Rox Burkey & Charles Breakfield
Breakfield & Burkey, professional technology experts, have series and standalone stories available, with more planned. Find sample chapters, author interviews, scheduled events, reviews, Q&A, and book trailers at https://www.EnigmaSeries.com. Using their knowledge of technology, they weave compelling, relevant contemporary stories filled with TechnoThriller suspense, romance, humor, travel, and intrigue. They also ventured into writing cozy mysteries with the Underground Authors in the Magnolia Bluff Crime Chronicles.
Marina Raydun: What is it like writing together? What’s your process like? Do you write live together or do you alternate chapters etc?
Rox Burkey & Charles Breakfield: Our unique storytelling journey begins with an idea sparked by our work or in the news that we discuss taking to a story concept, blending plotter and panster attributes. We meet to plan who does what, to whom, where, and when; the rest is just nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs. We map out a storyline as a synopsis, propose the initial 15-20 chapters in a spreadsheet, and then begin writing. The manuscript is batted back and forth electronically between us—our form of literary ping-pong. This dynamic process helps us smooth out the story, polish characters, and deliver a finished story that reads as though there is only one voice. We do research during the entire process, ensuring we can successfully argue our premise of the story. We meet in person or via Zoom weekly until we feel comfortable submitting it to an editor for review. Then, we complete modifications.
MR: How did the concept for the Enigma series emerge?
RBCB: The Enigma series emerged from our early days as technical manual writers. We grew tired of it, and one day, Burkey came up with a brilliant idea. She asked why we don’t turn to fiction but keep the technical facts to ground the stories in the real world. This unique approach allows us to scan the technical horizon, looking for the next element to explore or learn how it can make people vulnerable to power or greed. It isn’t challenging to find new material for cyber thugs to use to their advantage. The cyberheroes must try to stop them. The locations and situations the characters find themselves in are realistic, which makes the stories relatable to contemporary readers and listeners in today’s connected digital world.
MR: 3. How many Enigma installments do you anticipate? Are they all outlined?
RBCB: We have an exciting future planned for the Enigma Series. We have 12 novels in the Enigma Series and 2 in the next generation of the Technothriller trilogy of the Enigma Heirs. We also write mysteries as part of the Underground Authors in the Magnolia Bluff Crime Chronicles. These cozy mysteries allow us to learn to write in this genre. We offer novellas and short stories that capture the back story of many of the series’ characters. Stay tuned for more thrilling installments!
MR: You both work in technology. How did the shift to fiction writing come about?
RBCB: We began as technical manual writers but quickly grew tired of it due to the constant change of technology. The publisher asked for an updated version as soon as the non-fiction was delivered. Ugh! One day, Burkey asked why we don’t write fiction but keep the technical facts to ground the stories in the real world. She gave Breakfield the first few chapters of our book, The Enigma Factor. She called a few days later to convince Breakfield to form a writing partnership by pointing out that we could kill people in the stories and NOT go to jail.
MR: What does literary success mean to you?
RBCB: Literary success is meeting people face-to-face and talking about our stories and the series we have produced. We love book clubs, to which we offer bulk discounts if they request them via email, and we enjoy coming to speak with them about the story. It goes without saying that it is also about having gobs of reviews from enthusiastic readers who hound us for the next book or film producers begging for the right to put a story on the big screen. Hey, Netflix, Amazon, etcetera, we’re right here.
MR: What is the best review you’ve ever received?
RBCB: The best review that comes to mind was one that said, “I didn’t want to feel sorry for Mathias but I couldn’t help myself…”
MR: What is the worst?
RBCB: We’ve had a review that personally attacked us, not the story, which still bothers Burkey, so we won’t say the specifics. It was extremely hurtful because the reviewer could remain anonymous. We write what we know and have researched; thus, the technology aspects are real at the time of release. Being cruel to an author is very different from saying that the story is not genre or too scary. Anonymity can make even the meekest individual feel powerful. We appreciate honest reviews.
MR: When not writing, what are your favorite pastimes and how do you feel they affect your writing?
RBCB: Charles loves wine tastings, cooking, woodworking, and Harley riding. Some of these elements are found throughout the tales. He continues to try to teach Burkey humor. Rox enjoys family, learning, people-watching, travel, and cooking. Elements of our life experiences have been distilled and inserted into the stories.
MR: What genres do you like to read?
RBCB: Breakfield prefers WWII history and science fiction. Burkey enjoys many different genres as a book reviewer but is partial to spicy romance.
MR: What are you currently reading?
RBCB: For Breakfield, it is The Iron Coffin, a WWII U-boat memoir. Burkey is reading a couple of different mysteries, including the latest in the Magnolia Bluff Crime Chronicles by Cindy Davis, Courtin’ Disaster, and listening to The Challenger Sale.
For more, please reach out directly to Authors@EnigmaSeries.com.