Joylene Nowell Butler is a Canadian Métis author known for her suspense novels and political thrillers, including "Dead Witness," "Maski: Broken But Not Dead," "Break Time," "Matowak: Woman Who Cries," and "Kiss of the Assassin." Her work "Broken But Not Dead" earned her the IPPY Silver Medal in 2012. Born in Portage La Prairie, Manitoba, she is the youngest of three children in a family with a rich heritage - her father was a veteran, farmer, and truck driver, while her mother was a member of the wartime singing trio The Desjardins Sisters.
Nowell Butler grew up in British Columbia, where her family settled after her father's naval service. Her rural upbringing, surrounded by animals and embracing a tomboy lifestyle, influenced her grounded storytelling. She holds a Bachelor's degree in English and Philosophy from Simon Fraser University. In 1979, she and her husband relocated to Prince George, BC, with their five sons, later building a home on Cluculz Lake. Today, she divides her time between Bucerias, Nayarit, and various locations in British Columbia, continuing to draw from her diverse life experiences in her writing.