Mickey LaRoche's hopes of a future in farming are dashed in a glossy-papered instant. His letter from the CPPC welcomes him not to Sustenance, but to Entertainment, the Career that entertains, uplifts, and stirs the Country
Entertainment? Him?
Farming is all he knows, all he has ever known. He knows nothing of posing for cameras, of acting, of glamour. But none of this matters. If the letter says he has been chosen for Entertainment, he must follow its instructions.
The letter also tells him he will be attending Freemont Career School, where many scenes from Freemont ATT, the most-watched, most-loved reality program in the Country, are filmed.
Once word of the letter makes its way around his small farm town, classmates and even adults he's known for years begin to treat him as though he is already a teen idol from the show. Even local shop windows have sections cleared, prepared to display and sell "Mickey" clothing and accessories next to those of established celebrities.
When Mickey arrives at Freemont Career School, he is relieved, yet disappointed, to discover he is not meant for stardom, but to blend into the background on the sidelines as an extra. A roommate with political ambitions and a fight against a cruel school rule drag him into his idea of torture; on stage and speaking in front of crowds of fellow students. A secret friendship with Sai'rah, a beautiful, A-list megastar, draws him further into the limelight against his will...and against the will of those who make the rules.