Lynn Sheffield Simmons resides on a small farm in Argyle, Texas, south of Denton. She often draws on her own life as inspiration for her work. Sugar Lump, the Orphan Calf, for instance, is based upon Mrs. Simmons’ actual experience of nursing a young steer back to health.

Mrs. Simmons has written four Accelerated Reader Program selection books for middle readers.

She is the founder of the North Texas Book Festival, Inc., a nonprofit organization that raises funds for school libraries, public libraries, and literacy programs in the north Texas area and sponsors a book festival each April with about seventy-five authors participating. She is also the founder and manager of the Argyle Seniors’ Activities Center

Mrs. Simmons is a strong advocate of parents and children reading together. Her booklets, Using the Newspaper to Teach Reading Readiness and Newspaper in the Home: Helping Your Child with Homework, have been used in many households. Mrs. Simmons’ award-winning column, “Up a Creek,” historical reviews, and feature stories have appeared in a number of newspapers and magazines throughout Texas.

Lynn Sheffield Simmons holds a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and a master’s degree in special education from Texas Woman’s University. A member of Phi Delta Kappa honorary fraternity, Mrs. Simmons has many years of experience in private tutoring and public-school teaching.