The novel originated from a biography of Cardassian Elim Garak in the form of a diary which was written by Robinson after he landed the recurring role in the series.

He would read extracts from it at Star Trek conventions for fans, and was heard by novelist David R. George III, who suggested he should submit it for publishing.

The narrative of the novel happens on Cardassia after the end of the Dominion War where Garak, living in the ruins of his childhood home, is helping with relief efforts while reminiscing about a society that is gone.

The first timeline follows him through his childhood in the home of Enabran Tain being raised as the gardener's son with Mila as his birth mother, his training as a youth at a brutal military academy called Bamarren Institute for State Intelligence, his recruitment into the Obsidian Order, his rise through the ranks as a skilled operative carrying out various covert missions, his enmity with Gul Dukat and his disobedience of Enabran Tain over Palandine, a woman he loves which leads to his downfall and exile.

George heard Robinson read from the biography at a Star Trek convention, and suggested that it would be suitable to be turned into a novel.

[10] It was announced in 2000 that Robinson and actor Alexander Siddig, who portrayed Dr. Julian Bashir on Deep Space Nine, would write a sequel to A Stitch in Time due for publishing during 2001.

[8] He was invited back to write a short story for the Deep Space Nine anniversary anthology Prophecy and Change (ISBN 0-7434-7073-7) in 2003.

[14][15] Paul Cole for the Sunday Mercury from Birmingham, UK, said of the novel, "It's a suitably ironic, oblique and at times obscure set of reminiscences as Robinson weaves together three different time-frames, held together with theme rather than an overall plot.