Former CIA Targeter turned Spy Thriller Author, special guest: Cathleen Butler

Cathleen Butler spent ten years as a targeting officer within CIA’s Directorate of Operations, Counterterrorism Center. Both at Langley and on temporary assignments in the Middle East, Cathleen spearheaded operational efforts to achieve some of the most sensitive foreign intelligence objectives in Afghanistan and Iraq. She has both first-hand knowledge of targeting methodologies used in the recruitment of spies and extensive field experience in working with foreign liaisons to discover and apprehend terrorists abroad. She is a staunch advocate for women’s rights in the Middle East and has worked for human rights campaigns in Afghanistan to protect and promote the rights of disenfranchised Afghan women and girls. Her first book in a planned series, Juliet’s War, merges multiple genres, featuring elements of spy, thriller, and romantic suspense. She lives in Charleston, SC with her husband and children. About her book Juliet's War: With powerful insight from a former CIA spy, Juliet’s War weaves fact and fiction, highlighting a story seldom told: how female heroics can change war.Syndicate spy Juliet Arroway and her best friend, Mariam, a progressive Saudi princess and passionate proponent of clean energy and women’s equality in the region, hunt energy terrorists to put an end to a global energy war. But when an op to find a key player in the terrorist network goes wrong, and a successful attack is launched on Westminster Hall, the Syndicate begins to suspect that Mariam's family is somehow involved. To make matters more devastating, Juliet's serious boyfriend, Jean-Marc, is targeted and killed, leaving her grieving and even more determined to stop the war.On Syndicate orders, Juliet is paired with a dashing, arrogant FBI agent, Graham, to infiltrate Mariam's family to prevent further attacks. As much as Juliet dislikes Graham at first, she cannot deny their connection, or the comfort that comes from being able to share her work with him, something she was never able to do with Jean-Marc. With Graham, Juliet embarks on a dangerous journey toward survival and love, as they cross the globe from London to Riyadh, Paris to Istanbul, and Moscow to Chechnya's City of the Dead to put an end to the war that cost them both. And when Mariam discovers the truth behind her family’s involvement, she joins Juliet and Graham in their quest. But when peace means a stunning betrayal, Juliet must decide if her mission and achieving equal rights for women in the region, justifies the crushing defeat of others.