About the Author

Nico Alder writes contemporary Young Adult fiction exploring queer identity, emotional architecture, and the courage it takes to live unscripted.

A longtime resident of Orange County, California, Nico lives in Anaheim, where the nightly theme park fireworks serve as both a reliable clock and a familiar background hum. Having spent years observing the sharp contrast between manicured tourist corridors and the concrete riverbeds, strip malls, and suburban tracts where everyday life actually unfolds, Nico writes about chronic over-thinkers learning to lower their guard.

When not drafting fiction, Nico can usually be found walking the Santa Ana River Trail, sketching mid-century floor plans, or searching for the best cup of taro milk tea in the county.

Maps for the Real World: Point of Origin is Nico's debut novel.