Kimberly A. Cook

Military Romance Author

amwriting

Take A Video Vacation To Greece!

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by Kimberly A. Cook                 (Twitter@ WarriorTales)

It’s been a tough week, especially for folks in Boston and Texas. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims and their families, all who helped, and law enforcement and emergency responders during these tragic events. When things like this happen we can be hit with compassion fatigue. The military knows this and has units stand down and take some R&R, rest and relaxation. With that in mind, we could all use a little happy break.

While we wait for summer to appear, my budding grape-vine gives me hope there will be warm summer nights and lunches out in the sun again. Just like that 78-year-old gentleman who was knocked down by the bomb in Boston and got up to finish the race – with a concussion! That’s us Yanks, knock us down, we get back up.

So let’s all take a little breather today and venture off to Greece on the budget plan, by video. One of my favorite destinations in Greece is Hydra, let’s go along with Rick Steves. Happy Quirky Friday!

Got Pets? Have A Current Computer Back Up?

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by Kimberly A. Cook             (Twitter@ WarriorTales)

Sunday I walked into my home office to pay some bills and found Spec Ops Cat had gifted me with a hairball – on my finished taxes on the desk. Not a tragedy, my CPA filed my returns electronically two weeks ago so this was the paper copy, but point taken. The open laptop right next to it survived unscathed. One never knows when a hairball or computer crash might happen.

Spec Ops Cat helping out in the office - as a paperweight.
Spec Ops Cat helping out in the office – as a paperweight.

Having “worked for the government” I am paranoid about multiple backups. The rule of three backups with one being off-site is never far from my mind. I don’t even erase my photo memory cards after they are on my computer, I keep them as archives.

I use Carbonite online to backup my computer automatically and I put everything on thumb drives too, plus I have an external hard drive which backs up my computer. No, I’m not using the Cloud yet, but I’ve toyed with Dropbox, but I want my files with me so we shall see about the whole Cloud concept.

My paranoia goes back to my Army logistics training I think – if you don’t have it with you, you don’t have it – that applies to food, fuel, toilet paper and digital photos and documents. A burned CD copy of my book is in my fire safe and still riding around in my car.

Adding photos and videos into the backup equation besides my writing documents increases the memory needs. My first computer used 5 1/4 inch disks and had no hard drive. Now we are all overwhelmed with trying to preserve our digital memories and work to avoid a catastrophic digital disaster. Maybe using some old school ways of burying some DVDs or thumb drives in the backyard might be cool again.

With taxes over for this year, it’s a good time to consider keeping our writing, photos, videos, legal and financial documents safe. Protect yourself and your writing – backup now. Who knows what our pets are plotting for the rest of the year!

Going Fishing? Be Careful Out There!

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by Kimberly A. Co0k                (Twitter@ WarriorTales)

Back to the islands this Friday! Yesterday I saw this video clip on both weather.com and cnn.com. Seems Isaac was fishing off Oahu minding his own business, when “Chompy” decided he wanted to fish too! From the end of Isaac’s pole!

When I looked at it yesterday there were 400,000 plus views. This morning, 1.9 million. Chompy has a lot of fans. Enjoy your weekend and have a great Quirky Friday!

http://youtu.be/puNhvXutVjQ

 

Got A Writer Pit Crew? Or Three?

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by Kimberly A. Cook                  (Twitter@ WarriorTales)

This past Friday I met with my author buddy and editor, Cindy Hiday, (www.cindyhiday.com) for one of our frequent staff meetings. We call them that because we write alone and need another carbon-based life form for creative support. These days I joke(?) it takes at least three NASCAR pit crews to keep me together, but one of those pit crews is full of writer and author buddies.

Bleeding Heart blooming in my garden today after surviving this weekend's thunder, rain and wind storms.
Bleeding Heart blooming in my garden today after surviving this weekend’s thunder, rain and wind storms.

Then on Saturday I met with my writer support group, a bunch of five authors and writers who talk about what is going on with our writing and our lives. We don’t critique each other’s writing, but we each get thirty minutes to tell what is happening with our life and art.

Turns out three of us had been through some pretty tough challenges in the last two months and the other two had been decompressing at the beach for seven months after moving to their dream location. We all support and help each other out. Writing is a craft we fit in around our pesky regular lives which keep intruding on our work. Personal and weather storms of all kinds don’t stop because we want to write our stories.

In these days of crazy news and even wackier odd things on tv, there is nothing like sitting with writer friends and really listening to each other. We unplug and open our ears to hear each others life stories. It always inspires and recharges me; like a camp fire without the smoke, flying embers and bats.

Writers need writer friends who support and encourage our work, plus hopefully bring snacks. If you don’t belong to a group like this, create one. That is how our group started, I needed one so I asked writers I was compatible with if they were interested. Now, several years later we are still at it meeting every other month for a couple hours.

No one understands a writer like a fellow writer. Let’s face facts, we can be an odd bunch at the best of times. Non-writers think we are in charge of our fiction characters and know what is going to happen. Ha! They also think we just whip out those non-fiction books and articles in no time flat. Nada.

One of my favorite sayings applies to writing, “If it was easy, anybody could do it.” True for both writers and Special Operations personnel; not everybody is cut out for the long gut grinding haul of these two professions. So whether you need a “staff meeting” or a “writer support group,” make sure you have writer friends and buddies to help you along the way.

It’s always a good idea to come out of our writer caves and interact with real people instead of screens and keyboards. Build your writer pit crew today!

What Do Mud And Marines Have In Common?

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by Kimberly A. Cook             (Twitter@ WarriorTales)

Been trying to get myself into some kind of shape for this summer that doesn’t resemble a dud spud. Who better to turn to for fitness tips than the U. S. Marines? Seems even when they play, it involves mud and running. I particularly like the different outfits, the tutus rock, and the free shower at the end.

Writers need to have fun, exercise and get some fresh air in our heads, so maybe this is one way. Or a simple trip to the gym works too. Check out how the Marines play in Oahu! Happy Quirky Friday!

How Do We Grow Fiction?

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by Kimberly A. Cook         (Twitter@ WarriorTales)

Saturday I ventured out into the garden for the first time this year to weed, clean and organize. Going about my tasks it struck me this is a lot like what I do when it’s time to edit my fiction first drafts. As I plow through the pages there are things which are fine and then passages which must be weeded, transplanted and some put in the yard debris cart.

Wreath wire or fiction book structure?
Wreath wire or fiction book structure?

A rare gorgeous 77 degree sunny day, I made sure to work my two hours and then save time to read in the lawn swing. First I had to assemble the lawn swing, always fun. One final chore before book break time involved recycling my Christmas wreath from the front door. Don’t judge. Wanted to make sure it was dry, okay?

The process of unwinding the florist wire from the small Douglas Fir branches and the pine cones took longer than I expected. In fact, I had to come up with a plan to corral all the wire. Started making a ball and away the unwinding process went.

As time wore on, it became apparent to me we should hire the folks who assemble these wreaths to rebuild our national infrastructure. With this type of workmanship, our roads and bridges would be good for eons. Thought about quitting at one point, but blast it all I needed to finish it.

When the last bit of wire was off the frame and I’d put the big circle in the metal recycling bin, the ball of wire was the size of a grapefruit. Kind of pretty, too. Took it over to the back porch step to take a couple photos; I never know what I might use in my blog or for a project.

After the wire ball’s Vogue fashion shoot, the above photo is my favorite, complete with wood knot holes on the steps to add character. Wandering over to the herb garden, I discovered the Apple Mint was sending up new shoots so I wouldn’t need to buy one this year. Another good garden surprise, like the life cycle of a writer; even if you try to stop writing, you can’t and you start composing again.

While I sat swinging on the lawn swing enjoying a Kate Carlisle mystery, it dawned on me. Not only does the garden mimic creating fiction, but so did the ball of wire. We fiction writers think we know where we’re going when we start a novel, but on the journey our fiction ball of wire takes a shape all its own.

Fiction becomes a collaboration of our imagination, muse, life history and divine guidance. Whether writing fiction or tending a garden, editing, weeding and keeping at it are skills needed to excel at both trades. Feeling stuck with your fiction writing? Get thee to the garden!