Set in 2011 at the time of the final space shuttle launch, Ugly Lies the Bone centers around Jess’s return to her hometown of Titusville, Florida, during the closing of the Nasa program and the effect the shutdown had on her one-industry town.  An improvised explosive device (IED) had injured her while serving in Afghanistan. Suffering from burns and skin grafts covering 30% of her body, Jess moves with great pain and effort. Yet she’s still the same strong-willed, determined woman who voluntarily served three t­ours in the army. Through the use of virtual reality video game therapy, she builds a breathtaking new world where she can escape her pain. As Jess advances farther in the game, she begins to restore her relationships, her life, and, slowly, herself.