Diane Duane
American author of Young Wizards and Star Trek novels.
Diane Duane (born May 18, 1952) is an American author of science fiction and fantasy, who has lived in Ireland for many years. She is known for the Young Wizards young adult fantasy series and the Rihannsu Star Trek novels.
Duane was born in New York City and raised in Roosevelt, Long Island. After finishing school, she trained as a nurse and worked in psychiatric nursing for two years. In 1976, she moved to California and became an assistant to writer David Gerrold. Her first novel came out from Dell Books in 1979; Gerrold contributed an "overture" to it, saying he would rather write overtures than introductions for her. She then worked as a freelance writer. In 1981, she relocated to Pennsylvania.
She married Northern Irish author Peter Morwood in 1987. The couple later moved to the United Kingdom and then to Ireland, settling in Grangecon, County Wicklow.
Her bibliography includes the Young Wizards series, which began with *So You Want to Be a Wizard* in 1983 and continued with *Deep Wizardry*, *High Wizardry*, *A Wizard Abroad*, *The Wizard's Dilemma*, *A Wizard Alone*, *Wizard's Holiday*, *Wizards at War*, *A Wizard of Mars*, *Interim Errantry*, and *Games Wizards Play*. A short story in the same universe, "Uptown Local," appeared in Jane Yolen's *Dragons and Dreams* anthology and is available as a podcast from Duane's website; it also appears in the twentieth anniversary edition of *So You Want to Be a Wizard*. In February 2011, Duane announced she would release updated versions of the first four books, revising technology, fixing timeline issues, and making the series more appealing to contemporary young adult readers. The first revised edition came out in June 2011 in ebook format, with the next three following in subsequent months, and the publisher switching to the revised editions with new covers around the release of the next book in the series.
The Feline Wizards series, set in the same world as Young Wizards, follows cat-wizards who maintain the worldgates used for travel between universes. It includes *Book of Night with Moon*, *On Her Majesty's Wizardly Service* (published in the US as *To Visit the Queen*), and *The Big Meow*. In December 2005, Duane asked fans to fund *The Big Meow* through subscriptions, per-chapter pledges, merchandise, donations, and challenge grants. Over two and a half years, she wrote seven of the book's thirteen
- born
- May 18, 1952
- field
- Science fiction and fantasy author
- nationality
- American
- known_for
- Young Wizards series, Rihannsu Star Trek novels
Quick Facts
- Birth Date
- mf=yes · 1952 · 5 · 18
- Birth Place
- New York City, U.S.
- Occupation
- Author
- Spouse
- Peter Morwood · 1987 · May 9, 2025 · end=d.
- Genre
- Science fiction, fantasy, animation
- Website
- http: · dianeduane.com
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Diane Duane was born in New York City and grew up in Roosevelt, Long Island. After school, she studied nursing and practiced as a psychiatric nurse for two years until 1976, when she moved to California and worked as an assistant to David Gerrold. Her first novel was published by Dell Books in 1979; Gerrold wrote an 'overture' to that novel. She subsequently worked as a freelance writer. In 1981, she moved to Pennsylvania. She married Northern Irish author Peter Morwood in 1987; they later moved to the United Kingdom and then to Ireland, where they resided in Grangecon, County Wicklow.
Her most famous work is the Young Wizards series, beginning with So You Want to Be a Wizard (1983). She also wrote the Feline Wizards series, set in the same universe, and the Middle Kingdoms high fantasy series. Duane has written numerous Star Trek novels, including the Rihannsu sub-series, and a trilogy of Spider-Man novels. She also shares story credit on the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode 'Where No One Has Gone Before' with Michael Reaves.
Reader's Guide
Diane Duane's significance lies in her prolific contributions to both young adult fantasy and licensed science fiction. The Young Wizards series, which began in 1983, has been a long-running and influential work in YA fantasy, notable for its integration of science and magic. Her Rihannsu novels expanded the lore of the Romulan species in the Star Trek universe, becoming fan favorites. Duane's ability to write across multiple series—including original fantasy, Star Trek, Spider-Man, and other media tie-ins—demonstrates her versatility. Her work often explores themes of responsibility, entropy, and the interconnectedness of universes. The ongoing revision of the early Young Wizards books for contemporary readers shows her commitment to keeping her work relevant. Her legacy is that of a dedicated storyteller who has built rich, interconnected fictional worlds over decades.
Did You Know?
- Duane worked as a psychiatric nurse for two years before becoming a writer.
- Her first novel was published in 1979 with an 'overture' by David Gerrold.
- She shares story credit on the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode 'Where No One Has Gone Before'.
- In 2011, she announced revised editions of the first four Young Wizards books, updating technology and fixing timeline issues.
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