Barbara Hambly is a fantasy author, drawn to the genre after reading The Wizard of Oz at an early age. She has written for Star Trek, Star Wars, and Beauty and the Beast, as well as her own original stories. She lives in California with her dogs, cats, and lizards.

Born in San Diego, California, she earned a masters in Medieval History at the University of California in 1975 and studying in Bordeaux, France. She works in various other genres including mystery/detective fiction and horror. She was married to the late George Alec Effinger, a science fiction writer.