From 1996 to 2004 she was a consulting editor at Tor Books and since 1993 she has been a full-time writer, lecturer and teacher.

She was a guest author at the Virginia Highlands Festival Creative Writing Days in 2001.

The Freedom Maze (2011), set in Louisiana in 1960 and 1860, is a young adult fantasy novel that uses the device of time-travel to explore the themes of slavery, courage, womanhood, and family ties.

[3] Her novel The Evil Wizard Smallbone (2016) was nominated for the Andre Norton Award.

[3] Sherman is co-editor (with Ellen Kushner and Donald G. Keller) of the fantasy anthology The Horns of Elfland, and (with Terri Windling) of The Essential Bordertown.