fair, but it can get better. For more information including contact, visit her website at mariahclarkskewes.com.