Kimberly A. Cook

Military Romance Author

Kimberly A. Cook

Did You Get An Easy Bake Oven Or A Chatty Cathy Doll?

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by Kimberly A. Cook                    (Twitter@ WarriorTales)

A writer tells as much about themself by what they leave out of their writing as by what they include.  This point was driven home to me this past weekend while staffing a garage sale with my longtime buddy, Michelle. We’ve known each other since first grade so we remain friends because we have so much blackmail material on each other.

Christmas Moose Cookie Jar left over from the garage sale. Maybe I'll just bake cookies and keep him after all.
Christmas Moose Cookie Jar left over from the garage sale. Maybe I’ll just bake cookies and keep him after all.

The weather was great and we had a steady stream of customers Saturday morning until 12:55 p.m., then not one shopper for the rest of the day. When the weather gets above 80 degrees here in early May on a Oregon weekend,  people shop early and play in the sun in the afternoon. Standard operating procedure.

So Michelle and I had plenty of time to talk in between her family running in and out, the area kids checking out the sale, neighbors stopping by and the Slip and Slide water party going on across the street. “This reminds me of when we were kids during the summer,” she said. “Not a care in the world.”

We chatted about odd things we remembered. Michelle must have a 500 GB memory. She recalls the most embarrassing and odd facts about me, most I’ve forgotten on purpose. A retired teacher, she has an Android app in her head to categorize kids, people and memories.

I noted the Easy Bake Oven she’d had for sale for $5 when I dropped my items off Friday night to set up; it was gone when I arrived Saturday morning – neighbors getting in on the pre sale. I’d always wanted a pink Easy Bake Oven growing up and it must be why I prefer to bake instead of cook to this day. I did get my Chatty Cathy doll and I still have her, no garage sales in her future.

While we watched shoppers sift through our items for sale and talked about the details of our childhood, I knew there must be a million stories out there about gifts kids wished for and never got and the ones they wanted and received. Shades of “The Christmas Story” movie come to life. Got a gift never received Christmas, holiday or birthday memory? Write that story!

Then go find the toy on eBay and buy it for yourself. It’s never too late to fulfill childhood dreams, including becoming a writer.

Who Gets Your Vote For Mom Of The Year?

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by Kimberly A. Cook         (Twitter@ WarriorTales)

Mother’s Day is just over a week away. The Oregon Zoo picked three of their recent Mothers to decide who earns the Mom of the Year title. The keepers are trash talking each other about the merits of these great Moms. I think they all win.

With the sun blazing away here in Oregon this weekend it’s a good time to get ready for the upcoming holiday. Whether you recall fond memories, put on a big meal or celebrate those of us who have furry kids, everybody is a Mom to someone!

Enjoy your weekend and have a great Quirky Friday!

Would You Make A Good Writer Spy?

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by Kimberly A. Cook            (Twitter@ WarriorTales)

One of the pieces of craft a writer needs to practice is the art of observation. By people and pet watching we get ideas, insights and entertainment, all for free. With the weather starting to get warmer, we are on the cusp of prime people watching season.

Stealth ducks hiding in plain sight next to my day job building.
Stealth ducks hiding in plain sight next to my day job building.

Walking into my day job building, there is a swale which holds run off rain water. Week before last a pair of ducks were swimming around in the pond six feet from the building. Day in and out I noticed most people didn’t realize the ducks were even there, hiding in plain sight every morning.

Outside my house the other day, a friend noticed a key was hanging from a tree branch. We figured out someone dropped their house key and with no identification and a Good Samaritan tied the lanyard around the tree to serve as a signal. How many great story ideas, characters or dialogue clips have we lost in the trees by not using our writer “Spidey” sense?

Eavesdropping dialogue gold mines for me are mass transit, lines at the grocery store, anyone on a cell phone in public, movie theaters before the movie starts and any sporting event. Malls are great too because not only do you see all kinds of people and outfits, you can snack and drink cocoa at the free viewing tables in the food court.

As a fiction writer I like to make up stories about the people I see, imagine what their “back stories” are and what their current mission might be. It’s a great way to exercise your mind and let your subconscious get some new input.

A piece on the radio recently talked about how doing chores or repetitive tasks can unleash your inner creativity. Great ideas come to me when gardening, washing dishes, in the shower and taking out the trash. Seems our grey matter needs a muse break too.

So it’s time for writer Spring training. Get ready to do chores and people watch. You too may discover some hidden drone ducks on a secret mission or a new mystery book series idea, hiding in plain sight. Get in shape now for writer summer RECON!

Who Knew Giraffes Could Do This?

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by Kimberly A. Cook           (Twitter@ WarriorTales)

We’ve had sunny weather here in Oregon this week and its been gorgeous. These warm days make ones thoughts turn to pool parties and hot tubs. Imagine my surprise when I came across this film which shows how giraffes celebrate summer.

It’s a bit longer than my usual video clips, but well worth the time for entertainment value. Plus, you might pick up some tips! Have a great weekend. Happy Quirky Friday!

How De We Really See Ourselves And Others?

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by Kimberly A. Cook                      (Twitter@ WarriorTales)

Writers build worlds, fantasies and complicated stories with people, places and animals. We use details to bring a location or emotional event alive. One way we build our characters is by describing their physical characteristics and values through their actions.

This past week I watched a video done by Dove which illustrates how we see ourselves as individuals and how others see us differently. This is a fascinating video clip. The forensic artist does an amazing job. He mentioned in another video clip on the DoveUnitedStates YouTube channel that he could tell when women didn’t like part of their appearance, they lightly touched on it.

Watch this wonderful piece of work and see what you think. How we describe our characters and ourselves may not be how the world sees either of us. Women have a particular challenge with this with the fashion and advertising industries. What’s important is each writer’s and character’s heart. What do you think?

Take A Video Vacation To Greece!

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by Kimberly A. Cook                 (Twitter@ WarriorTales)

It’s been a tough week, especially for folks in Boston and Texas. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims and their families, all who helped, and law enforcement and emergency responders during these tragic events. When things like this happen we can be hit with compassion fatigue. The military knows this and has units stand down and take some R&R, rest and relaxation. With that in mind, we could all use a little happy break.

While we wait for summer to appear, my budding grape-vine gives me hope there will be warm summer nights and lunches out in the sun again. Just like that 78-year-old gentleman who was knocked down by the bomb in Boston and got up to finish the race – with a concussion! That’s us Yanks, knock us down, we get back up.

So let’s all take a little breather today and venture off to Greece on the budget plan, by video. One of my favorite destinations in Greece is Hydra, let’s go along with Rick Steves. Happy Quirky Friday!