Eric Lustbader was born in New York City and graduated from Columbia College in 1968. While Lustbader was still in college, he began work in the entertainment industry by creating his own music production company that included work with such bands as Cheap Trick, Mountain, and Blue Oyster Cult. Lustbader turned his focus to writing when he published the following bestsellers: "Ninja," "Jian," and "Floating City."