Kimberly A. Cook

Military Romance Author

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Are We Being Good Blog Buddies?

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by Kimberly A. Cook        (Twitter@ WarriorTales)

WordPress recently wished me a happy second anniversary.  September 2011 is when I started posting on a regular basis. First it was family and a few die-hard friends following my blog. Then other actual real people started reading and commenting. I find that amazing. Real people! Obviously they are all brilliant.

Sending roses out to all my blog readers. Thank you so much for your time and attention.
Sending roses out to all my blog readers. Thank you so much for your time and attention.

My goal is always to educate and entertain. A lifelong learner, sharing information is a passion of mine; works out really well-being a writer. There is so much fun and interesting stuff out in the world for my creative brain to chase. Squirrel!

Recently I came across some “blog rules” all bloggers should follow. (First red flag – I never do what everyone says I must do.) One rule is to reply to every comment you get. Egad. I have not done that. Shame on me. Between working full-time and other commitments like family, eating and sleeping, I’m doing good to get the blog out twice a week. Then there is that whole pesky trying to write books time challenge.

I do not mean to be rude to my fabulous readers. I would love to reply to all comments and likes, but the best I can do is a few snippets here and there. That has to be okay for me, since there are only so many hours in a week and I keep running out of clean spoons and underwear. (Why do those two go together, by the way?)

But I would like to thank Steve at http://imagineerebooks.wordpress.com for all his likes – read he was not feeling well recently, but he appears to be better and back on deck at the keyboard. He, of course, is brilliant. Then there was my first actual real person comment from http://marlajayne.wordpress.com She must be fun and brilliant. Checked out her blog and she had chosen a “word of the year.” Liked the idea and decided I would choose “quality.”

So, you happy few, you happy band of blog readers – yes, I just edited Shakespeare from Henry V – thanks for reading my blog. I may not always get a chance to respond to comments and likes, but I appreciate you all and know – you are all amazing, beautiful and fabulous writers and/or artists! Wanted you all to know that. Thanks for being in my blog land!

Are Those Knitting Needles On Fire?

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by Kimberly A. Cook                                (Twitter@ WarriorTales)

Going with the knitting theme this week, I want you to know this wonderful lady from Scotland has me beat by miles. I have never seen someone knit so fast and that is why she is the champ! Forget that I only do simple projects and couldn’t knit a pattern to save mankind, this woman rocks the yarn.

Have a Happy Quirky Friday and see if you can keep up with the winner from Scotland!

Creativity Or Knitting – Which Came First?

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by Kimberly A. Cook             (Twitter@ WarriorTales)

Back at the desk. No sooner had I stuffed my second edition non-fiction book in a box and stuck it in the corner than my three other manuscripts in process started yelling from the cheap seats; “Pick me, pick me!” It’s enough to drive my creative muse around the bend and over the edge.

Deep inside my yarn drum. This is yarn drum 2, yarn drum 1 is at the day job. It's an addiction!
Deep inside my yarn drum. This is yarn drum 2, yarn drum 1 is at the day job. It’s an addiction!

Checking my options, I informed the three projects I am knitting now. Knitting! That worked for a while, but my romance fiction book is calling to me like a siren from the sea.

So, I may work on it when my hands cramp up from knitting so much. Of course, my subconscious brain and my muse are going full steam ahead with rewrites for the fiction book while I try to focus on knitting!

Now this seems a very healthy thing to me. Since my creative frontal brain part needs to be relaxed to create, obviously the knitting is just what it needed, a complete break. I must say it is also quite happy to be the cool kid in the pack now that I’ve kicked the non-fiction book to the curb. Manuscripts do get jealous that way, sibling rivalry.

While I am buying yarn on sale and stockpiling bamboo knitting needles, my muse is getting a bit too happy; this is the first book in a three book series and my muse is working on all of them! It’s like trying to direct a toddler away from sticky candy while trying to remember what brilliant prose fell out of my mind for book three.

Who knew knitting was creative crack for my exhausted muse brain? It seems the best thing to do is let it percolate and write down snatches of what I can grab and stuff those items in their correct book box. That is my goal. Stay tuned. Mama’s don’t let your writers grow up to be knitters….. or something like that.

International Seagull Dance Off Is On!

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by Kimberly A. Cook (Twitter@ WarriorTales)

For those of you who follow my Happy Quirky Friday posts, I must alert you to a new trend sweeping the globe. Seems that avid tap dancing seagull we witnessed a few weeks ago is not the only foul feathered dynamite hoofer headed for stardom.

Seems a young Irish bloke has his sights set on making a name for himself in “Riverdance” style. Check out this talented two-footed hoofer and see what you think about his moves. I’m sure a tv series is next! Happy Quirky Friday!

Is Tech A Tool Or A Toy For Writers?

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by Kimberly A. Cook         (Twitter@ WarriorTales)

Started reading Kristen Lamb’s new book, “Rise of The Machines: Human Authors In A Digital World,” this past weekend. Great read. Really enjoying her recap of all that has happened in the publishing biz in the last several years and where we are headed.

Old desktop box on the left, cute new screamer desktop box on the right. HEPA filter on top, in case you wondered.
Old desktop box on the left, cute new screamer desktop box on the right. HEPA filter on top, in case you wondered.

In order to buy her Kindle book I had to read it on my computer. I have a Classic Nook and a Nook Tablet, but they won’t talk to the Kindle unless I do engineering hijinks I am not qualified to do. Could get the App for my Android Phone, but don’t want to use the small screen.

This all got me to thinking about how do we keep up with tech from a hardware standpoint as writers? At the day job last Thursday I got a brand new desktop box to replace the old one which has been clunking along for six years. Like getting a new Corvette! Man the thing moves and going from 2 GB RAM to 8 GB RAM is divine.

Now I want one at home. Both my day job and home computers were top of the line when I got them six years ago, but time moves in light years in upgrade land. Now I am trying to guess which way to go for my future home computer.

Since I switched over to digital photos from film and started making videos too, computer memory and processing power are now a big deal. While I like portability, I prefer a larger screen and keyboard when dealing with photos and video instead of a laptop. Tablets are nice for viewing, but for actual work, I find them frustrating when working with any type of “transmedia.”

Basic portable writing can be done on my pink laptop which cannot have its .99 GB of RAM memory upgraded, never even knew there was a soldered daughter board, but it can still compose and play Wheel of Fortune and Scrabble, so I’m good.

So what is my first tip? Whatever I buy, purchase the exact opposite. I have the Palm, Blackberry, Nooks and non-upgradeable laptop to support my case; plus my six-year-old desktop. Then there is the whole Windows 8 thing where they didn’t give us a start button the first time out. Seriously?

Hoping to hobble along a little longer before having to shell out some major pesos and “gasp” shift computers. While we use them as tools, they are also toys at times, expensive toys. But still cheaper than a Harley or a bass boat! I think.

How About A Great Whale Tale?

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by Kimberly A. Cook           (Twitter@ WarriorTales)

Happened upon this clip while doing my usual cruise through Weather.com’s 10 day forecast for my town. I adore whales. When bad things happen to good whales it makes me crazy, but this whale had seagoing angels.

Do not try this at home, kids. These guys are experienced and still took huge risks, but I know that special Right Whale had the smarts to know they were trying to help. So for a good Happy Quirky Friday send off, check out this fabulous whale of a tale and tail. Get it?