- Mary Ann Jensen self-published her seventh book, "Rebound," in April 2026.
- Jensen has been writing, illustrating and publishing her books since she was 11 years old.
- She wants to continue writing and inspiring others through her stories.
Between graduating from high school a few weeks ago, preparing to compete in the Miss Utah pageant this week and getting ready for her first semester at Brigham Young University this fall, Mary Ann Jensen has a packed schedule. Still, she found some time on Monday to talk about something else that keeps her busy.
The 18-year-old Utahn from Cottonwood Heights writes, illustrates and publishes her own books in her free time. This past April, she published her seventh one.
The book, “Rebound,” is the sixth installment in Jensen’s “Sundance Springs” series. Each story follows one member of a friend group living in Sundance Springs, Massachusetts, a fictional town filled with descendants of the Salem Witch Trials.
Jensen said the girls in the books learn about the magic in the town as well as the magic of friendship.
From idea to print
Jensen said she’s been writing stories for others to read since she was in kindergarten, and her dream has always been to be an author.
She would proudly bring her tales to “show and tell” at school, and as she got older she started entering writing contests. But she didn’t like the word-count limits and other restrictions that came with the competitions.
So in fifth grade, Jensen wrote her first standalone chapter book, “The Lost Mermaid.” She recounted sitting at home in front of her parents’ printer, printing pages of the book and stapling them together.
“I gave them to my friends and family and teachers for Christmas, and it was a hit. People loved it, and I realized I wanted to be able to share these books with more people,” she said. “So I got my piggy bank and I went to my parents and said, ‘How can we make my books into real books, with a cover and a spine and a barcode and my face on it?’"
Elizabeth Jensen, Mary Ann’s mom, wasn’t exactly sure how to answer that question when her 11-year-old daughter asked. But she said that with the help of the internet, “We just figured out the ropes.” She saw her daughter’s passion and wanted to help her dreams become reality.
Jensen’s mom became her editor, her dad became her book-layout designer and they found a professional printer to send the story to. On Jensen’s 12th birthday, her first “real” book arrived in the mail.
Six years later
Clearly, the writing bug didn’t stop there. Jensen has written, published and sold six more books in the six years since “The Lost Mermaid,” and she doesn’t plan on stopping soon.
Jensen often wakes up in the middle of the night with ideas for her books and starts typing away on her computer. She said she loves to weave positive messages into her characters’ journeys, and she adds a touch of her own personality and life into each book.
She tackles themes of anxiety in her book, “Pause,” and “the importance of using your voice to speak up for what you believe in” in the book, “S’mores.”
Jensen said the book “Hide and Seek” is particularly close to her heart because the main character, Grace, struggles with trichotillomania, also called hair-pulling disorder by Mayo Clinic. Jensen has struggled with trichotillomania since fifth grade, and in “Hide and Seek,” she was able to tie in the theme that “whatever makes you different makes you special.”
“I found that as I opened up and shared those vulnerable pieces of myself, not only was I able to grow as a person, but I was also able to connect with more readers,” she said.
Her latest book, “Rebound,” was harder to write because the main character, Sabrina, loves sports. “I am definitely not a sporty girl,” Jensen said.
But again, she was able to add her own life experiences to the story by having Sabrina join the speech and debate team, a longtime passion of Jensen’s.
Looking forward
Jensen is currently working on her eighth book, “Polished,” which will be the final chapter of the “Sundance Springs” series. This time, Jensen is going to add her pageant life to the story.
In the fall, Jensen will attend Brigham Young University where she plans to study English. She wants to keep writing stories and someday have her books on real store shelves.
You can find Jensen on Instagram at @booksbymaryann. She also has a website, booksbymaryann.com, and her books are sold on Etsy.
