I started writing stories as a child.

Traina subsequently adopted Steel's son Nick and gave him his family name. While still married to Lazard Steel met Danny Zugelder while interviewing an inmate in a prison near Lompoc California where Zugelder was also incarcerated. They divorced in March 1981.

Based in California for most of her career Steel has produced several books a year often juggling up to five projects at once. Her formula is fairly consistent often involving rich families facing a crisis threatened by dark elements such as jail fraud blackmail and suicide.