Born Michael Paul McDowell on August 29, 1954 (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), he attended St. Joseph's High School (Camden, New Jersey) (Class of 1972)[1] and Michigan State University.

Kube-McDowell has written for television, been a stringer for a daily newspaper, and published short fiction, reviews, assorted nonfiction and erotica.

He was honored for teaching excellence by the 1985 White House Commission on Presidential Scholars.

Three of his stories have been adapted as episodes of the TV series Tales from the Darkside.

Outside of science fiction Kube-McDowell is the author of more than 500 nonfiction articles on subjects ranging from space careers to "scientific creationism" to an award-winning four-part series on the state of American education.