Tiny House or Homebuilt RV?

It’s been quite sometime since I’ve reported in here. Much has happened in our full time RV lifestyle.

When last I wrote about our adventures here, we were on way to northern Minnesota via California for a workamping job when we had to rush back to west Texas. My dad had a medical emergency (he’s fine now).

We wound up working at Mad Jack’s Mountaintop BBQ in Cloudcroft, NM that summer(2017). We loved it there and became good friends with the owner, James Jackson and his girlfriend Robin. We thought maybe we’d found a town where we could put down roots and made an offer on a 700 square foot cabin in the woods. Throughout the buying process, several red flags eventually led us to believe we were doing the wrong thing. Ultimately we decided we belong on the road.

Unfortunately, our 2007 Jayco Eagle travel trailer was beginning to show its age and all the miles and full time living was taking its toll. We set out with great excitement to check new fifth wheels made for full time living. Our excitement quickly turned to disappointment after seeing what a $100,000 buys. Without calling out any manufacturers, the quality was very poor for the money in our opinions. Though they were very pretty to look at.

After discussing our options and deciding we definitely weren’t finished with this lifestyle, we decided building our own was really our only option. We sold our truck and travel trailer and eventually and set out on a new adventure. Luckily my folks like us and allowed us to use there property as a building site.

By now, most everyone has heard of and seen tiny houses on wheels. Though most seem to be built for more parking and less moving. We set out to build a new home that would hold up to many miles as well as full time living for us and our blind cat, Mae. We purchased a new truck capable of handling heavier loads and a 39’ gooseneck trailer by Trailer Made Custom Trailers of Denver for our foundation.

We’ll have more details soon as we document our build and get back to our passions traveling the country again. Here’s what we have so far.

As always, check out our About page and the links there to Sharon’s photo gallery and my novel.

more to come…

Brian

 

 

 

A New Travel Adventure

We’ll be hitting the road again 2 weeks from today. It’s not that we don’t move our home fairly often, we just haven’t moved it more than a few hundred miles in a while. 

Heading west out of Texas, we’ll write and photograph our way across New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, and up the Oregon coast into Washington. Our last time in Washington was in 2013. From there, we’ll head back east across the top of the country to Nothern Minnesota for the summer. 

Check back here often to follow us along if you’re so interested. 

I know Sharon will have new material along the way. And who knows, just maybe I’ll have my latest novel completed by summer’s end. Maybe. 

Brian

Sharon S Jones Fine Art Photography Artist Reception

This Saturday October 22nd, 6 – 8pm, Timeless Art Gallery in Lubbock, Texas will host an artist reception for Sharon. Several of her framed photos and unframed pieces will be on display and available for purchase. Here’s the link to the event: https://www.facebook.com/events/1828715927363688/?ti=icl

The reception is open to the public. Please stop by Timeless Art Gallery to see her beautiful photography if you’re in the area Saturday.

Brian

Open For Business

  

The new Sharon S Jones Photography gallery is all set up and ready for visitors. The new space is at Canton Marketplace, Canton, TX.

The Marketplace and Sharon’s gallery will be open every Thursday through Sunday before the first Monday every month. 

Of course, Sharon’s work will also remain available at her Etsy store as well as directly from her. 

I will have paperback copies of my novel, Indian Paintbrush by B. K. Jones, available in the gallery as well. It’s also available to Kindle owners on Amazon as well as from Barnes and Noble and Creatspace.

Please stop by and visit with us if you’re in the area.

Brian

Etsy Store for Sharon S. Jones Fine Art Photography

Sharon has just added new photos to her Etsy store recently and is always adding new images as we travel about. Great photography is a true art form and Sharon has a great eye(I may be just a little biased because she’s my wife). She has something for everyone I think. Our favorites are black and white but she takes great color shots as well.

We search out places that are off the beaten path during our travels and that is where many of the shots are taken. We sell signed prints in a variety of sizes as well as give quotes and ship “ready to hang” signed and framed pieces.

Please take a look around the store here. Her photography store can also be found by searching the Etsy stores for “SharonSJones”.

No, My Novel Does Not Look Professional

I’m very aware that my novel physically appears amateurish. The reason for that is that I’m an amatuer. I’m less than amatuer at book cover design. Like many writers I must force myself into any aspect of publication that is not writing itself. 

I don’t promote myself as a professional. The last thing I want to do is mislead someone. I’m always happy to answer questions about my writing but I never try to convince anyone to purchase a copy. 

This blog and a few outlets that sell paperback copies for me are my only reals forms of promotion. 

I’ll never be good at self promotion. I’m not a people person, though I do enjoy good conversation. I run through all the questions in my head every day, sometimes several times a day, about possible ways to get my novel and future novels into the hands of those that would enjoy them. I’ve done this for years and still have no answers. 

It’s ok. I would someday love to make a modest living writing for my fans. The fact is I’m too humble and too much of a keep to myself kind of person to do anything else to get the word out. 

I live in an RV with a wonderful wife and our cat. I write and she takes amazing photographs(the wife not the cat). We sell our craft when and where we can. Sometimes it’s exciting and sometimes we get discouraged. It’s much like the life many other people live, save the details.

I believe we are good at what we do. I also believe our fans will find us as long as we keep making ourselves available. If it takes the rest of our lives, that’s ok. 

I don’t know what will happen tomorrow, or next week, or next year. I can’t think of a better way to keep life from getting mundane. 

B. K. Jones

Back to our “home” in the Texas Hill Country

We arrived back to the Fredericksburg, Texas KOA a couple weeks ago. It’s funny how we develope “homes” to park our home in this life of RV travel. 

Sharon S. Jones Fine Art Photography now has a semi permanent physical home at The Hill Country Trading Post about 9 miles east of Fredericksburg on HWY 290. 

   
    
 We’re open Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 9am till 6pm. Oh, and she even lets me sell paperback copies of my novel, Indian Paintbrush, there with her photos. It’s just one of the perks of being married to the artist. 

We’ll be here through next April. I guess I’ll have no excuse not to finish my second novel and put it out before then. 

Remember to look at our “About Us” page if you’re not already familiar.

Brian

Art Market This Weekend

Writing has been on hold the past few weeks while we get ready for the Cloudcroft, NM October Art Show. Sharon has been busy going through all her photographs, printing, and framing. She’s got quite a body of work now and growing almost daily. We have around 80 framed photos and another 100 matted for the show.

Her work will be on display and for sale this Saturday and Sunday. We’ll make the 270 mile trek to New Mexico tomorrow to get set up for the outdoor event. Wish her luck! 

Please take a look at our “About Us” page and click our links to see her wonderful photography or to check out my novel, Indian Paintbrush.

Brian

Sharon S. Jones Fine Art Photography in the Cloudcroft October Art Festival

Sharon has been selected as one of the artists that will have their work on display and for sale at the upcoming Cloudcroft, NM October Art Festival. It will be held on Saturday, October 3rd and Sunday, October 4th at Cloudcroft’s Zenith Park.

Here are just a few of Sharon’s photos that may be on display. There are many more that can be viewed and purchased at Sharon’s Fine Art America page or from her Etsy store.

Southwest Skateboarder by Sharon S Jones Fine Art Photography