Kimberly A. Cook

Military Romance Author

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Military Stories Honor And Transcend Time

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by Kimberly A. Cook               (Twitter@ WarriorTales)

It’s been a banner month for military movies at the box office. First War Horse, then Red Tails and Act of Valor will release next month. Congratulations to Red Tails for rocking the box office in second place this past weekend. The Tuskegee Airmen and George Lucas finally got their story on the big screen. Lucas hopes to film the prequel and sequel to Red Tails if the box office numbers hold up, so go see the movie.

John I. Tuthill, World War I

Last month at the 70th Anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the Pearl Harbor Survivor veterans decided to disband. With that act, it falls on the rest of us to remember their stories and deeds and carry them forward, as Lucas has done with the Tuskegee Airmen.

 War Horse brought back the conversation I had with my grandfather before I headed off to Army basic. He told me a little about being in the Artillery in World War I. He mentioned how he had to get his gas mask and the horse’s gas masks on when the mustard gas hit.
 
That conversation came back to me many times in basic when I was learning to put on my gas mask and get a seal in nine seconds. How did grandpa ever get his mask and the horse’s gas masks on in time? My grandfather passed away before I came home from the Army. What I wouldn’t give to have had more time to hear his stories.
 
Grandpa was a character, so I’m definitely related to him. He came to Portland and worked as a longshoremen in the days when the docks were also a war zone. Later he became a Silverstream trailer snowbird, vacationing with my step-grandmother in Quartzsite, Arizona in the winter.  The amazing silver bullet trailer would show up at our house for summer visits.
 
To me he was an older man, wiry and thin. I didn’t recognize him in a photo my Mom has of his longshoremen days; he looks like Popeye, biceps and all. The portrait we have of him in his World War I uniform above shows his deep blue eyes and buzz cut. Finding out my Grandfather’s military history is on my to do list; because as writers and witnesses we need to record and tell the stories. That’s our job.      

Head Em Up, Move Em Out!

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by Kimberly A. Cook             (Twitter@ WarriorTales)

It’s been a long short week around here in the land of ice, snow, rain and flooding. While winter is just getting started here in Oregon, spring will rise again! Going along with the open air theme, thought it might be time for a little round-up. Imagine the truck is a self published author and the cows are the current publishing industry. The words to the song fit pretty well too! This is what digital media is all about; writers rule!

Kick back, put your boots up on the table and enjoy the ride. Happy Quirky Friday!

What’s In Your Supply Closet?

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by Kimberly A. Cook                     (Twitter@ WarriorTales)

We writers are sometimes referred to as odd, but I prefer quirky; sounds more French. One quirky tendency I have is to stockpile office supplies. Forget we are in a digital media age, I still enjoy Post-It Notes, medium point purple ink pens, pink paper steno pads and my favorite white-lined writing tablets. Part of this comes from my Army training as a supply sergeant; if you don’t have it now, you won’t have it when you need it.

Part of my supply closet stash.

This supply addiction appears when visiting my local office supply stores. While we writers want to mosey around and bond with the paper clips and new colors of erase pens for the whiteboards, perky sales folk can derail us.  In one such visit a few yeas ago three salespeople in five minutes asked if they could help me find something. All I wanted to do was yell, “I’m just trying to enjoy the office supplies, okay?” Don’t go there anymore.

Being a tactile type, touching the products is great fun. A bright mauve fake snake writing tablet cover can send me into fits of joy. These simple pleasures are part of being a creature who brings worlds out of thin air; sometimes we just need to touch paper, a book or an eraser! Let us be.

Two staples for all writers are ink and paper to print out hard copies and edit our work. (Who hasn’t heard the midnight horror stories at writing conferences about ink and paper emergencies at the worst time?) There is just something about seeing prose in hard copy which makes the edits jump out at me. Scribbling on the manuscript also gives me a feeling of accomplishment. Old school paper also makes editing portable without needing batteries or a charging cord.

The more digital my writing tools become, the more I need hard copies to edit. Perhaps this is old school training or personal preference. Whatever it is, we writers must do what works best for us. Susan Wiggs writes her bestsellers long hand, then makes edits when she types them into the computer. Whatever method works for each writer, that is the best. 

So what’s in your writing supply closet or shelf? Got office supply stories?

Can You Dance Like A Lion?

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by Kimberly A. Cook                   (Twitter@ WarriorTales)

January can be a tough slog after the fun and food of the holiday season. Cold weather, holiday bills in the mail, plus an unforgiving bathroom scale are sure signs spring is still a ways away. But then the Burpee Seed Catalog shows up in my mail box and I know everything will be okay; spring will come again!

Music is my antidote to many things, when chocolate may not be close at hand. So in the spirit of getting ourselves into the swing of this new year, it’s time to move it! With a little help from the cast of Madagascar Two and my favorite fabulous military penguins, we can take on any writing challenge this year! Happy Quirky Friday!   

Show Me The Writing!

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by Kimberly A. Cook                   (Twitter@ WarriorTales)

A primary rule for all writers is to show, not tell. This is harder than it sounds. We can’t tell readers about a scene, as storytellers we have to figure out how to show them what we mean. An amazing example of showing without telling is the last scene in the current movie, The Descendants.

Finally saw it last weekend. Great film. Bring tissues! Besides the humor and tears, I felt the last scene is masterful in the art of showing, not telling. Have to buy it on DVD so I can watch it over and over to see what other “shows” I might have missed. Layering characters, plots and turning points is an art form in writing and screenwriting.  It’s so nice to find films and books which do it well.

One author suggested taking screenwriting classes to learn how to punch up fiction dialogue. My screenwriting classes gave me a bonus when the three act structure provided me with the perfect way to plot fiction books.  Overlaying the screenwriting teachings from Syd Field’s The Screenwriter’s Workbook (page 47) with the Hero’s Journey work from Christopher Vogler’s The Writer’s Journey, third edition (page 8), I was set. We know when a tool clicks for us. 

Trial and error is how we improve our craft and grow as writers. Writing is the other way. We have to actually do it. Amazing how some of us still try to avoid that part at times, myself included. But then we happen to see a movie or read a book which impacts us with excellent craft. The work gives us fuel for the fire in our muse to get our stories right, to touch reader’s hearts.

What book or movie has influenced you?

Off To A Clean Start!

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by Kimberly A. Cook                      (Twitter@ WarriorTales)

The first Quirky Friday of 2012. When we begin a new year, we want to make sure we are clean and ready to hop into the future. That is exactly the topic of this video. I had no idea all the amazing things rabbits were doing on YouTube, but this smart bunny seems to have staff. Reminds me of getting scrubbed down in a public bath house in Istanbul, but this little guy is getting the tender treatment instead. Have a very Happy Quirky Friday!