Steven D. Brewer teaches scientific writing at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. His fantasy story “Revin's Heart” has been serialized by Water Dragon Publishing. As an author, Brewer identifies diverse obsessions that underlie his writing: deep interests in natural history, life science, and environmentalism; an abiding passion for languages; a fascination with Japanese culture; and a mania for information technology and the Internet. Brewer lives in Amherst, Massachusetts with his extended family.

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I had a lot of fun writing this story. When I was a kid, one of my friends was described as a “mediocre influence” on me. And that's perhaps the genesis of the story. I've also always been fascinated by Artificial Intelligence and its potential both to assist and oppress us. Finally, I grew up in a place where my family spoke “correct” English while my peers used a more vernacular dialect, which I was compelled to learn and which rears its head here. I hope you enjoy reading this story as much as I did writing it!