Escape in the Winter

Linda Girgis, MD

Book Cover

GENRE

DRAMA YOUNG ADULT ADVENTURE THRILLER

    Core Theme

    THE TRUE VALUE OF HUMAN LIFE, AND FREEDOM

    TIME PERIOD

    The Future

    COMPARABLE TITLES

    THE HUNGER GAMES, NINETEEN EIGHTY-FOUR, THE CALL OF THE WILD

    CHARACTER LIST

    • JACKSMAN “JAX” REID: 25. LEAD. ADVENTUROUS AND HEROIC.
    • BLAIR CONNER: 14. BRAVE TEENAGER WITH EXTRAORDINARY POWERS AND ABILITIES.
    • LIA: 25. JAX’S GIRLFRIEND. ENGAGING, HONORABLE, BEAUTIFUL.

    Logline

    Escape in the Winter is the future set in a dystopian world. Medical care is too expensive and caused the economy to collapse. Courts of law, rather than physicians, now decide medical treatments, often ordering liquidation if the cost to society is expected to be costly. The government takes over the healthcare and lives of its citizens, until one day, a group of young adults try to do the unthinkable: escape.

    Target Audiences

    Age: 35-54

    Target Gender: Universal

    Setting

    The future: City/forest/new frontier

    Based on a True Story

    No

    Publishing Details

    Status: Yes: self-published

    Year Published: 2019

    Starting Description

    The future has arrived! The world as we know it no longer exists. In this new dystopian society, sick patients are prohibited from using costly medical services, unless a judge in the court of law approves it. If the treatment Is expected to place a cost burden on society, patients are sentenced to

    Ending Description

    Jax, the leader, leads The Resistance back to fight the autocratic government. Blair, the young heroine, is by his side, when he enters state territory in the midst of war. The ruling officials are found after the renegades kill or capture the state's police and military power.

    Group Specific

    Information not completed

    Hard Copy Available

    No

    ISBN

    Information not completed

    Mature Audience Themes

    Information not completed

    Plot - Other Elements

    Coming of Age, Philosophical Questions, Twist, Happy Ending, Meaningful Message,Romance

    Plot - Premise

    Overcoming Monster/Villain

    Main Character Details

    Name: Jacksman Reid

    Age: 25

    Gender: Male

    Role: Protagonist

    Key Traits: Adventurous, Decisive, Empathetic, Selfless, Faithful, Flexible, Honorable, Aspiring, Complex, Perseverance, Extraordinary Powers and Abilities, Heroic, Leader, Underdog, Visionary

    Additional Character Details

    Name: Blair Conner

    Age: 14

    Gender: Female

    Role: Protagonist

    Key Traits: Empathetic, Honorable, Leader, Obedient, Outspoken, Underdog, Aspiring, Heroic, Visionary, Adventurous, Faithful, Flexible, Modest, Extraordinary Powers and Abilities, Engaging, Educated

    Additional Character Details

    Name: Lia

    Age: 25

    Gender: Female

    Role: Protagonist

    Key Traits: Engaging, Extraordinary Powers and Abilities, Gracious, Honorable, Beautiful, Blunt, Faithful, Perseverance, Romantic, Selfless, Complex, Empathetic

    Additional Character Details

    Name: Asher

    Age: 25

    Gender: Male

    Role: Sidekick

    Key Traits: Underdog, Visionary, Confident, Decisive, Educated, Honorable, Strong Moral Code, Blunt, Empathetic, Obedient

    Brief

    In a future dystopia, where the economy has collapsed due to the cost of medical care, courts of law decide medical treatments, often ordering death. Those with chronic health issues are deemed too great a cost to society to keep alive. A young man targeted for death leads his friends in a daring escape as they run for their lives.

    What We Liked

    - Inspiring underdog narrative;
    - Themes that are both heartening and sobering;
    - Multiple, diverse locations that are visually compelling - a new world for viewers to get
    lost in;
    - Fierce fight for survival on many levels, all of which are cinematic in scope - characters
    surviving in the wilderness and getting to freedom;
    - The climactic war -- plus the victory of the resistance -- paves the way for a satisfying
    resolution, a positive ending that drives home its important themes.

    Synopsis

    In a future dystopia where state-appointed judges decide medical treatments, JAX is singled out
    for potential “liquidation,” or death, along with anyone else who is unhealthy. No one person’s
    healthcare costs can be larger than their worth within society. While at court, he sees BLAIR, a
    young teenager who barely avoids death at the judge’s hand. They are placed in the same
    government-mandated self-help group, along with Jax’s secret girlfriend, LIA. When Blair is
    chosen for death by the state, Jax, his best friend ASHER, and Lia plan their escape. Along with
    Blair’s sister WINNIE, and their group leader, DAWSON, the group goes on the run.
    They trek through the mountains in winter, trying to stay ahead of the state and their evil tactics
    to either capture or kill them. When Winnie gets sick, the group splits up so that Jax, Lia, and
    Asher can go ahead to get help. Blair, Winnie, and Dawson stay behind with the puppy they’ve
    brought along for protection. When they are nearly attacked by wolves, Blair realizes she has a
    telepathic link with the wolves and they fall under her command. Jax, Lia, and Asher find LEROY,
    who escaped the state decades earlier. He lets them stay with him, and they are reunited with
    the others thanks to the puppy. They all spend weeks in Leroy’s house, healing and learning how
    to fight.
    Jax, Blair, Lia, and Asher are welcomed with open arms to the resistance by MAJOR, who sees
    something special in them. The resistance plans to wage a war to free the groups’ friends and
    neighbors from the state’s tyranny. Major explains they all have important, fated roles to play.
    When Blair is kidnapped, Major leads the charge into the city and gets killed by the state, leaving
    Jax in charge of the resistance. Dawson reveals himself to be a planted spy for the state, and Lia
    kills him to save Jax’s life. Jax rescues Blair with the help of her wolves, and the resistance takes
    the city. Jax and Blair wrest power from the chancellors and declare the state’s citizens finally
    free.

    About The Author

    Originally from Pennsylvania, Linda Girgis is a dedicated family physician in South River, New Jersey, and its surrounding communities. She is an assistant professor at Rutgers University, a faculty member at Harvard Medical School, and the Editor-in-Chief of Physician's Weekly.