1. Una McCormack
Of all the Star Trek authors currently writing, obviously there are those who have been doing so longer than others. Una McCormack is not only one of the most recent, but has also written fewer books. She has had only one short story and five novels published professionally since 2003, but passionately honed her skills writing fan-fiction beforehand. Perhaps most impressive is Hollow Men. Originally pitched as a short story, it so impressed editor Marco Palmieri that he commissioned it as a full novel. Set immediately after Deep Space Nine's most controversial episode, In The Pale Moonlight, it deals with the effects of Captain Sisko's decisions, both politically and personally. When the other novels were moving forward with the Deep Space Nine relaunch (written adventures set after the conclusion of the TV series), McCormack's is so far the only novel to be retroactively set during the series itself. Breaking conventions isn't bad for a first full length novel. Not one to look back however, The Never-Ending Sacrifice not only concluded the DS9 relaunch, but also retrospectively linked it back to both the TV series itself, and also the Terok Nor novels which (narratively) precede them both. Her novel Brinkmanship delves into the Typhon Pact, literary Trek's newest antagonists, and in The Lotus Flower and The Crimson Shadow McCormack pretty much steers Cardassia's destiny single handedly. In such a short space of time McCormack is an award winner who has been given enviable opportunity and responsibility, and neither have been squandered. Not bad for someone who also squeezes in time to write for Doctor Who, and Blakes 7 as well!