The Procedure

by Elea Plotkin

Whitney Olson is a Crested Butte, Colorado native and the single mother of a disabled child with a seizure disorder. She's on the brink of wild career success as a professional extreme skier. Whitney is being sponsored by a powerful, multinational company to travel, train, and film promotional videos with an elite corps of competitive skiers as they prepare for the World Extreme Ski Championship in La Grave, France. Heli-skiing and mountain climbing in some of the most beautiful, dangerous peaks in the world, Whitney must survive avalanches, crevasses, deadly steeps, and a duplicitous team member who is out to destroy her as they vie for over a million dollars in prize money and other lucrative opportunities. The company and its ruthless, manipulative coach will stop at nothing to groom their young female proteges to win and promote products. When they send the women to Belgrade to undergo a clandestine neuro-surgical procedure that eliminates their perception of fear, the two women develop disturbing personality changes and destructive impulses that threaten the stability of the team and their lives. "The Procedure" immerses readers into the adrenaline-filled world of extreme skiing and ski mountaineering in the spectacular alpine terrain of Portillo, Chile, Valdez, Alaska, and the Haute-Alps. As Whitney navigates the risks of competitive free-skiing and the challenges of single parenthood, she confronts the type of sexism and double standards that female athletes have historically endured on their paths to success. Suspenseful, entertaining, full of sub-plots and compelling characters, "The Procedure" is pure page-turning escapism.

370 pages, Paperback

Published February 10, 2023

Reviews

[Kyle F · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are a skier or snowboarder this is a must-read. She does an amazing job of making you feel like you are right there on the mountain along side the main character throughout her adventures. Action, drama, and a thought-provoking plot. What more could you ask for!

[Sandra Powers · Rating 5 out of 5]

I spend only one week a year in Colorado but the author’s descriptions made me feel like I was right there in the middle of all the snow…and danger! While there are lots of grammatical issues, the story is so good I could look past that. I need a sequel to this!