Find out More About Level 3 by Science-Fiction Writer Alice de Sampaio Kalkuhl During OWS CyCon 2019

Welcome to another fantastic stop in our World-building Showcase blog hop! On this stop, we’re highlighting a story where the world changes or ends as we know it, but you can find a full list of authors and topics on the OWS Cycon website. Let’s dive in!

Welcome Alice de Sampaio Kalkuhl!

Before we dive in to the nitty gritty, what is Level 3 about?
Level 3 is about researchers going above and beyond, creating a cyberpunk world, but abandoning ethics along the way. There’s failures and successes, but in the end, the series is about the research process.

What are the main differences between the “regular world” and the world on the other side of your barrier?
The main difference is the world in Level 3 is essentially a version of the normal world, if science had progressed faster and if some of the main questions in developmental biology and biochemistry had already been solved. There isn’t really a portal, but it’s definitely an alternate reality.

Does language play any role in your world? Does everyone speak the same language, or is there variety? Did you invent any new slang or terminology during your world-building process?
Equations are essentially a language and there is a lot of programming. Python counts as a different language, right?

What kinds of climates do your characters experience? Do they see a lot of change or is it always the same? Has your world always had this kind of climate, or has it changed over time?
The climate is the same as on earth.

Is there any kind of faith system in your world? Did you draw inspiration from any real cultures, living or dead?
Most of the characters in Level 3 are atheists or believe, but don’t shove it into people’s faces.

What do people in your invented world do for fun? Are there sports, games, music, or other activities they do in their free time?
They don’t really have time for fun, but for the first three books, there’s a pub called Old Hare within a short walking distance of the research building.

Your Process

When you build a world, what is your process like? Do you do a lot of research upfront, wing it completely, or something in between?
I generally start with earth and decide how I want the world to be different from earth. Then I build it from there.

How central is the setting of your story to the story itself? Is it more of an interesting backdrop, or is it integral to the events of the story?
The setting itself is important, but it’s mostly internal, so it’s more a case of architecture mattering.

When helping the reader get to know the world you built, what techniques do you use? Do you tend to be upfront about things, or keep the reader in the dark and feed them only bits at a time?
It goes bit by bit and there are references in the end of the book.

How much of a role does realism and hard scientific fact play in your world-building? Do you strive for 100% accuracy, or do you leave room for the fantastical and unexplainable in your world?
A lot, especially in this series. I love writing it and it is research based, so I really strive for accuracy.

Do you have any specialized training or background from your “real life” that has informed your world-building?
I’m currently in the final year of a BSc. Genetics and I studied a couple of credits physics in 2015/2016.

How do you keep all of the details of your world and characters straight? Do you have a system for deciding on different factors and keeping it all organized, or does it live more in your head?
I write all my novels in LaTeX which allows me to have little note documents in my project folder.
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Did you experience any difficulties while building your world? Any facts that refused to cooperate or inconsistencies you needed to address while editing?
All the time. Research changes a lot and at some point you have to make a choice of which work you find most plausible.

Where can people find you on the web?

​Join me this CyCon by having a look at my author booth and my CyCon event. Ethics, the first book in Level 3 is available on Inkitt which regular updates.

For more stops on our World-building Showcase, visit the tour page on the OWS CyCon website. You can also find more great Sci Fi authors and books on our main Sci Fi event page.