Children’s fiction author Cintia Alfonso Fior first realized she wanted to be a writer after working with diverse underserved populations in South America, North America, and Africa. The perception of injustices and the great need to advocate for underserved populations, particularly children, inspired her to write her magical realism novel for young readers, Moraline. Her writing focuses on helping young readers develop peacebuilding skills, with the aim of developing conversations about conflict analysis, resolution and advocacy. 

Cintia has a MA in Peace and Justice Studies from the Kroc Institute of Peace Studies at the University of San Diego and serves as the current chair of the American Family Therapy Academy’s (AFTA) Family Policy and Human Rights committee. When she isn’t writing impactful and socially conscious books for middle-grade readers, Cintia is a qualitative researcher working in Africa, a clinical psychologist, and a Ph.D. candidate. She enjoys being a mother of three, tending to her garden, cooking, and running. Originally from Argentina, she lives in San Diego, California. Moraline is her debut novel.