Authorpreneur Dashboard – Mallory Hill
TERMINAL REGRESSION
Science Fiction & Fantasy
WINNER OF THE SECOND ANNUAL AUTHORSFIRST NOVEL CONTEST Laura Baily’s life is meaningless. In a world where purpose and passion are everything, Laura feels as though she has no place and no business even existing. Her life is forfeit, and it would be better for everyone if she simply ended it, if she simply got a ticket for a train to oblivion and faded from memory. But what awaits her at the end of the line isn’t death but Terminal B – a community of people more like her than she considered possible, including the beautiful, tormented Will Noble. Though Laura still thinks little of her own life, the lives of others begin to fascinate her as never before. And when those lives become imperiled, Laura discovers the last thing she ever expected to find on her way out of the world: a mission and a reason to live. Compelling on both a human and global scale, TERMINAL REGRESSION is a novel of rare power and humanity. It is the story of a tomorrow that teeters on the edge of utopia and dystopia and a resigned outsider who might just change it forever.
Book Bubbles from TERMINAL REGRESSION
Back Track Trek
In this scene, Laura and Will are beginning their escape mission by sneaking through the train tunnel. Along the way, we get a closer look at Will's past. His health isn't their biggest concern for once, so the conversation becomes borderline normal. They start to think about the journey that brought them to the terminal and to each other, and for a while things seem to be working out. But it doesn't last long.
Final Hours
This is the opening scene when Laura is facing the inevitability of her impeding death. It's her last day before taking the train to whatever afterlife awaits her. This scene highlights some of her guilt and reservations about the train. Laura asked for her ticket, hoping to end her own life, and while she hasn't changed her mind, her fears begin to accumulate as the departure time approaches . This is also an introduction to Laura's relationship with her mother who has a decidedly more optimistic outlook on life.
Bruised and Broken
This scene is a little glimpse into Will's work conditions. He's not just being constantly electrocuted, he's in an environment that doesn't care about him or see him as human. And he puts up with it because he doesn't have a choice but also because some part of him believes he deserves it. The plant is breaking him--mind, body, and spirit. All he has is Laura, and he can't risk losing her even if it means saving himself.
Parallels
I think this scene really highlights how Will and Laura understand each other. Will is being senselessly tortured and it's causing him to mentally break down. He wants to keep up appearances and act like everything's fine, but he's no longer in control of himself. I feel like Will is sort of a physical representation of what's happening in Laura's head, and so watching him suffer is especially hard for her.
Growing the Tension
"Darn me and my sexual assumptions!" I think that may be my favorite line in the whole book. I really love this scene because it's playful and awkward and is a really accurate representation of Laura and Will's relationship. Will has been exposed to prolonged electrocution, leaving him with a limited mental capacity. It's sad, but this lets them open up to each other more freely. He's unencumbered by what's socially acceptable, and she feels more confident in herself because there's a 50-50 chance he'll forget the whole conversation anyway. Hope you enjoy!
Acceptance
In this scene, Laura is coming to terms with what she's done and realizing what it means for her. She's too unstable for anyone to put up with, too broken for anyone to piece back together. But she isn't alone. It may not be the most compassionate arrangement, but they're keeping each other alive. And that gives them the chance to realize how much they truly need each other.
Laura and Grant
In this scene, Laura is being shown around by her new supervisor Grant. She gets a brief introduction to who he is and his background, which will turn out to be much more complicated than he admits here. This scene also shows off some of Laura's personality. While she's definitely a sad character--this scene is immediately following her suicide attempt--she has an awkward and sarcastic sense of dark humor that I find sort of endearing. Grant and Laura aren't the best of friends, but they have a dynamic relationship that evolves throughout the story.
Life After Death
This scene takes place after Laura has taken the train and arrived at the farm instead of dying as she assumed she would. I think this is a nice introduction to where she's at emotionally even before some of the more concerning action begins. She feels lost and alone, and her situation feels hopeless. But worst of all is the fear. Fear is what torments her and makes her wish she were dead, but it's also the only thing keeping her alive.
