Before writing for the Star Wars universe, Luceno wrote 1980's Headhunters, the tale of three Americans' adventure in South America, a place Luceno himself has traveled extensively. He also authored A Fearful Symmetry, Rainchaser, Rock Bottom, and The Big Empty in 1993. Luceno wrote the film adaptations for The Shadow and The Mask of Zorro; for "The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles", Luceno penned 1992's The Mata Hari Affair.

He is also the author of the new Web Warrior series and co-author of the popular Robotech novelization series with his close friend, the late Brian Daley. The pair wrote under the pseudonym Jack McKinney. He wrote a tribute to Daley which is posted on Daley's website along with photos of the two of them. Daley and Luceno were also amongst a team of writers for the 1986 television cartoon series The Adventures of the Galaxy Rangers; Luceno alone also wrote two episodes for the 1995 cartoon series Princess Gwenevere and the Jewel Riders (both of them created by Robert Mandell).

In an interview with Star Wars Insider magazine, Luceno said that he would like to write a future novel dealing with the search for immortality that both Qui-Gon Jinn and Darth Plagueis embarked upon in their own separate ways. However, in a talk show interview in February 2007, he indicated that the novel was currently on hold due to Expanded Universe continuity concerns. The novel has now been canceled and is being replaced by a Darth Bane novel. He is currently in the beginning stages of a new Star Wars effort, as well as intermittently working on an autobiography.

Luceno lives in Annapolis, Maryland with his wife and children, Jake and Carlos Luceno. When he is taking a break from writing, he enjoys woodworking in his Annapolis home.