Joylene Nowell Butler & Kiss of the Assassin Ebook Giveaway

 My bloggy-friend Joylene Nowell Butler has a new release! Check the bottom of the post for a chance to win an ebook copy of Kiss Of The Assassin!

The book has a fascinating premise involving a different culture from Joylene's own, so I had a question...

Tell us about the research involved in having a character from another culture.

Anytime you want to write about a subject you know little or nothing about, your best bet is knowledge, whether it's online, from a reliable source, or through education. In Kiss of the Assassin, there are three protagonists: a Soviet official, a Soviet orphan, and a Mexican-born American sergeant who served in Vietnam. 

While writing the first draft of Kiss of the Assassin, I practically lived at our local library because there were no such things as home computers. Not where I lived. 

I studied every piece of work written about the Vietnam War. I read memoirs, newspaper clippings, and watched documentaries. The Russian classics were next. I watched Soviet films and read Leo Tolstoy, Vladimir Nabokov, Ayn Rand, and more. DK Smithsonian: Vietnam War-The Definitive Illustrated History was an absolute must-read. I studied Mexican history. I read the classics and current memoirs. 

When I felt ready to begin work on the first chapter, I organized a filing system and kept it close at hand. I understood that writing a novel was an ongoing job that would require easy access to my extensive notes. 

As I gained confidence, I sought out friends and associates I knew could add credence to my work. I asked them if they would read my manuscript and advise me on how to make the story more credible. 

As the years passed and I continued to seek publication, there came a time when notable essays on the Vietnam War were released. I started my research again because I realized I had to update my findings as new information came to pass. 

As I gained knowledge of Russian and Mexican cultures, I gained confidence in my story. 

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Today let me introduce you to an intriguing new release, KISS OF THE ASSASSIN, by author Joylene Nowell Butler.

KISS OF THE ASSASSIN
by Joylene Nowell Butler

◊ Publisher: The Wild Rose Press, Inc (March 23, 2022)
◊ Paperback: 424 pages
◊ ASIN: B09P7T1ZRS
◊Language‏: English
* File size: ‎ 1138 KB
* Text-to-Speech: ‎ Enabled
* Screen Reader: ‎ Supported

Marina Antonovna, a Soviet spy, and Mateo Arcusa, an American homicide lieutenant first meet in Cambodia during the Vietnam War as enemies. Fearful that the most powerful man in the Soviet Union, KGB Chairman Vladimir Kurenkov, has ordered her death, Marina risks everything to defect to the United States.

 

She promises Mateo that her days as an assassin are over. Vladimir is determined to do whatever it takes to bring her back and, by threatening Mateo’s life, forces Marina to break her promise.

 

Meet the Author: Joylene Nowell Butler

Joylene Butler lives with her husband in the tiny village of Cluculz Lake in central B.C... She is the author of three suspense novels and a contributor to one anthology. 

For more on Joylene and her writing, visit her website and blog, as well as connect with her on Goodreads, Facebook, Twitter, and Amazon.

 Thanks so much for stopping by today during Joylene's visit. Doesn't this sound like an intriguing book, especially for the times we are in?

 

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Wow - that's a lot of research! Libraries are so useful for us and I love that you had people you could use to help you out as well!

Joylene is offering an ebook (ePub, Mobi or PDF) to one lucky visitor who comments on this blog post. All you need to do is let me know in the comments which type of file you would prefer and you're entered in the draw! I'll choose one random winner on Friday April 1st. 

How about you? Do you know enough about another culture to write about it or would you need to dive into the research? I would need to dive in!