Dorothea Jensen is proud to be one of a very few people who has boarded a pirate ship and attacked a Viking vessel manned by real Vikings wearing horns and furs. She was born in Boston, but grew up in Chillicothe, Illinois, site of the Viking adventure.  She then earned a BA in English from Carleton College and an MA in Secondary Education from the University of New Mexico. She has served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in South America, taught middle and high school English, tutored refugees in ESL, written grant proposals for various arts and history non-profits, written one play performed in Noh style, and another celebrating Lafayette's Farewell Tour performed at Old Sturbridge Village. 

Her first historical novel for young readers, THE RIDDLE OF PENNCROFT FARM, has been used in classrooms for many years as an enrichment resource for kids studying the American Revolution. Her second historical novel, A BUSS FROM LAFAYETTE, is set during General Lafayette's Farewell Tour of America (1824-5) in the small town in New Hampshire where she has lived since 1991. She also co-authored a teacher's guide for using A BUSS FROM LAFAYETTE to help students understand the major role played by Lafayette, the French Alliance and other facts about the Revolutionary War.

Dorothea also writes modern Christmas stories in verse. Modeled on the 19th century classic poem, "A Visit from St. Nicholas", these award-winning illustrated story poems feature decidedly 21st century elves savvy in modern technology. Four have been published: TIZZY, THE CHIRSTMAS SHELF ELF; BLIZZY, THE WORRYWART ELF; DIZZY, THE STOWAWAY ELF; AND FRIZZY, THE S.A.D. ELF. The fifth, BIZZY, THE BOSSY BOOTS ELF, will be released in 2020.

Also in 2020, Dorothea combined her knowledge of history and delight in versitying to write LIBERTY-LOVING LAFAYETTE: HOW "AMERICA'S FAVORITE FIGHTING FRENCHMAN HELPED WIN OUR INDEPENDENCE. This playful rhyming narrative covers what Hamilton left out about Lafayette!

In addition to writing, Dorothea is an experienced actress and singer. She performed with the Ex Machina Baroque Opera Company in Minneapolis, and also played most of the Gilbert and Sullivan battle-ax contralto and ingenue mezzo roles with companies in Philadelphia and Minneapolis. She usually lost the hero to the soprano.