Harvey was born in San Leandro, California, and grew up in the East Bay area of Castro Valley, California. She graduated from Moreau Catholic High School and attended college at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington, and California State University, East Bay in Hayward, California before earning a Bachelor of Arts in theater arts with an emphasis in costume design from the University of California, Santa Cruz. She later received a Master of Arts in visual culture, with an emphasis in costume history, from New York University.

Harvey spent several years working for the costume department of the Renaissance Entertainment Corporation on events held in California and Wisconsin. She also spent a year and three months working in the Creative Costume Department of Walt Disney World in Orlando (Lake Buena Vista), Florida.

As of 2009, she is an instructor of design and fashion history at the International Academy of Design and Technology branch in Nashville, Tennessee (called IADT Nashville for short). She also makes frequent appearances at conventions, speaking on and demonstrating costuming techniques at conferences such as Arisia, MidSouthCon, Hypericon, and Archon.

Harvey currently lives in Nashville, Tennessee.

Fiction

• Labyrinth of the Dead, June 2010, Apex Book Company
• The Convent of the Pure, April 2009, Apex Book Company
• "Lost and Found," March 2009, short story, Kerlak Publishing, appearing in the Dragons Composed anthology.
• "The Muse," December 2007, short story, Circle Dark Publishing e-book anthology Twilight and Thorns.
• A Year and a Day, August 2006, paperback novel, Premium Press America under Long Meadow Books imprint.

Non-fiction

• The American Beauty Industry, 2010, Greenwood Publishing Group. Harvey contributed entries on fashion magazines, wigs, the "Natural Look," fashion designers, retail, and manufacturing.
• Encyclopedia of World Dress and Costume, 2010, Greenwood Publishing Group. Harvey contributed chapters on Italy, Portugal, and the United Kingdom.
• Clothing in World History, December 2007, Greenwood Publishing Group:
• Costumes and history of ancient Persia
• The 1960s and 1970s.

• 2009 Best in Show- Plus Size award at the St. Vincent de Paul Society's Discarded to Divine event.

• 2007 Best in Show- Separates award at the St. Vincent de Paul Society's Discarded to Divine event.