TechnoThriller
Date Published:
April 2015 (Paperback and eBook)
Jun 12 2018 (Audio Formats on Audible and iTunes)
Publisher: ICABOD Press
A brilliant mathematician and spoiled rich girl, Gretchen, is focused on harnessing Big Data and computing power to control the world stock markets not only to optimize her family’s wealth but also to control the future.
As a descendent of the Nazi Werewolf Clan, is Gretchen being maneuvered into leveraging unlimited computer power along with the ethical nihilism to manipulate lives, or just stretching her genius?
Is Gretchen working alone or is she adding additional computing sources from the Dark Net?
The R-Group, a high-level information gathering and security team, composed of Quip, Otto, Jacob, and Petra along with Julie and Juan’s fledgling group of Cyber Assassin Technology Services teams are trying to isolate the source of the massive computing power required.
Could these cyber schemers be as good at analyzing the information as the R-Group themselves?
Are people unwittingly feeding an ever-growing tsunami of information into increasingly sophisticated computer systems? This begs the question: who controls whom?
Breakfield and Burkey shared their 5th book, The Enigma Stolen, from their award-winning series focused on the relevant world of Big Data and analytics. This one will make you ask who are the winners when humans are herded to a machine's targeted end point?
What Readers are Saying
Kirkus “The covert Werewolf Clan, with ties to Nazis, may be responsible and has been using a computer program to accurately predict stock futures. But it has an even more ambitious plan to link supercomputers around the world and potentially manipulate the future.”
“Wow this series gets better and better with every book I feel. Stakes are high in this one. More people are using the technology to hire assassins to go after high profile people.”
“Yes, I am hooked. I love the way the plot twists and turns throughout the book. As one completes, another arises.”
Interview with Breakfield and Burkey
As a writer, what would you choose as your
mascot/avatar/spirit animal?
Breakfield and Burkey would
choose a spirit animal. This could take the form of a dragon or a tiger, both
of which happen in our series in different manners.
How many hours a day do you put into your writing?
We put in collectively 4-6
hours per day. As much as we love the idea of full-time writing, we both have
full-time jobs in technology which typically demand more than a standard
40-hour work week.
Do you read your book reviews?
Burkey tends to read nearly
every review, while Breakfield is a bit more selective. Constructively
delivered reviews help us shape changes in our next short story or book within
The Enigma Series. There have been a couple of mean-spirited ones that sting
quite a bit. We realize not every reader or listener will enjoy or delight or
wildly rave about our books to everyone they know (thought it would be
awesome), however constructive feedback on the work is far better than personal
attack. We appreciate the time it takes
to do a review.
Do you leave hidden messages in your books that only a few
people will find?
Breakfield and Burkey like to leave breadcrumbs to other
events that are taking place but make not come to fruition until another book.
We also like to make readers award of some of the safeguards they might want to
put into place to help technology remain useful.
Can you tell us a
little bit about the characters in The Enigma Stolen?
The Enigma Stolen leverages a history item of note
called the Werwolf Plan developed by the Nazis to create a resistance group
behind Allied lines. There was evidence that many of these people escaped to
Argentina. We used as a starting point for our brilliant but deprived Gretchen
who created some very special programs on her own supercomputer. She is one of those characters you might love
to hate.
Our cyber heroes, the R-Group led by Quip tries to
locate the source of some market manipulation anomalies. Quip brings additional
team resources on board to hunt down these criminals. Jacob (extraordinary
programmer) and Petra (high-end encryptionist) are continuing characters,
hunting cyber thugs using today’s technology.
Can you tell us a little bit about your next books or what you have
planned for the future?
Breakfield and Burkey are always
working on the next…story. The Enigma
Beyond, Book 11 in the series, is scheduled for release in January with a huge
special preorder n the Ebook for $.99 in December on Amazon. We would love all your readers support for
this preorder. This story is focused on
Artificial Intelligence and the next battleground for technology.
Book 12 is also in its formative
phase. More coming on that after The
Enigma Beyond is released.
Do you allow yourself a certain number of hours to write or do you
write as long as the words come?
During the week it is scheduled time around 4-6
hours. One the weekends we write or edit
until the characters stop whispering in our ears, telling us what they want to
do.
Do you have a certain number of words or pages you write per day?
Breakfield and Burkey learned
a long time ago to show not tell in a story to make the biggest impact. We write until we have told the section,
chapter or novel well. It is not the number of words or pages, but is the
storytelling inspired.
What inspires you to write?
Breakfield
and Burkey are technologists by profession and we love to explore the
possibilities. Technology is so engrained in our daily lives that we have
wealth of things to explore. Though we write fiction, the technology we
reference and include is real. We also enjoy people and the interactions between
them, bringing the best and worst into our stories. You’ll need to let us know
how we are doing.
Would you rather
Read fiction or
non-fiction?
Burkey prefers fiction, Breakfield prefers non-fiction.
Read series or
stand-alone?
No preference for either of us, just a great book.
Read Science fiction
or horror?
Science fiction over horror.
Read Stephen King or
Dean Koontz.
Both are awesome authors, but Dean Koontz.
Read the book or
watch the movie?
Read a book wins most times.
Read an ebook or
paperback?
Paperback or audible.
Be trapped alone for
one month in a library with no computer or a room with a computer and Wi-Fi
only?
Computer and Wi-Fi we can always reach out for books, but
being connected these days is important. Plus, Burkey couldn’t be quiet that
long.
Do a cross-country
book store tour or blog tour online?
Yes. Seriously we like both but cross-country offers a
chance to meet folks face-to-face and have a conversation or tell a story.
About the Authors
Breakfield – A renowned technology solutions architect with 25+ years of experience in security, hybrid data/telecom environments, unified communications, enjoys leveraging his professional skills in creating these contemporary TechnoThriller stories. He likes studying World War II history, travel, and cultural exchanges everywhere he can. Charles’ love of wine tastings, cooking, and Harley riding has found ways into The Enigma Series. He is convinced that being a part of his father’s military career in various outposts, has positively contributed to his many characters and the various character perspectives he brings into the series. He has accepted the challenge to try to teach Burkey humor and has added this to the stories in an unexpected manner.
Burkey – A renowned customer experience, business architect optimizes customer solutions on their technology foundation. She has been a featured speaker, subject matter expert, interviewer, instructor, and author of technology documents, as well as co-author of The Enigma Series. It was revealed a few years ago that writing fiction is a lot more fun than white papers or documentation and Rox took it to heart. As a child she helped to lead the other kids with exciting new adventures built on make believe characters. As a Girl Scout until high school she also contributed to the community in the Head Start program. Rox enjoys family, learning, listening to people, any kind of travel, outdoors, sewing, cooking, and imagining the possibilities.
Breakfield & Burkey – Combine their professional expertise, knowledge of the world from both business and personal travels, many characters whom have crossed their paths are a part of the series character universe. They find it interesting to use the aspects of technology people are actually incorporating into their daily lives and make it one aspect a primary theme for each story. Breakfield & Burkey claim this is a perfect way to create stories that pit the cyber good guys versus the cyber bad guys. The books in this award-winning series can be thoroughly enjoyed alone or in sequence.
You can invite them to talk about their stories in private or public book readings. Burkey also enjoys interviewing authors through the Indie Beacon/iHeart Radio programs with dates of interviews showing inside the calendar page of their website www.EnigmaSeries.com. Followers can see them at various book fairs, book Stores, Comic Book events, libraries and other fun venues.
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1 comments:
thanks for hosting
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