Simplify the following text for a Grade 7 native English-speaking person.
Original: Shirley Jackson ( December 14 , 1916 , San Francisco , California - August 8 , 1965 , Bennington , Vermont ) was an important American author .
Simplified: Shirley Jackson ( December 14 , 1916 â `` August 8 , 1965 ) was an American author .