Did You Know? ~ Dr. Miles Restorative Nervine

Today I thought I’d write about the medical elixir that was once contained in one of my old medicine bottles. You can’t see it clearly, but the outside of this bottle says, “Dr. Miles Restorative Nervine.”

From the name NERVINE, you can guess one of the purposes of this medicine was to help nerves—nervous exhaustion, to be exact. It was also prescribed for headaches, insomnia, backaches, epilepsy, sexual dysfunction, and miscellaneous pains and spasms. Sounds like a miracle drug, doesn’t’ it? This product was sold until the mid-1960s.

The active ingredient in Nervine was bromide, a form of bromine (chemically related to chlorine). It was a predecessor to present day sedatives. The makers of Nervine claimed it to be “. . .among the safest of effective medications to calm the nerves,” but as with many drugs, this wasn’t the case. The amount of bromide needed to sedate a person was near toxic level. Excess use of bromide led to bromism. Classic symptoms of bromism include alteration in central nervous system functioning with headache, irritability, fatigue, slurred speech, ataxia, emotional instability, tremor, hallucinations, gastrointenstinal, and dermatological symptoms.

The FDA does not currently approve bromine for treatment of any disease. It was removed from all over-the-counter sedatives in 1975.Today bromine (and forms of bromide) is still used today in pesticides, disinfectants, flame retardants, as a gasoline additive, and for swimming pool maintenance. (Remember that bromides are chemically related to chlorine.)

It's easy to laugh at this old ad and think we're safe from bromide, but my research today took an interesting turn. It seems the FDA allows limited use of bromide in certain food products in the United States today.

The Borrowed Book blog isn’t the place for me to pursue present day use of bromide, but if you’re interested in doing a little research, here is a link that contains images of products that containbromide and bromated products. You can pursue the topic from there. Apparently some of those companies whose products are pictured in those images are now in the process of removing forms of bromide from their products.

To conclude, I’d like to return briefly to my original topic--Nervine. The term “nervine” actually means (1) of or pertaining to the nerves; (2) acting on or relieving disorders of the nerves; soothing the nerves.Thus the name of the medicine, Nervine.

A product is available today called Nervine Tonic. I found it on Amazon. It’s an herbal remedy containing fresh passionflower herb tip, fresh valerian root, fresh oat seed in milky stage, black cohosh root, fresh skullcap herb and fresh betony herb. These are herbs known for their calming effects. Valerian root is traditionally used in herbal sleep remedies. Black cohosh root is a remedy for hot flashes.

And one more interesting tidbit: “A bromide” was used as a phrase or platitude to describe someone whose speech was a verbal sedative. A bore. 

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Dream a Little Dream by Author Cynthia Rutchi

A few weeks ago, another author asked me if I had a story to tell about the role dreaming plays in a writer’s career. Do we keep pursuing a writing dream no matter what? Is dreaming for dreamers only, or is it part of a writer’s toolbox? 

Like many aspiring writers, I had a dream agency and a dream agent in mind years ago. I’d watched the way the agent conducted herself at conferences, in business settings, and in social settings. Her responses to questions on agent panels were always from a perspective that positively dripped with wisdom and grace. But her client list was full—the bane of many an excellent agent. I waited…and watched other agents. But the dream for that particular agent and working within the highly desirable community of that agency wouldn’t go away. 

For our 35th wedding anniversary trip, my husband chose Alaska. I wanted to vacation in the tropics. When I discovered a writers’ conference connected with an Alaskan cruise, it seemed to symbolize 35 years of marital compromise! I didn’t know at the time we registered that my dream agent was celebrating her 35th anniversary on that same cruise.

The agent and her husband were not onboard for the conference. They were true tourists. But she graciously agreed to take a handful of appointments one afternoon. She listened to my pitch and said something like, “Interesting. Now, let’s see if you can write.” Her client list was still full, but she invited me to submit a proposal.

A year later (2008) she still had no openings. I prepared to attend the annual ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) conference, wondering if it was time to give up my dream agent. Was God asking me to pursue another path? I wondered if He was even asking me to lay down the idea of writing fiction at all. I’d been working at it seriously for six years with no book to show for it. I told Him, as sincerely as I could, “Lord, if this pursuit isn’t from You, I will set it aside.” 

It seemed a moot point if I was about to turn away from fiction to other writing interests, but I emailed my dream agent and said, “I need to know if there’s any hope of signing with you so I know how to direct my energies at the conference.”

Her response? She called me to say, “I don’t know what to do with you.” It’s not exactly what I hoped to hear, but it wasn’t “No.”

She may not remember the conversation, but I recall every word. “You’re a good writer, but I promised myself I wouldn’t take on any more unpublished novelists. Go to the conference and look for another agent. If no one snatches you up”—I chuckled at that line, too—”call me after the first of January and we’ll see if I’ve had any client slots free up.”

I knew I had to be obedient to God and do due diligence. So I requested an agent appointment and an editor appointment at the conference. The agent appointment went so horribly, I was certain God was directing me to give up fiction forever. But I danced out of that appointment because I knew I’d just been shown who I shouldn’t work with as my agent. 

The editor appointment went shockingly well. Goosebump well. I had a request for the proposal. The dream stirred. What if God didn’t want me to lay aside the dream of fiction writing, but plunge deeper in? 

I sent the proposal (still wondering if I was days away from walking away from fiction), and within two hours received a response from the editor who asked for the whole manuscript. Within a month, the editor was taking the project to committee.

It seemed appropriate to call my dream agent and inform her about the development. Her words? “We’d better get you signed up then!”

My dream agent has become a dream friend and invaluable partner in this amazing journey. Days away from surrendering fiction, I signed my first contract. In May of 2014, my eighth book releases—All My Belongings, which received a starred review from Publishers Weekly—with three more novels contracted. “So far,” she said, dreamily.

Where do dreams fit in the life of a writer? For me, it seems God won’t let me pick it up and run with it unless I’m first willing to lay it down.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Cynthia Ruchti tells stories of Hope-that-glows-in-the-dark through her novels, novellas, devotions, nonfiction, and through speaking events for women and writers. Her novels have been recognized with honors from RT Reviewers’ Choice, Retailers’ Choice, Family Fiction Readers’ Choice, and others. Her debut novel was a 2010 Carol Award finalist. All My Belongings is her newest release, the story of a young woman who discovers a new life and new identity can’t protect her from a past that refuses to go away.  

Learn more about Cynthia Ruchti and her books at www.cynthiaruchti.com. Readers can also become a fan on Facebook (cynthiaruchtireaderpage) or follow her on Twitter (@cynthiaruchti).  

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Devotional Book Review ~ Cats Are Part of His Kingdom, Too

Cindy Vincent’s Cats are Part of His Kingdom, Too ~ Reviewed 

Published by Mysteries by Vincent, LLC 

Purchase Links:

Amazon | Amazon UK

Barnes & Noble

BOOK DESCRIPTION: 

As Christians, sometimes it's hard for us to comprehend the love our Heavenly Father has for us, His Earthly children. Author Cindy Vincent began to realize the depth of His love after caring for several rescued cats and then bringing them into her home. That's when she began to notice the parallels between her relationship with these precious felines and God's relationship with us. After all, as a pet Mom, she works in so many behind-the-scenes ways to make life wonderful for her little feline family, much like God works behind-the-scenes to make life wonderful for us. Yet much like her cats have no comprehension of all that she does for them, we have no comprehension of all that God does for us.

Before long, she began to see lots of parallels, and decided to put these down in the form of Daily Devotions, to demonstrate just how very much God loves us.

REVIEW:

Author Cindy Vincent has created a sweet compilation of endearing devotionals, all centered around the antics of her clever feline pride. Witty and inspiring, Cats are Part of His Kingdom, Too provides an insightful means of perceiving the Divine in everyday, ordinary things. This is a charming read, with sometimes eye-opening delivery and takeaway.

Review by Elizabeth Ludwig 

(Ebook was provided by the author in exchange for an honest opinion.)

BLOG TOUR:

This book is currently on tour in the blogosphere! Click the button below to view the schedule:


Also, this book is currently FREE for Kindle (through tomorrow, May 6th)! Be sure to pick up your copy and review the book by the end of the month for a chance to win a Swarovski cross necklace or a set of the Buckley & Bogey Cat Detective Capers. Once your review is live, you can enter via the Rafflecopter form below (this form will also be up on the blog tour page through the month of May).

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Winners!!

Good morning, BB fans! Thanks to everyone who participated in our "puzzling" Friday giveaway! Keep all those facebook and Twitter notifications, coming!

This week's winner is: 

KayM - At the Edge of a Dark Forest by Connie Almony.

Congratulations, Kay! Thank you all so much for stopping by The Borrowed Book.

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Max'isms...everything I've learned about God by watching my dachshund!

Tomorrow on BB, I'll be reviewing a devotional book called Cats are Part of His Kingdom, Too, as part of a blog tour for author Cindy Vincent. It's a sweet book about how we can learn about God by watching our animals. In light of that, I thought I'd post my own devotional based on my pet, Max. Enjoy!

Max’ism – What Are You Chasing?
Deuteronomy 4:33-39

Max is territorial. Living objects, with the exception of me, my husband, my kids, and occasionally the cat, are not allowed on his turf, and he is serious about his responsibilities. Which is why the appearance of a stray kitten in our yard one day, was seen as a personal challenge.

I walked into the kitchen and found Max staring with rapt attention out the window. When I looked out, I saw nothing, but he whimpered and whined until I finally let him out. Shot like an arrow from a bow, Max took off across the yard. And that’s when I saw it. Frightened by his barking, the poor kitten scrambled up onto the lawn mower seat. I called Max, but he refused to allow the trespasser out of his sight. That’s when the kitten decided to bolt for the woods, Max close on his tail. Again and again, I called, but Max was focused on the prize to the exclusion of all else, including my voice. And that’s when it occurred to me.

 What am I chasing? For seven years, my goal was becoming published. I chased it with fervor. Every book I purchased, every conference I attended, every workshop I traveled to. . .all were done with the intent of coming one step closer to my goal. But then, last year, God’s voice broke through the clamor.

“Focus on the journey,” He said, “for there is much to be learned and enjoyed along the way.”

That broke my heart. I was in such a hurry to get published that I missed the important lessons He had for me as I got there—things like patience, and perseverance, humility, and trust.

I have repented of the time I spent not listening to Him with regard to my writing, but what about other things? Have I become so focused on earning a living, owning a house, and raising my kids, that I’ve tuned out God’s voice? I hope not. God has a lot to say, and I want to be sure I can hear it.

Deuteronomy 4:33-39 (NKJV)

 

³³ Did any people ever hear the voice of God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as you have heard, and live? ³⁴ Or did God ever try to go and take for Himself a nation from the midst of another nation, by trials, by signs, by wonders, by war, by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, and by great terrors, according to all that the Lord your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes? ³⁵ To you it was shown, that you might know that the Lord Himself is God; there is none other besides Him. ³⁶ Out of heaven He let you hear His voice, that He might instruct you; on earth He showed you His great fire, and you heard His words out of the midst of the fire.  

³⁷ And because He loved your fathers, therefore He chose their descendants after them; and He brought you out of Egypt with His Presence, with His mighty power, ³⁸ driving out from before you nations greater and mightier than you, to bring you in, to give you their land as an inheritance, as it is this day. ³⁹ Therefore know this day, and consider it in your heart, that the Lord Himself is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is no other.

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Weekly Drawing ~ Almony

It's Fun Friday at The Borrowed Book! This week's prize is available as either e-book or print (reader's choice) inside the continental US, and e-book for readers outside.

To enter:

Leave the time it took you to complete the puzzles in the comments section as well as your email address for notifying you if you've won. Winners will be drawn from ALL of the times, so the person with the fastest time may not be the actual winner, but by leaving your time, you double your chances.

Want another entry? Tweet your puzzle time and mention The Borrowed Book, get another entry. RETWEET our Tweet, get two entries!

Post your puzzle time on BB's Facebook wall and...you guessed it...get another entry!

Post it on your OWN Facebook wall and you could get as many as FIVE entries.

It's all a way to spread the word about the great giveaways on BB. So c'mon! Help us spread the word, and have a little fun at the same time. Enter all weekend long! Winners will be announced Sunday night at midnight.

This week's puzzle feature is brought to you by Connie Almony and her newest release, At the Edge of a Dark Forest.

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Meet Author Connie Almony

Today we have the privilege of speaking with Connie Almony. She trained as a mental health therapist and likes to mix a little fun with the serious stuff of life. She was a 2012 semi-finalist in the Genesis Contest for Women’s Fiction and was awarded an Honorable Mention in the Winter 2012 WOW Flash Fiction Contest. 

1) Have you always wanted to be an author? If not, what made you decide to write, and how long have you been at it?

My first desire was to be a singer/songwriter. I’d trained and performed through high school and college, but found it hard to hone my skill when I kept losing my voice. I must say this was sort of disappointing at first, but I see God’s handiwork in the whole of it. I’ve even used some of my experience as a musician in my stories, particularly my first manuscript.

I dabbled in writing all my life, and even took a correspondence course years ago, but it wasn’t until I assisted my daughter (who writes chapter books on the side) in a school project writing a Cinderella story set in Greece. We had brainstormed many ideas of how to include cultural elements in the work. She used some of my “brilliant” ideas, but I grieved over the ones she left behind. At that point I decided I needed to write my own story and have never looked back.

2) What do you love about being a writer, and what do you like the least?

One of the things that caught me off guard was how much closer writing brought me to God. So often, I think He is whispering things to me that I ignore. When I write, they seem to end up on the page whether I want them to or not. I’ve written posts about ideas that are important to me, only to find at the end of the article I have a greater understanding of the concept than I had when I’d began. No extra research. Just me and God hashing it out. I guess it’s like journaling out loud.

I might just have to say platform building is my least favorite thing about writing, especially the emphasis on social media. You see, I’m not good with small talk and social media doesn’t allow enough space for all that is going on in my brain. I want to know more about you than that you tried a new recipe. I want to find out how you came to know Christ and how He is using you in His grand creation. And if you tell me He isn’t using you, then I will say “p-shaw, of course He is,” and want to find out more so I can show you how He is using you. So confining my thoughts to a set number of characters sometimes makes me twitch. Could you guess that from the length of my answers to your questions so far ;o)?

3) What’s your favorite method for keeping a story’s middle from sagging?

The best way to keep from having a sagging middle is to start the writing there. I sometimes write the most important or pivotal scenes even before I write the opening. That way, I know where the rest of the story points. This makes it second-nature to weave in foreshadowing when I already have a good idea where I’m headed. I write other, secondarily important scenes, then fill in the rest like mortar in a mosaic.

4) Do you like to listen to music when you write?

Absolutely! I have a muse for every book. My first manuscript is my Third Day story. My second was inspired by Tenth Avenue North. At the Edge of a Dark Forest was written under the influence of NEEDTOBREATHE.  I am currently working on a David Crowder Band manuscript.

5) What fun fact would you like your readers to know about you?

You know how movies always portray romance writers with their hair pulled up in a sloppy bun, wearing yoga pants (or sweats) and an old, beat up “grandma” sweater? That’s me. I think there’s a magic in it. You cannot write a good romance without the uniform. My grandma sweater was even once my grandma’s. Only it didn’t get all the holes in it until I started wearing it. If I’m not careful putting it on, my hand will go right through the hole in the elbow. But still, it’s very cozy and makes me feel close to my grandmother who is now with God (probably telling Him what to do). 

6) Tell us about your new release.

 Cole Harrison, an Iraq war veteran, wears his disfigurement like a barrier to those who might love him,

shielding them from the ugliness inside. He agrees to try and potentially invest in, a prototype prosthetic with the goal of saving a hopeless man’s dreams. Carly Rose contracts to live with Cole and train him to use his new limbs, only to discover the darkness that wars against the man he could become.

At the Edge of a Dark Forest is a modern-day retelling of Beauty and the Beast. Only it is not her love that will make him whole.

7) Where can we find you online?

Writing book reviews for Jesus Freak Hideout and hosting the following blogs: InfiniteCharacters.com and LivingtheBodyofChrist.Blogspot.com.

Alsor on the following social media outlets:

Twitter

Facebook

Pinterest

Readers: don't forget to stop by tomorrow when you can enter to win a free copy of At The Edge of a Dark Forest!

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