Military Romance Author
by Kimberly A. Cook (Twitter@ WarriorTales)
Seems to me that Madeline the dog might have a little Border Collie herding instinct in her bloodline. Or perhaps the crab is actually her trainer. With summer just starting out for us here in the Pacific Northwest, we can all learn from Madeline and her buddy. A walk on the beach is always good and we miss friends when they go off on adventures without us. Happy Quirky Friday!
by Kimberly A. Cook (Twitter@ WarriorTales)
Yesterday I hauled in my largest crop of strawberries and raspberries, an entire colander full. Now the red plastic colander is small, but that still counts in my book. Since all my fruits and veggies grow in containers, a big picking is cause for celebration.
Harvesting my berries came to mind when I was picking through the book titles at Costco last night. There always seems to be a hidden book gem at bargain prices which must go home with me.
Turns out there were two; “I Used To Know That – Literature,” by C. Alan Joyce and Sarah Janssen and “Images of America – The Oregon Air National Guard,” by Terrence G. Popravak Jr. and Sean M. Popravak. Gems harvested for my book collection.
Summer is a great time to catch up on reads, both literary and beach, to escape into new worlds and dream the impossible; like will I be able to grow lemon cucumbers this summer. Whether your fancy turns to ebooks or the old-fashioned paper kind, what books are you going to harvest this summer?
by Kimberly A. Cook (Twitter@ Warrior Tales)
Summer is officially here and the possibilities are endless. This time of year leads to thoughts of lazing in my lawn swing or smelling the warm scents of summer. It reminds me of playing make-believe games with my Match Box yellow convertible car and travel trailer in the neighbor’s backyard.
Crawling around in the dirt was a rite of passage for us suburban kids back in the day. There were also big fields with holes we dug which became forts of legend. Then always the popular flashlight monster game played at dusk. Sweet memories. Do you have dirt stories from your childhood?
Remember to play! Happy Quirky Friday!
by Kimberly A. Cook (Twitter@ WarriorTales)
Attended a beautiful wedding last Saturday. This one was a new experience for me since this time I was a guest. The five weddings before I was either Maid of Honor or the aunt of the bride, so I was always “work’in.” I’ve found my military training helps with surviving national writing conferences and being part of a bridal party.
One of the great things about being a guest is listening to all the stories. For a writer, just observing all the dynamics playing out are also fun. I knew about four people at the event, all in the wedding party, so I was on my own.
Three wonderful long-time friends of the bride adopted me for dinner and we had a great chat. One is a new friend who I will explore more about her Army father being at Pearl Harbor during the bombings. Vet stories are everywhere!
The bride was gorgeous, the groom handsome and family and friends were so happy to celebrate their union. As usual I shed happy tears during the ceremony. I find when I’m not in the bridal party the waterworks start easily. Over the years I’ve perfected the silent cry for these occasions so besides screwing up my makeup, it’s all good.
These important personal events reflect our past, present and future lives coming together with those we love and cherish. There are always a few characters and crazy relatives we all have or it wouldn’t be a wedding. This ceremony was beautiful and celebrated with much love by all involved. A truly happy ever after complete with toasts, love and break dancing. I kid you not.
So the next time you attend a special event as a guest, put on your writer hat and see it for what it really is; an important story in your life.
By Kimberly A. Cook (Twitter@ WarriorTales)
It never fails. You’re watching your favorite tv show, enjoying a good snack, and a brother or sister wants to take your goodies. This puppy and parrot pair are obsessed with this brand of yogurt. The facial expressions alone are worth watching. So the next time you cuddle up in front of the tv with your fav treat, remember; beware of the parrot!
Happy Quirky Friday!
by Kimberly A. Cook (Twitter@ WarriorTales)
A recent special event for a group I volunteer with brought several of my lives together in one public spot. Family members, writing friends, my editor and members of my volunteer family all in one place. It seemed a bit odd, much like the Facebook discussion of whether you have family, friends and business associates all on the same account. Are we separate people online?
This same topic came up two years ago in a travel writers conference I attended. The Search Engine Optimization Guru felt it had come to the point that all our lives had to be one online; there was no more separation of private and professional in the online arena. With a background in both journalism and public relations, this is a bit of a tough nut for me to swallow.Reporters are taught to not reveal or admit personal biases and work to be fair and balanced. Try to keep that invisible wall up between the reporter and the story. But these days, with everyone from future employers to lending banks checking what’s on your social media accounts, are we ever truly offline? What’s a writer/publisher to do?
My best advice comes from my days as a public affairs officer at a medical center; first do no harm. Whether on your posts or pages or with friends or enemies, keep your posts and persona fair, balanced and positive. Assume you are never “off” and the microphone is always “live,” as several president’s have forgotten at times. There is no “off the record” and there really is no “offline.”
Everything we do online can be searched and dragged up at the worst possible time. Whether you are building a new writing platform online or have been around for years, the Internet never forgets. Keep it clean, keep it complimentary and keep your screen clean, so to speak.
They are out there and we are being watched. It comes back to the basics, no matter how many lives and personas we have on this planet, we are one when it comes to our online presence. Act accordingly.
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