He is the author of numerous stand-alone novels as well as novels in Arthur C. Clarke's Venus Prime series, based upon incidents, characters, and places from Clarke's short stories.
Preuss was a consulting editor for the six-book Dr. Bones series (1988–1989) published by Ace Books.
In the first few years of his life Paul had lived in Georgia, Texas, New Mexico, Hawaii and Virginia.
Paul's father began working at Sandia Base testing nuclear bombs.
Paul went to school at Yale, where he met and befriended Sidney Mintz as well as Jean Rouch.