Asher was born in Arcadia, California, on September 30, 1975. He is half Jewish. He attended Cuesta Community College and later California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, before leaving during his junior year to pursue his career as a writer. Asher spent years trying to kick-start a career writing children’s picture books. During this time, Asher worked at a shoe store, a trophy shop, libraries, and bookstores.

Asher married Joan Marie on September 7, 2002. Asher lives in California.

Asher’s novel, Thirteen Reasons Why, was considered for a film treatment with Selena Gomez starring. Netflix released a series based on the novel on March 31, 2017, with Gomez serving as executive producer.

In April 2017, the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (“SCBWI”) and Asher’s agent received an email signed anonymously by seven female members of the society accusing Asher of using conferences to lure women into sexual affairs and that he threatened them to keep quiet. Asher, who is married, admitted to engaging in multiple affairs with members of the society and agreed to no longer attend the conferences in any capacity.

In February 2018, the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators announced that it had expelled and cut ties with Asher in 2017 following allegations of sexual harassment. Asher disputed that he was expelled stating that he left voluntarily, and filed a lawsuit against the society. Prior to the lawsuit the allegations were not publicly reported in the press. Asher maintains that the affairs were consensual and that he has been a target of harassment for a decade. Asher has not revealed the names of his accusers stating that he has no intention in doing so.

On February 13, 2018, a spokesperson for Netflix confirmed to BuzzFeed News that Asher did not play a creative role in the further seasons of the series.