Benton County Neighbor   October 19 through October 25, 1983

(also published in the Benton County Daily Democrat, Sunday October 23, 1983)

excerpted from an article by VIRGINIA ABBOTT

A Well Published Neighbor

ROGERS: Ruby Jean tells it like is it.

     “Writing is hard work,” she said in talking to members of Writing Unlimited at their meeting this week. The Rogers author, who has written 19 novels and had 11 published, dispels any romantic notions about being a writer.

     “I’d love to curl up with a good mystery or listen to television programs,” she said.  No way.  The hours must be spent at the typewriter.

     Mrs. Jensen, a petite, soft-spoken professional, is always willing to share her expertise with fledgling writers, but she never romanticizes the craft.

     However, the painstaking research, the writing, the endless re-writing, bring their own rewards.  Two new paperbacks under the Jensen name—“Mama” and “The Lake” —have recently appeared in the Eastern book market, and Mrs. Jensen’s agent phoned from New York to tell her how well they are selling.

Vaughn Jensen is very supportive of his wife’s career. The two of them love to travel, and plan to do more.  But R. J. Jensen will always have another book simmering on the back burner.