About Me

Sandy Brown Jensen portrait
Shooting with Burnside 35 Lensbaby lens at Kubota Gardens in Seattle, Photo by Carol Vipperman

Hi, I’m Sandy Brown Jensen, a retired Creative Writing, English and Composition instructor (click for a video called “How I Became a Teacher) from Lane Community College in Eugene, Oregon.

I’ve been writing since 4th grade when my parents pulled all four kids out of school for a one-month road trip to Mexico. My teacher assigned me to keep a journal and to write letters back home to my class once a week. I’ve been keeping journals ever since.

At 19, I sold a story about throwing kittens in the river (would I kid you?) to Harper’s Weekly for $25.00 and got instantly addicted to publishing

When I first began teaching creative writing, I was mentored by the great mythologist Joseph Campbell. He was the one who taught me the journey of any writer, male or female, is the journey of a hero struggling to bring the Gift of Self to the world.

Now I am retired. I am an independent scholar writing about whatever the heck I want to, doing photography, writing, doing radio, hiking and snowshoeing.

I am an arts reviewer for Viz City, KLCC’s Arts Review Program. KLCC, NPR for Oregonians.

Some of my papers and stories are online at https://lanecc.academia.edu/SandyBrownJensen

This blog has turned into a travel vlog as I have begun traveling more.

It has also turned into a location for my photography portfolios.

Mind on Fire is the online repository of my digital life and creations.