Sandra Simonds grew up in Los Angeles, California. She earned a B.A. in Psychology and Creative Writing at U.C.L.A, an M.F.A. from the University of Montana, and a Ph.D. in Creative Writing from Florida State University. She is the author of five books of poetry: Further Problems With Pleasure (Forthcoming, University of Akron), Steal It Back (Saturnalia Books, 2015), The Sonnets (Bloof Books, 2014), Mother was a Tragic Girl (Cleveland State University Poetry Center in 2012) and Warsaw Bikini (Bloof Books, 2009).