American author from a city in US returned foreign currency (3,4)

I believe the answer is:

ayn rand

'american author' is the definition.
(pen name of Alice O'Connor the writer)

'a city in us returned foreign currency' is the wordplay.
'city in us' becomes 'ny' (short for New York).
'returned' says the letters should be written in reverse.
'foreign currency' becomes 'rand' (I've seen this before).
'ny' reversed gives 'yn'.
'a'+'yn'+'rand'='AYN RAND'

'from' is the link.

I've seen this clue in The Guardian.

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