Suzy McKee Charnas was born in New York City on October 22, 1939, to Robinson and Maxine McKee, who were both artists. She attended Barnard College, where she received a B.A. in 1961, and New York University, where in 1965 she received a master's degree in teaching. Indeed, she has spent much of her career teaching. She worked with the Peace Corps and taught history and English in Nigeria.

In the United States she has taught history and African studies in junior and senior high schools, and more recently she has served as an instructor at writing workshops. In 1968 she married Stephen Charnas, a lawyer, and now has two stepchildren, Charles and Joanna.

Charnas, who has described herself as "a late bloomer" because her first book was published when she was thirty-four, is well-known for her work in adult science fiction. She received the Nebula Award in...