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Hello friends!

Happy Sunday to you and yours, wherever you call home. Speaking of home, I just arrived last night from a special trip with my only daughter, Vanessa. It was a short but sweet escape from the blistering Arizona heat. I have alot to cover with you since I wrote you last, so I'll get started!

 It was a quick four day road trip to the Black hills of South Dakota, to see the sights the area has to offer. I've been extremely busy this past month, and with the economy booming as it is, my workload has also increased immensely. So when Vanessa, who lives in Las Vegas, called me last week and invited me to join her on a father/daughter adventure, I couldn't say no! Despite my full workload, I was able to move things around, and push a couple others back a week, to be able to join her. She flew into Denver the first part of the week to see some friends, and I took a flight from Phoenix on Wednesday to meet her there. Vanessa wanted to visit Mt. Rushmore and the famed Badlands, along with the towns of Deadwood and Hill City. She had already rented a hotel and car when I arrived at the airport, so off we went and drove the six hours to Hill City.

 I also saw it as an oppurtunity to rest my hurt and aching right elbow. I have been struggling this past month with what started as a slow, nagging pain in my arm. From my elbow down to my fingers and tendons, the pain has now become excruciating when I work, and even when I sit down to write. I guess the clinical term is tendonitis or 'Tennis elbow'. I have never felt that kind of pain before, and with the type of work I do, my right hand is extremely important! Not only with work, but my writing time has also suffered, as I come home every afternoon with a numb wing, ready just to ice it and rest it. My partner Mike has picked up the slack, and I have even gotten better with my left hand, but rest is really what I need in order to recover from this injury. My hands get a good workout all week between jobs,the gym, and the laptop, and I suppose it's just worn out. 

 Going back to South Dakota in the summer was a treat for me, since the last time I was there was in January of 2017. I was cold, (I mean freezing), broke, and miserable while on the 44th stop of my Gigs tour; it was not one of my better stops. This trip was a totally different experience, especially because Vanessa and I spent some quality time together. We ate, laughed, and enjoyed the park, animals, and conversations that only a father and his little girl can share.I am so proud of the woman she has grown up to become; beautiful, strong, independant and wise. What more can a parent ask for? After we departed yesterday, we vowed to do it again more often.

 The other good news is that after many months of waiting, Mary Ann has finally finished my first edition manuscript! The proofreading and reformatting is now complete on my 96,000 word book. Starting this week, the next step begins, as I choose the publisher that will print and e-book my long awaited story. In the meantime, I'm halfway done with the second edition, and I hope my right hand holds up under the stress I'm putting it through. I hope the ball rolls faster with this next step of the process, and I plan to write you more often with hopefully exciting updates!

 I truly thank you for the interest and loyalty you continue to show for my story. It's getting painfully closer each day, and I can't hardly wait!

Juanjohn