Kimberly A. Cook

Military Romance Author

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Make The Reader Smell Pancakes

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by Kimberly A. Cook                (Twitter@ WarriorTales)

The tried and true advice to show and not tell a story also needs to include smell. Of all the five senses we writers use to convey thoughts, emotions and senses, the old nose is at the top of the list to help immerse readers into an intimate memory. The oldest of the five senses we humans have, a whiff of a lover’s perfume or the scent of a grandfather’s Old Spice cologne takes us right back to that place and time.

Short stack of fabulous blueberry pancakes at the Black Bear Diner in Redmond, Oregon

When restaurants advertise their scrumptious dishes with full color pictures of food, their marketing departments would give their right nostril to be able to include smell. These blueberry pancakes I had on vacation were divine and the picture doesn’t do them justice.

If I describe the wafting aroma of warm powdered sugar rising like newborn doughnuts from the pancake batter with warm blueberries filling the air, you want to jump in the plate.

Never miss a chance to use a smell to trigger a memory or a feeling for our readers. The simple details can tell the most about a mood an author wants to evoke.  Studies have been done on the allure of such things as pumpkin, vanilla and licorice to raise amorous notions among our species.

For my money, blueberry pancakes belong on that list too. Perhaps I need to do some more research. Bring on the blueberries!

And Now, Back To Our Troops

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by Kimberly A. Cook           (Twitter@ WarriorTales)

Always have to keep an eye on what our troops are up to all over the world. Being in the #military puts you in some pretty funky situations. Am I glad we didn’t have video rolling when I was making my stupid moves in the service. Here is a case of just trying to go about your day in Afghanistan on a first patrol to get acquainted with the countryside.

I can find walking a challenge on a sidewalk without the equivalent of a shopping cart of weight strapped to my back, so see how this Navy Corpsman handles it with grace. Read the description on YouTube from this March escapade. Happy Quirky Friday!

Do You Have Time For Butterflies?

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by Kimberly A. Cook            (Twitter@ WarriorTales)

The old cliché says the best things in life are free; clichés work for a reason. On my recent vacation we went for a walk along the Metolius River starting from Camp Sherman. This is a favorite spot of mine to take an easy stroll and shoot some pictures. It’s a photographer’s paradise.

Accompanying us on our trek were butterflies, everywhere. It was magic. Also a challenge to photograph as these beautiful buggers move!

Butterfly guide on the Metolius River.

I still haven’t looked at all the photos, but I have shots of partial butterfly wings, dirt pictures where butterflies were and the always helpful out of focus shot because the digital camera battery got tired. (Pack spare camera batteries too, I do.)

But as any photographer learns, keep taking pictures because you never know what will happen. The same goes for writing. Keep at it, keep trying, because some day you might have writing butterfly time and it would be tragic to miss the magic.

Author Elizabeth Lyon has a great saying, “cut wood and carry water,” when it comes to writing. Every type of writing we do and every experience in our lives adds to the writer we are and will become. Use it all. If we all keep writing, one day the butterflies will appear and writing magic will occur. So whether we walk by a stream or on city streets, be open to the creativity around us.

Watch for butterflies!

Scrat And The Writer’s Life

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by Kimberly A. Cook            (Twitter@ WarriorTales)

It’s here! Ice Age 4 opens in theaters today and I can’t wait to watch the further adventures of Scrat. Since Scrat lives a writer’s life in constant pursuit of the publishing nut, or acorn in this case, Ice Age 4 appears to resemble the current upheaval in publishing. So if you’re a self-publishing author riding in the digital rodeo or a prehistoric squirrel trying to make sense of continental drift and change, let’s all learn from the way of Scrat. It couldn’t hurt. I hope. Happy Quirky Friday!

Have You Ever Bunked With A Mascot?

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by Kimberly A. Cook                    (Twitter@ WarriorTales)

Back from a wonderful vacation. Headed over the mountains to Sisters, Oregon with my BFF and had a blast. When I was packing I remembered ABB, or Air Bunny Bear, my mascot. ABB flew with me on all my missions in the Air Force Reserve. He has his own camouflage sleeping bag and a couple  of uniforms, including his blue ABB cape. It seemed like a good idea to reactivate him and take him along.

Air Bunny Bear riding backwards on the road to Suttle Lake, just like sitting backwards in the C141b when we flew with the 40th AES out of McChord Air Force Base.

A seasoned traveler, ABB’s been to the beaches of Florida, sat in snow during Christmas in Alaska and been on the flight deck of a C141b at 37,000 feet; I have the pics to prove it. He hasn’t gotten around much lately, so I’m pretty sure he was jazzed to get out on the road again.

Lots of folks have personal mascots or good luck charms they take with them on journeys both before, during and after military service. It’s these memory tokens or “memory tags” which remind of us of people and places past. There is even a platoon of combat gnomes who have shipped out from Oregon to keep our troops company overseas.

A favorite movie of mine, “Amelie,” follows the adventures of a jet setting gnome too, long before the Travelocity Gnome showed up on the scene. My backyard and desk sport several Travelocity Gnomes, because you never know when you might need a gnome security squad.

Think back about the special mascots you’ve traveled with, sent as pieces of home or maybe even one you received while overseas. Radar of M*A*S*H tv fame had his teddy bear.  Mascots tell us about ourselves and the folks we run into who have their own; all are great inspirati0ns for stories. Got a mascot?

Puppy Power Rules!

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by Kimberly A. Cook           (Twitter@ WarriorTales)

Its been a great Fourth of July week here in Oregon and it’s hard to know how to entertain my blog buddies after fireworks.  But this fun and furry two-some took Britain by storm and you can see why. While Spec Ops Cat will not consider going through this training, he does endorse doggie exercise and field agilty work. So if you’ve got some time on your hands this weekend, see if you can get your dog to do what Pudsey does. Happy Quirky Friday!