Biography

Dan Simmons was born in Peoria, Illinois. He began writing stories as a child, aiming to captivate audiences with his storytelling. He earned a B.A. in English from Wabash College in 1970, followed by a Master’s degree in Education from Washington University in St. Louis in 1971. Simmons started publishing short stories early on, but his career gained momentum in 1982 when, with the support of Harlan Ellison, he attended the Milford workshop—described by Ellison as “the best SF writing workshop in the world.” Ellison became Simmons’s mentor and friend, encouraging him to pursue writing full-time. His short story The River Styx Runs Upstrea...Read More