The inspiration for the character of Alex Vause on Orange Is the New Black speaks out for the first time about her relationship with Piper Kerman, her involvement in an international drug-smuggling ring, and the bold decisions and epic mistakes that led to the infamous orange jumpsuit.

“A powerful, surprising memoir about crime and punishment, friendship and marriage, and a life caught in the ruinous drug trade and beyond.”—Publishers Weekly

“In prose that is brilliant (at times breathtaking), Cleary offers us a story of regret and redemption. . . . She writes unflinchingly about her ordeals in the violent and overcrowded prison system.”—HuffPost Books

“Wolters’s accessible and honest memoir opens the door and invites readers in. Patrons won’t meet Alex Vause, the sultry drug-trafficking queen of OITNB. Instead, they’ll meet Wolters—a woman with aspirations, whose missteps take her on unexpected journeys.”—Library Journal

“Can’t-put-it-down entertainment.”—Next Magazine

“A riveting tale, told well and full of lessons. Like many prisoners, she paid a big price for some relatively dumb actions, taken when she was young. . . Her life and loves then, her imprisonment to follow, and her way back to the free world are all detailed here in a voice that is heartfelt and honest, toughening when it needs to be but remaining steadfast.”—Booklist

The real-life Alex Vause from the critically acclaimed, top-rated Netflix show Orange Is the New Black tells her story in her own words for the first time-a powerful, surprising memoir about crime and punishment, friendship and marriage, and a life caught in the ruinous drug trade and beyond. Fans nationwide have fallen in love with Orange Is the New Black, the critically acclaimed and wildly popular Netflix show based on Piper Kerman's sensational #1 New York Times bestseller. Now, Catherine Cleary Wolters-the inspiration for Alex Vause, Piper's ex-girlfriend, friend, and sometimes-romantic partner on the show-tells her true story, offering details and insights that fill in the blanks, set the record straight, and answer common fan questions. An insightful, frustrating, heartbreaking, and uplifting analysis of crime and punishment in our times, Out of Orange is an intimate look at international drug crime-a seemingly glamorous lifestyle that dazzles unsuspecting young women and eventually leads them to the seedy world of prison. Told by a woman originally thrust into the spotlight without her permission-Wolters learned about Piper's memoir in the media-Out of Orange chronicles Wolter's time in the drug trade, her incarceration, her friendships and acquaintances with odd cellmates, her two marriages, and her complicated relationship with Piper. But Wolters is not solely defined by her past; she also reflects on her life and the person she is today. Filled with colorful characters, fascinating tales, painful sobering lessons, and hard-earned wisdom, Out of Orange is sure to be provocative, entertaining, and ultimately inspiring.