Blog Ring of Power Presents: Sandra Ulbrich Almazan

It's the best day ever in the Blog Ring of Power! Why, you may ask? Because it's time to interview our very own Sandra Ulbrich Almazan.

Don't forget to look over the other parts of the interview.

Part 4 Right here! - Friday, April 26th

About the Author

Sandra Ulbrich Almazan started reading at the age of three and only stops when absolutely required to. Although she hasn’t been writing quite that long, she did compose a very simple play in German during middle school. Her science fiction novella Move Over Ms. L. (an early version of Lyon’s Legacy) earned an Honorable Mention in the 2001 UPC Science Fiction Awards, and her short story “A Reptile at the Reunion” was published in the anthology Firestorm of Dragons.

She is a founding member of BroadUniverse and a long-time member of the Online Writing Workshop for Fantasy, Science Fiction, and Horror. Her undergraduate degree is in molecular biology/English, and she has a Master of Technical and Scientific Communication degree. Her current day job is in the laboratory of an enzyme company; she’s also been a technical writer and a part-time copyeditor for a local newspaper. Some of her other accomplishments are losing on Jeopardy! and taking a stuffed orca to three continents. She lives in the Chicago area with her husband, Eugene; and son, Alex. In her rare moments of free time, she enjoys crocheting, listening to classic rock (particularly the Beatles), and watching improv comedy.

Section #4: About Your Current Work

BRoP: Tell us about your new book and when it is out? Where can people purchase it?

Sandra: My latest book is called Twinned Universes, Book Two of the Catalyst Chronicles series. Paul Harrison, the clone of a TwenCen musician, must travel to another universe to find justice for his mother and Sean Lyon, the man he was cloned from. It’s currently available as an eBook on Amazon, B&N, and Smashwords. You can also buy a paper version from Createspace or Amazon.

BRoP: Is there anything new, unusual, or interesting about your book? How is it different from other books on the same subject?

Sandra: Although the plot bears a loose resemblance to Hamlet, the story is also heavily influenced by my love for classic rock. There isn't much cloning, time travel, alternate universes, or quantum quirks in Hamlet either.

BRoP: What was the hardest part of writing this book?

Sandra: I’ve been working on this book for a long time and can’t remember how many drafts this has been through. Still, I think one of the hardest parts of writing this book was replotting it after discussing the developmental edit with the editor. It was hard for me to look at the story from a new perspective and make major changes after working with a different version for several years, but I think the rewrite and replotting made this book stronger.

BRoP: What was your favorite chapter (or part) to write and why?

Sandra: One of my favorite parts to write was when Paul and Sean got together. They’re both alpha males with some similar personality traits but vastly different experiences. While Paul may be in awe of Sean, he’s capable of telling him off when necessary.

BRoP: Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

Sandra: That clones aren't necessarily evil, and neither is science. Also, that violence isn't always the best way to solve a problem.

BRoP: Tell us about your book’s cover – where did the design come from and what was the design process like?

Sandra: I worked with Meghan Derico of Derico Photography. She had designed the covers of the other stories in the series. (The series starts in the novella Lyon’s Legacy and continues with a short story set between Lyon’s Legacy and Twinned Universes.) There were some elements we wanted to keep the same to help brand the series. I had some ideas in mind for possible poses, and she came up with several sketches until she came up with something we liked. Then she shot the cover pose with a model I selected and put all the elements together. I think she did a great job.

BRoP: What are your current / future project(s)?

Sandra: I have three short projects I plan to publish this year, including one that features a minor character from Twinned Universes. I’m also working on Catalyst in the Crucible, Book Three in the Catalyst Chronicles series.

BRoP: Do you have anything specific that you want to say to your readers?

Sandra: Thanks for your support!

Paul Harrison always wanted to play Hamlet, but he never expected he’d live the role first.

TWINNED UNIVERSES: In the aftermath of a family tragedy on 21^stcentury Earth, Paul discovers he’s the clone of Sean Lyon, his great-great-grandfather and a famous TwenCen musician. Suspecting his mother’s death was no accident, Paul comes up with a plan to trick the answers out of the great-uncle who had him cloned. But in order to make his plan work, Paul needs help from Sean himself—and Sean’s time is running out in the TwenCen universe next door. Although Paul’s family lives on the spaceship that travels between the universes, he’s never been allowed on TwenCen Earth. Now, with the help of his friends, his disguise-creating holoprojectors, and a quantum quirk, Paul must make his way to Sean while evading other time travelers who fear he’ll change the history of the TwenCen universe. If Paul is to achieve justice, he must not only risk his own life, but the wormhole connecting the universes. “To be or not to be” was a simple question in comparison….