Three weeks deep into Project Mirror research and reality keeps making my dystopian fiction look tame.
My protagonist is shaping up as a tech support specialist for people’s faces. When someone’s lip enhancement algorithm crashes mid-Zoom call, she fixes it. When their eye color update conflicts with skin tone optimization, she debugs their entire aesthetic stack.
I’ve created this whole modification hierarchy: Surface Layer handles skin and hair, Architecture Layer manages bone structure, Core Layer controls micro-expressions and unconscious behaviors. Each layer has different access permissions and subscription tiers.
Had this chilling moment yesterday while doing “Russian Red” nails. The client kept apologizing for her “genetic nail beds,” asking if I could recommend “structural corrections.” We’re already living in this world – we just use different tools.
The opening scene came to me fully formed: my protagonist troubleshooting a malfunction where a client’s smile froze mid-laugh during a video conference. It’s such a small glitch, but it reveals the existential horror underneath. We’re debugging humanity now.
She starts as a true believer. Thinks she’s eliminating the cruelty of genetic lottery, the pain of feeling inadequate. Hasn’t realized yet that perfect faces require perfect thoughts to match.
Started Chapter One properly yesterday. This book is going to disturb people in exactly the right way.
Posted from London, where fiction and reality are having uncomfortable conversations.
— Writer Julia Zolotova
