I’ve followed Sue Ann Jaffarian’s adventures on Facebook for several years now, from about the time she retired and hit the road in her van, Novella. So, of course I was eager to read her nonfiction account, I Sleep Around: The Humorous Memoir of a Nomadic Writer. I had read some of her Ghost of Granny Apples mysteries, and I’ve been intrigued by her accounts of hitting the road when she retired at age 66.
In December 2018, Jaffarian retired her job as a paralegal in a law firm. For two years, she had been planning her retirement, trying to decide where she wanted to live, and she realized she didn’t want to settle in one place. She wanted to buy a Travato van, and travel the country. For her, it was all about “The experiences you have, the different people you met, and the challenges you face.” She says living full-time on the road in a recreational vehicle is not for everyone. But, as a curious person, with friends and family throughout the country, as a writer, the lifestyle fits Jaffarian.
She admits it wasn’t easy to get started. She checked out numerous RVs, read all kinds of material, and, just before she hit the road, she sold many of her possessions. She had to downsize, prepare for life in a 20 foot van with less than 100 square feet of living space. And, over five years now, she’s learned to do many of the mechanical projects, the maintenance, of her van. She has also learned to live with larger problems until she could get them fixed.
The book covers the first year on the road, 2019, with chapters that talk about the pandemic and how it changed her lifestyle. She’s been traveling now for over five years, with a rescue cat, Moxie, meeting up with people along the way, or just enjoying her alone time so she can write. She has hit little-known museums, national parks, small parks, parking lots.
I Sleep Around is a fascinating book featuring a woman who chose this lifestyle. She isn’t homeless. Her van, Novella, is her home. And, she talks about the practical aspects of living in a van, having a base, a mailing address, a doctor, medications. She tells what worked for her, and what didn’t work. Jaffarian is over 70 now, still on the road with Moxie, still enjoying her life. For Jaffarian, “Home is where you park it.”
If you envy her lifestyle, you might not when you finish the book. She’s honest about its drawbacks. But, it’s the life she chose, and she loves it. If you’ve ever camped, traveled the country, thought about a van, pick up I Sleep Around. It’s worth reading, and enjoyable.
I Sleep Around: The Humorous Memoir of a Nomadic Writer by Sue Ann Jaffarian. Harbor Lane Books, 2024. ISBN 9781963705966 (paperback), 196p.
Sue Ann Jaffarian is the author of three critically acclaimed mystery series: The Odelia Grey series, the Ghost of Granny Apples series, and the Madison Rose Vampire Mysteries.
Recently she launched two new series: The Zelda Bowen series, a humorous set of novels featuring Zelda Bowen, a single woman searching for adventure and herself as she travels the country in an RV. The first book in this series is Finding Zelda. The most recent new series is the Dead Woman Driving serial novel, released in regularly launched episodes, featuring a woman on the run and living off the grid. Sue Ann also writes general fiction and short stories and is a regular contributor to Winnebago’s WinnebaGoLife blog.
In addition to writing, Sue Ann is sought after as a motivational speaker, experienced with libraries, fund raisers, and conferences.
Sue Ann also keeps a daily journal called The Novel RV Journal, available by subscription. Through The Novel RV Journal, you can follow Sue Ann as she travels the US in a Class B RV named Novella, visiting towns, attractions, natural wonders, meeting people, and creating new fiction. You can find The Novel RV Journal at https://www.patreon.com/Sueannjaffarian.
Several times a year Sue Ann puts out a newsletter via email. You can subscribe to this newsletter by sending an email to sue@sueannjaffarian.com with ADD ME in the subject line.
FTC Full Disclosure – I bought my copy of the book.
I read a similar book not that long ago. Living on the road seems to have its pros and cons. It seems like you might as well become a trucker and get paid for it.
I think you’re right, Glen. It does have its pros and cons. Not for me. I’m not mechanical enough.
Yeah, NOMADLAND (book and movie) was pretty disillusioning (for me at least) about the “romance” of life in an RV. One thing people don’t always think about in advance is parking. If you’re in a city, for instance, you need to worry about where to park. Some places are accommodating, or at least turn a blind eye, where others are incredibly aggressive and hostile. You can park in a Walmart lot sometimes, but other places, not so much A favorite “on the road in my RV after retirement” series of mine was the short Joe & Dottie Loudermilk series by Gar Anthony Haywood, where one of their main objectives in taking to the road in their Airstream was to get away from most of their five adult children. Fun books.
It looks like Jaffarian has turned her life into more use with the two latest series, so kudos to her.
Oh, I liked the Loudermilk series, too, Jeff. I was sorry when it ended. I thought that was funny that they wanted to get away from their children.
I think she has used her lifestyle for her series, as well as for travel articles.
I think she did a great deal of research before hitting the road. She understood it wasn’t going to be easy.
I see she mentions not only NOMADLAND but another of my favorite books, BLUE HIGHWAYS by William Least Heat Moon.
There is a couple from Delaware (at least that’s what their license plate says) that comes here a few times a year in a nice RV, which they park on Shore Road near the high school, a few blocks from us. We always assume they are retired people visiting their children. So yes, there are RVs in Brooklyn!
As you said earlier, Jeff, it wouldn’t always be easy to find parking in the city.
It’s such a romantic idea until you try sleeping in a van and wake up with every muscle in your body hurting. Just camping a few times cured me of the notion…but still…if the RV had a comfortable bed, it would have been fun for a few months.
I know Sue Ann checked out a lot of vans, Patricia, so hopefully she has a comfortable van. We used to camp for a month at a time in a van. I was ready for my real bed after that month.
I used to think about doing this. But, with my health issues, and the fact that I am mechanically incompetent, it just isn’t practical.
I agree, Kevin. It wouldn’t be practical for you. It works for Sue Ann, and she learned to do a lot of the mechanical things.
Twenty-some years ago I remember reading “Dead North,” which introduced Alaskan author Sue Henry’s RV-driving 60ish Maxine McNabb and her canine companion, Stretch. Henry went on to create a series of novels featuring this savvy widow who solved mysteries while traveling in her Winnebago.
After thousands of my own road-miles the idea isn’t nearly as enticing.
It’s fun and interesting to read the books, MM, but, I agree. It’s not for me. But, I enjoyed reading about Sue Ann’s adventures!