Diane Duane was born on May 18, 1952 in New York City. She grew up and attended college on Long Island, the setting for most of Deep Wizardry. In 1974, she became a registered nurse. For two years she worked as a psychiatric nurse in New York City.

Then she began writing; her first book was published in 1979.

Duane is perhaps most widely known for her work in various aspects of the Star Trek phenomenon. As well as having written some of the most scientifically and dramatically intriguing Star Trek novels (notably The Wounded Sky), she has also written several issues of the comic book and an episode of the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation. In addition, she has designed one of the Star Trek computer games, an achievement that reflects her interest in computers. She occasionally writes adult science fiction in collaboration with her...