Originally employed as a writer and producer's assistant on Star Trek: The Next Generation, Edwards took up the task of sorting through Stewart's fan mail - which, by the end of the first season, had reached a box a day. Following this, Edwards began to help Stewart with more tasks. When Edwards left The Next Generation to work on In the Heat of the Night, Stewart called her up and asked her to return, noting "I really hate doing all this stuff for myself again". Stewart persuaded Brent Spiner, Jonathan Frakes and Gates McFadden to also employ her as their assistant for one day a week. Eventually, Stewart bought out the other cast members, leaving Edwards working just for him.