Kimberly A. Cook

Military Romance Author

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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!

 

 

Are You Open To New Possibilities?

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by Kimberly A. Cook              (Twitter@ WarriorTales)

The start of a new year refreshes my muse. Getting past the solstice and putting away holiday decorations makes me look forward to the twelve new months. While some folks set goals, I have a few, the biggest challenge is to slow down and remain in the now. Luckily Mother Nature likes to send me artwork on a regular basis.

Christmas Eve 2011 sunrise from my backyard.

I took this photo on Christmas Eve morning in my backyard, in my jammies. A former photojournalist, I always have my cameras with me or within reach. For some reason I woke up early and decided to just get up; rare, since staying in a comfy warm bed is one of life’s great pleasures. Digging into my oatmeal, the rays of this amazing sunrise spilled onto the breakfast table. I was out the back door. 

Life is like that. If you sleep late, don’t look out the window and keep the curtains closed, you miss the good stuff. If you slog to the day job and don’t notice the amazing ice pattern on the red berries outside your office, you miss out. Make long-range writing plans, but embrace the present.

While we are launching ourselves into a new year of writing, ebooks and digital media, (oh my!) don’t forget to stay in the now. Your future might be right in front of you, trying to get your attention. Will you take the time to see it when it waves?

Go For The Guinea Pig In 2012!

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by Kimberly A. Cook           (Twitter@ WarriorTales)

The final Quirky Friday of 2011. The pressure is extreme to come up with something fun and inspiring to launch us all into the New Year. Happily, with the help of You Tube, I have it. This great nation has had some tough knocks the past several years and folks are struggling. But one of the things I love the most about us all is we are nuts and creative. Those are the skills which will pull us out of any mess.

We are very good at being creative and working together when times are tough. We have the drive, commitment and gumption to do the impossible. So in the great steps of our forefathers and foremothers, I give you Guinea Pig Agility Training! If Americans in South Dakota can train guinea pigs to perform, we can do anything! (They’re also training fish!) Happy Quirky Friday!