So, my brother in New York finally got his copy of Beer Run. He saw my dedication of the book to my father “progenitor of much fine beer and annoying siblings.” He apparently took some half-hearted offense to that dedication and texted me a picture of his middle finger, along with an obscene caption. Ahh, brothers. I don’t think it will surprise many of those who have read the book that Isaac is directly inspired by my two brothers.

If you haven’t read my book…why haven’t you read my book? It’s on Kindle Unlimited, and if you don’t have that, the ebook is really cheap. Check the link here.  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BLSVRZN5

Alright, since you have all now read my book, you know Isaac, or A-1, the first sentient android in my universe. Unlike certain other androids in science fiction, Isaac is self-centered, egotistical, career-obsessed, and neurotic. Isaac hates being treated like a machine. Then he builds another android and proceeds to boss her around. Isaac talks down to Bill for running a brewery rather than a robotics lab, and then rats on his brother to the authorities because his “legacy” is at stake. But he’s the first person Bill sees after nearly dying and follows Bill to the end of the story, teaming up with his adoptive brother to get them out of a hostage situation. (If this makes you want to read the book, the link is above!) That’s siblings for you. You hate them, you love them, and somehow you do both at the same time.

Isaac is mostly based on an exaggerated version of my brother, Joseph, who’s currently working as an architect in Brooklyn now. Joseph is irritating, narcissistic, and one of the only people who kept my grandmother and a lot of our other elderly relatives company as they passed away. Don’t worry, he mocks me in a very similar way. (In my family, I am known as the destroyer of chairs) But, we’re glad to have each other around.

I based the character Isaac off my brother because the typical android character is just too dull, too robotic. (Well, I guess that’s the point) I wanted an android who was more like a person, not just trying to be a person, like a Pinocchio made of steel. Isaac is too flawed to be a Data, and that is what makes him real.

I bring all this up because I have two brothers. The other is named Nathan, and his birthday is tomorrow. Since I haven’t created a character based on him, I thought I would dedicate this blog post to him. Happy 34th Birthday Nathan! Many more years to you.