SECOND CHANCES IN CAMELOT is a new edition of We Can Love Again which was previously published several years ago with Bookstrand Publishing. Although this novel had been my favorite written work of art, there were some changes I was anxious to develop when publishing rights were returned to me.  One of those changes was the cover, and the other modification was the title. Beginning with my desire of a new, fresh title, developing an introduction of my novel without the word ‘love’ was first on my agenda. Reason being, SECOND CHANCES IN CAMELOT is much more than a romance. My book is a fictional drama portraying the importance of family along with love, loss, and second chances.  This led me to change my cover as well. I was originally advised that having couples on the front of books is a selling point. However, just like my title, my original published book cover depicted romance. And as much as I loved it 10 years ago, changing the cover was on my agenda before self-publishing SECOND CHANCES IN CAMELOT.  
 
When an author rewrites a previously published book, and/or changes a title or cover, there is most likely a purposeful reason behind such an endeavor. Sometimes, an author has evolved as a writer since that first publication of the novel when he or she was just entering the writing and publishing world. Or, a writer may feel the book cover is just not as appealing as it was years before. Possibly the title isn’t as catchy, either. Revamping a previously published book for whatever reason is a chance to bring that work of art back to life, especially if it is near and dear to your heart.  

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Novel of second chances at life, love, and family. 

The end of Julia Belden's marriage came as no surprise. Although it began for a pregnancy, she and Carl stayed married for 10 years. Their only emotional connection was a baby who did not survive past one day.After two years of grieving for his wife, Nick Sitello kept busy while teaching high school math and raising Sammy. Romance never entered his mind until his encounter with Julia while on a weekend getaway.It was a timely moment when she tumbled into the water just as he and his son coasted by in their rowboat. As he helped her from the lake, the attraction was immediate. Nick questioned Julia's love when Carl reentered her life. He was protective of his feelings but mostly of his son's. Julia was torn between her new relationship and an obligation to Carl as childhood ghosts returned to haunt him, vindicating his distant nature while married.

KINDLE EDITION available at NO CHARGE - FREE -  from 7/25/2019 until 7/28/2019

This heart warming novel is a new, enhanced edition of We Can Love Again

​I made this for dinner tonight. It's one of my family's favorites so I thought I'd share.

2 lbs boneless skinless chicken 1/4” thick. 
Olive oil
Milk to cover chicken 
1 cup grated Romano and /or Parmigiana cheese
1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1 1/2 cups white wine
8 oz chicken broth
Juice of 2 large lemons
Salt and pepper

In large bowl, pour milk over chicken enough to cover. Leave for at least 1 hour. This is a tenderizer. Mix breadcrumbs and cheese. Heat oil in large non-stick pan. Dredge each chicken breast in breadcrumb mixture. Braise in oil until  golden and place in 9 x 13 greased baking dish. Once chicken braising is complete, in the same pan add wine. Cook 3 minutes. Add lemon juice and broth . Cook together 5 minutes. ( I always double the wine but 1 cup is plenty if that’s your preference) if there is a lot of loose crumbs on bottom, I strain the liquid and pour over chicken. Sprinkle salt  pepper on the chicken. Add some sliced lemons over top. Cover with foil and bake 45 Minutes 375. Remove foil and continue baking another 30 minutes. ​

To find more of my recipes, visit : Recipes, Food Facts, and More by Donna Marie

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When I open the fridge and see this pitcher of lemon cucumber water, the first word in my mind is refreshing. After some research, I’ve discovered that my new beverage of choice is not only refreshing, it provides various health advantages, as well.  Here are a few of the benefits to think about when you prepare and drink your lemon cucumber water.

•        Lemons and cucumbers are natural immunity boosters due to their elements of vitamin C and antioxidants. This is a perfect thirst quenching drink to protect against disease.
•        Cucumbers contain a mineral known as silica which is often referred to as the anti-aging secret. Silica promotes the formation of collagen and elastin, proteins needed for strength and elasticity of tissues. 
•        Since lemons and cucumbers are alkaline promoting foods, a pH level will be better balanced to provide optimal health.
•        When drinking a lemon cucumber beverage first thing in the morning, you can count on more energy due to the vitamins and nutrients.
•        Many claim that a beverage with lemons and cucumbers reduces menopausal symptoms. Cucumbers are natural diuretics that will combat that bloated feeling. Hot flashes may also be reduces, as well. 
•        The citrus flavonoids of lemons aid in digestion and liver cleansing. ​
•        For the most flavorful, maximum benefit, infuse cucumber and lemon in water for at least four hours or overnight. 

Over the past 15 years, I've worked in the home health care field in a non-clinical role. Although not a nurse, I know many and have utmost respect for the men and women who choose to sacrifice so much as caregivers for the ill. Time and time again, I've heard how amazing a hospice team is for a terminally ill patient. Never did I realize just how very special a hospice nurse, nurse's aide, social worker, chaplain, and volunteer is to the patient and their family until my mother was admitted to hospice.
 
Mom fought Multiple Myeloma for nearly eight years. Such a prognosis was unheard of for a woman of her age. Her determination to be with the family she treasured kept her motivated. The months between chemotherapy when she felt more herself to enjoy a somewhat normal life with her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren was all she needed to tackle the next round of treatment, even though it made her so ill during that time.
 
The last two events my mother longed to live for was my son's wedding and the birth of her 9th great-grandchild. With God and all the angels above, she was able to enjoy both of those special events. Shortly thereafter, this beautiful woman became tired, and disease was overtaking her body. Even then, she wondered if another round of treatment would help. But, her illness was too advanced and there was nothing more we could do but keep her comfortable.
 
Because she was suffering with much pain, it was suggested that hospice would be the best way of keeping her comfortable. Since her needs surpassed our ability to care for her at home, the decision to place my mom in a hospice residence did not come easy, especially because of her continuous will to live, even at her age of 91. A medical social worker guided us through the process of her admission to hospice care.

When Mom was moved to the place we knew would be her bridge to heaven, my sister, brother, and I were immediately overcome with a calmness as the atmosphere was full of love and compassion from the first words spoken to us as we registered her into the home. While signing appropriate documents with the registrar, a nurse and an aide went into my mother's new room and closed the door behind them. Apparently, they were getting her set up in her new surroundings. After she was clean, fluffed, and tucked, the three of us stepped in to be with her and were mesmerized of her home-like comfortable surroundings. It was not only a room for Mom, it was a room for all of us. When someone says hospice takes care of the patient as well as the family, I now have an understanding of just what that means. The bed wasn’t a standard hospital bed. Mom's bed was large enough for three so we could be next to her whenever we wanted, which was often.
 
Her pain was always attended to by the nurses. They knew just when she needed less, and then needed more. Mom already looked more content than she had been in weeks. Throughout her time there, the staff continued giving her whatever she required for comfort care. At the same time, they always asked what they could do for us. A priest and chaplain prayed with us. Volunteers crocheted for us a memory square which was accompanied with a prayer. The entire family, children, pets and all were welcomed for visits. With the spaciousness of her room, my brother, sister, and I were with Mom day and night since it was indicated it wouldn’t be long before she’d leave us. At times, we sat in the beautiful chapel and prayed, ate as a family in the full kitchen where cookies were baked fresh every day, or took comfort in front of the fireplace set in a sitting room which even had a grand piano.
 
The more hours which passed, the less mom verbalized. However, the staff assured us she would  hear whatever we were saying. Due to her vitals and other signs, the nurse expressed she was close to the end. We told mom she’d see Dad very soon, and that they’d be dancing together once again. When she was taking her last breaths, the nurse confirmed it was over, and mom was passing. We kissed her, we cried, we held her hand until her last breath. As sad as it was to see the death of our mom, it was also a beautiful moment to feel we somehow guided her peacefully to the angels.
 
Without the hospice team of people being at our beck and call, I don’t believe we would have had the same experience. Whether a hospice team cares for a patient in his or her own home, in a hospital setting, or in a residential type hospice home, the care they give is tremendously selfless and superlative. They are the experts. They know what a patient and family needs. They care, they comfort, and they provide compassion to all involved with their patient at the end of their time.

Self-talk is the inner conversation you continually have with yourself throughout every moment of the day. Either your self-talk flow of unending thoughts will originate from logical reasoning. Or, the negative inner voice takes over and crushes any morsel of positive thinking. Listen closely to what your inner voices are telling you. Are you regularly putting yourself down? The following are clues that your self-talk is on a negative slope:

FILTERING signifies you are accentuating the negativity of any given situation while filtering away any positivity. One thing will go wrong when ten will go right. However, that one wrong issue will hound your mind for the day.

PERSONALIZING will occur when you find blame in yourself with any situation which goes the wrong direction. The garbage man forgets to take the filled recycle bin. But, you say to yourself that you didn’t place it close enough to the curb to be noticed.

CATASTROPHIZING is a sense of anticipating only awful things will happen due to any less than pleasant occurrence during the day. You sleep through your alarm and are late for work. In your thoughts, the rest of the entire day just has to be terrible.

POLARIZING is the need to be perfect. If you are not, you are useless because there is no in-between. At least that’s the way you may feel when polarizing. There is no gray area in life, only black or only white.

Intervene your negative self-talk to positive thoughts.
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• Make a conscious daily effort to listen to your inner thoughts. If negative, turn them around to be positive.
• Smile and laugh. It’s the best natural blues buster and may also bust negative self-talk.
• Exercise whenever possible. Something as simple as a 10 minute brisk walk will play a role in relieving stress.
• Avoid mingling with negative people. They will bring you down.
• Encourage your self-talk to be positive. Tell yourself things you would publicly announce. If you wouldn’t say it out loud, you shouldn’t say it to yourself.
• Unfortunate things sometimes happen. The key is to find a glimpse of positive in every negative.