Trapped in a child’s body, a resourceful woman risks death by deletion from a simulated world. With her debut novella for adults, Mary G. Thompson (Wuftoom) has crafted a taut, ultimately hopeful story that deftly explores identity and autonomy.

“A perfectly executed gem of a book. Deeply satisfying and completely mesmerizing, it’s full of depth, heart, and thought.”
—Sarah Beth Durst, New York Times bestselling author of The Spellshop

Ella is the oldest five-year-old in the universe. For fifty-eight years, the founder of a simulated colony-planet has forced her to pretend to be his daughter. Her “Daddy” has absolute power over all elements of reality, which keeps the colonists in line even when their needs are not met. But his failing experiments and despotic need for absolute control are increasingly dangerous.

Ella’s very life depends on her performance as a child. She has watched Daddy delete her stepmother and the loved ones of anyone who helps her.

But every sixty years, a Technician comes from the world above. Ella has been watching and working and biding her time. Because if she cannot get help, her only solution is a desperate measure that could lead to consequences for the entire universe.
 
Contributor Bio(s)
 
Mary G. Thompson is the author of science fiction, fantasy, and thrillers for children and young adult readers. Her contemporary thriller Amy Chelsea Stacie Dee was a winner of the Westchester Fiction Award and a finalist for the Missouri Gateway Award. Thompson’s short fiction has appeared in Dark Matter Magazine, Apex Magazine, and others. She attended the University of Oregon School of Law, practiced law for seven years and now works as a law librarian. She also holds an MFA in Writing from The New School and completed the UCLA School of Theater, Film, and Television’s professional program in Screenwriting. Thompson lives in Washington, DC. Find her on the web at http://marygthompson.com. One Level Down is her adult fiction debut.