In his prior life as a technology manager for an international oil company, Ted, his wife and family lived and travelled in some of the world’s most interesting places.

They lived in the jungles of Sumatra in Indonesia, the deserts of Kuwait (the setting for Sandstorm), and London (inspiration for Windstorm).

Ted has enjoyed standing atop the great wall of China, marveling at the wonders of the temple of Karnak in Egypt, treading the Old Silk Road in Uzbekistan and crawling through Vietcong tunnels in Vietnam.

The Simmons’ have settled down in Tallahassee, Florida, surrounded by kids and grandkids, and other great folks.

Ted is past president of the Tallahassee Writers Association, whose members comprise a whole bunch of those great folks.