Steve Sheinkin was born in Brooklyn, New York, and spent his childhood in various places including Colorado and Mississippi before his family settled in the suburbs of New York City. As a young reader, he was drawn to action-packed stories and outdoor adventures, with his favorite book being "Mutiny on the Bounty," a novel based on a true story of a famous mutiny aboard a British ship in the late 1700s.
Sheinkin attended Syracuse University, where he studied communications and international relations. His time in college was highlighted by a summer he spent in Central America, working on a documentary in Nicaragua. After graduation, he moved to Washington D.C. and worked for the National Audubon Society. Later, he moved to Austin, Texas with his brother Ari, where they made their own feature film, "A More Perfect Union." Despite their high hopes, the film did not become the hit they had anticipated, and Sheinkin moved to Brooklyn to find a way to make a living as a writer.
For several years, Sheinkin worked as a textbook writer for an educational publishing company. He started by fact-checking and making small edits to clarify the text, but gradually began to write more and more as the editors noticed the quality of his writing. He eventually became a full-time writer of chapters for textbooks. Although this work was initially just for a paycheck, Sheinkin now looks back on it as valuable experience that taught him discipline and helped him collect stories for his future works.
In 2008, Sheinkin left textbook writing to focus on his own writing projects. He has since become a successful author of award-winning nonfiction books, including "FALLOUT," "BOMB," "UNDEFEATED," "THE PORT CHICAGO 50," "MOST DANGEROUS," "THE NOTORIOUS BENEDICT ARNOLD," "LINCOLN'S GRAVE ROBBERS," "BORN TO FLY," and "IMPOSSIBLE ESCAPE." He has also started a chapter book series called "TIME TWISTERS," which combines history and comedy in a way that makes learning fun for readers. Sheinkin currently lives in Saratoga Springs, New York with his wife and two children.