Kimberly A. Cook

Military Romance Author

Kimberly A. Cook

Give Yourself the Gift of Creativity

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Double Delight rose, one of my favorites. Spring will soon be here…

This time of year, there is an emphasis on giving gifts and things. But I’ve been thinking about what has helped my mental health the most over the last two decades. What I need more of in 2026. When I review the input, and without asking ChatGPT, it always comes back to creativity.

The free gift we can give ourselves in any season.

I’ve been a writer since grade school, but other arts have come to my rescue over the years.

When my dad was in hospice, I kept a journal to record memories and unleash my grief. Then the Covid lockdown hit, and my romance novel let me visit a fictional town, away from the reality of moving my mom into assisted living and not being able to hug her for fifteen months. When her health failed, I started a mom journal to soak up my anguish.

Then the news stacked up with topics of ache and heartache from around the globe. Through all of this, I sought refuge in art. I took a mixed media class to let my inside turmoil loose on the physical page and expel it from my mind and body. The pre-painting I made before I started the course touched a deep nerve of grief I didn’t know existed. And released it, much to my surprise. When you can’t paint with words, visual art can reach deep.

I moved on to an art journal course, combining stamping with watercolors, then glue books, and whatever touched my fancy. It can be as simple as drawing on paper with a pencil to scribble anger. When the world is overwhelming, it is the exact time to spill your emotions into art and find a way out.

Writing is one part of my creative practice. Music plays in my office when I write. It lets my muse know it is time to begin. I’ve started selecting songs which represent the theme for each of my four romance book series. I know the tune when it fits.

It also made me pick my own theme song for 2026. Or maybe my life. Something which makes me happy and brave. Which befits my warrior woman writer persona of the past and hopefully my future. Attributes we Americans need these days, as do many in the world.

I’ve been figuring out how to navigate this time in my life. My world has become quite small, and it takes courage to move out into the fray.

But outside my comfort level is where the people are. The good people. And we need each other.

On my final blog post of 2025, I gift you my curated list of Creative Inspiration and Art Therapy videos on YouTube, which have helped me over the years or recently inspired me. I will continue to add to it. Bet you can figure out my new personal theme song by watching them.

Consider it a personal creative gift in case you too crave an emotional outlet. Try art. A recent term I came across is resilience fatigue. That makes so much sense. Like a boxer who wants to stay on the mat after repeated blows, sometimes we need an assist to get back to life.

Use art to heal.

Got watercolor supplies in a drawer? Crayons in a closet? Beads in a bunker? Colored ink pens in a purse? Pencil and paper under your bed? Highlighters in a pencil pouch? Fabric in a trunk? Chalk in a box?

Let the paint, hot glue, and ink throwing begin!

Make art like the world needs it.

Because it does.

Go wild.

Be creative pirates!

 

“Give Yourself the Gift of Creativity” Copyright © 2025 by Kimberly A. Cook. Cover image © 2025 by Kimberly A. Cook

Tis The Cookie Season!

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Past cookie exchange treasures…

Okay, truth be told, every season is cookie season. But this time of year, we all get to up our game to Olympic levels. My current menu to bake is snickerdoodle, lemon holiday, and peanut butter blossoms. But maybe I need to add peanut butter oatmeal dark chocolate chip and oatmeal milk chocolate chip too. In case folks want a choice. Decisions, decisions.

When the world is losing its marbles, cuddling up with baked goods and holiday music is a great way to relax. Or watch a fun movie. KPOP Demon Hunters is my current obsession. Or read a good story.

My book contribution to the home cocoon season is Santa Gorgeous, the third novella in my Single Santa’s Club series.

Samantha needed a Santa replacement. Pronto. Not her former secret high school crush. Midlife closed-door romance. Forced Santa proximity second chance romantic comedy holiday romance. Check it out here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0G5762NP8

There is a lot to be said for cookies and books. Cats and Santa. Elves and trains.

But, like Mrs. Claus, I will double check my grocery list to make sure I have enough butter. Pretty sure I have everything else I need right here at cookie central. But it’s always best to check the cookie list twice. In case the reindeer have been sneaking snacks.

Wishing everyone a safe and peaceful holiday season.

Happy Pumpkin Dunking Season!

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Happy Pumpkin Season everybody.

I got the first clue seeing the huge stacks of pumpkins outside the grocery store a few weeks ago. Then inside, I spotted pumpkin donuts and Cheerios. I had no clue those existed. Where have I been?

It’s official. Snacking season is off to the races!

It’s pumpkin everything. Pumpkin bread, pumpkin eggnog, pumpkin decorated cookies.

Really, we all just need to walk around in sweatpants. Oh wait, many folks do. Gotta love an elastic waist for the holidays. And the kickoff event is tomorrow. Candy palooza. Whether you take the kids or grandkids out, or stock up and eat at home, you do you.

Given the current crazy in my hometown of Portland, Oregon, I am sure there will be a brigade of frog costumes on the march this Halloween. Support the ribbits!

For those of us who just eat candy at home and are proud of it, Oregon might have another dousing rainstorm, but we’re good. We’re not the beaver and duck state for nothing. If we didn’t do things in the rain, absolutely nothing would get accomplished.

Plus, Timberline Lodge on Mt. Hood got lots of snow last weekend. SNOW!

You know what that means. On Halloween I will be kicking off the Crock Pot season, with a recipe I stumbled across on Pinterest. Crock pot creamy chicken parmesan soup. It looks so good. And I prefer the appliance does the simmering, while I relax. Genuis invention. In case you want to try it, here is the link. https://ladysavor.com/crock-pot-creamy-chicken-parmesan-soup

And what will I be doing while waiting on my Crock Pot?

Binge watching more of Ted Lasso on Netflix. I’m probably one of three people on the planet who has not seen the series. But I recently did my free trial to watch a baseball game and here we are, after the trial is over. Better use it before I stop it.

In the meantime, why did I bring up pumpkin dunking?

Because the adorable, rescued otters at the Oregon Zoo, Lincoln, Juno and Sushi, are practicing their moves. Why don’t we have an otter basketball league? Right?

Oregon Zoo Otters

Stay safe and spooky on Halloween!

Time change: Don’t forget, it seems early, but here in the USA, we turn clocks back an hour on Saturday, Nov. 1st. Except for the places that don’t. Like Hawaii. Such smart people…

Summer Honey Wishes

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On a writing research trip to Hood River last week, I came upon this mug I had to add to my collection. I am a huge fan of bees, and honey too. Especially on warm buttered biscuits. Not only do the bees work hard to make the honey, but so do the rest of us worker bees to earn the cash to purchase the liquid gold.

On the eve of America’s 249th birthday, I wanted to say thank you to all my fellow worker bees this long holiday weekend. From the grocery clerks to the postal workers, the construction workers and the folks picking crops in the fields, we are all very busy bees these days. We are living in challenging times in the United States and around the world.

A special thank you to our military members serving around the globe, keeping us safe twenty-four seven, in the air, on the land, and under the sea. Every generation faces choices in the defense of democracy. We stand on the shoulders of those who have gone before us. Let us not forget their sacrifices. We have much work to do toward building a more perfect union for all.

Just as we need to help our neighbors, the bees also need help. Grow a pot of bee friendly flowers this summer. Getting your fingers in the dirt is good for the soul, and it helps the bees. Plus, seed packets are still one of the cheapest things to buy these days. With a promise of both beauty and bee support!

I was thinking of a favorite book I read in high school the other day, the wonderful Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury.

Think I will reread it this summer. I still have that original copy, but for some reason the print is much smaller than I remember. Things change.

But so can we.

Wishing you a July with mild summer days, good friends, and great books.

And hoping for warm biscuits with butter and honey for everybody.

We are all members of this earth colony with the bees.

Kindness is contagious.

Bee-lieve it!

 

Happy May Day Everyone

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A bee hard at work in the azalea. Nature keeps working. That always gives me hope.

Just returned from a walk around the neighborhood on this warm, lovely afternoon. Wanted to take a posey picture to share with you. Sun is always a big deal here in Oregon and today is a bonus day of eighty-degree weather. May always heralds the true start of moving from spring to summer for me. Flip flops and naked toes are on the horizon.

While I can’t decide whether to do some mixed media art or take a nap right now, I’ve been doing a fine job of avoiding my current work in progress, Forbidden Warrior. I’m twenty-seven chapters in and this couple are having deep conversations and surprising me with things I didn’t know about them. While some romance authors strictly dictate what their couples do, I give mine a little wiggle room and they go rogue every time. That’s the fun part!

My obsession with Jane Austen continues as I discussed in my last post and now OPB/PBS is airing the short series Miss Austen on May 4 at 9 p.m. Why did Cassandra Austen, Jane’s sister, rush to locate the letters Jane wrote to her friend Eliza after the author’s death? What could have been in those letters that Cassandra wanted kept secret? Intrigue! Can’t wait.

Then there is my new HGTV fetish Castle Impossible, set outside of Paris with a young couple working to renovate/save a massive French chateau. This is home improvement on steroids. Plus, I don’t have to lift a brick, paint brush, hammer or timber and still get to visit beautiful France. 

Another way to celebrate May first is Lei Day, a state holiday in Hawaii. The people of the islands celebrate the love, friendship, and spirit of Aloha symbolized by the lei. The flowery necklace is a symbol of the Hawaiian culture, their connection to the land, the people, and the Aloha spirit. Whether made from flowers, leaves, shells, seeds, or other natural objects, they are a way to demonstrate love, caring, and welcome.

I’ve enjoyed wearing flower leis on my visits to Hawaii. I even keep fabric ones on my dresser mirror to remind me of my island times. This morning, I switched out my Easter decorations for a Hawaiian summer flare in the house. Complete with Cabana Boy pillows!

Wishing you all a very happy May Day.

The Aloha spirit is a wonderful thing to embrace and spread.

Aloha!

Celebrating Jane Austen

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Some of my teacups surrounded by my two new Jane Austen books. It’s always time for a relaxing tea party and a good novel.

Want to escape?

Me too. So that’s what I did last weekend, I retreated to Jane Austen.

For me this meant rewatching Hallmark’s Paging Mr. Darcy and then streaming Austenland. And then I was down the research rabbit hole.

Discovered this is Jane’s 250th birthday year. Then I found a new book about the women authors who inspired Jane’s writing. Off to Barnes and Noble I went and pounced on that volume, then found a collection of all seven of her novels. Score! Snatched that up too.

Austen confessions. I haven’t actually read the books. Not growing up. Not sure how I missed her in all my high school literature classes. But I was reading Harlequin books from the git go. And a huge Shakespeare fan, so not sure how I got derailed. But then, I saw the 2005 movie Pride and Prejudice. With Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfayden.

Sweet mother of boots and breeches.

I know. Let’s all take a moment. In reverence. Make sure to breathe.

The rain scene?

Then when Darcy strides across the fields?

Never in all my born days… Vapors. Swooning. Breathing optional.

I adore that film so much I have two DVD copies in case one gets scratched.

Say what you want about us Baby Boomers and our analog media, but the Army taught me; if you don’t have it, you don’t HAVE it.

Then I discovered something else.

It’s the 20th Anniversary of the movie and they are bringing it back to the big screen in selected theaters on April 20th!

Not sure my heart can take it. I checked locally and it is in three theaters here in Vancouver, Washington, and in Beaverton, Oregon, on April 18. Ladies and gents, check your theater listings. It’s movie go time!

Now, if for some unromantic reason you don’t prefer Jane Austen, you do you, but here are some other escapes.

Opening March 28th is The Penguin Lessons, which I didn’t know about, based on the book of the same name. A story of a teacher and his bird. Based on a true adventure. This is a must see for me.

Last night on Netflix I started watching The Residence, a murder mystery series set in the White House. It is brilliant. Of course, Shonda Rhimes produced it, so expect only the best. I stopped at three episodes. Not easy. Had to get some sleep. Back at it tonight.

Or go outside for a promenade.

It’s been rumored we might have three days of sun next week. Always a win.

Or hunt down where you can view other Jane Austen inspired movies from Hallmark like An American in Austen, Sense and Sensibility, and Jane and Love from 2024, or Unleashing Mr. Darcy from 2016. Or the gazillion others made over the years. Emma is a big favorite of mine too, with Ann Taylor-Joy, Johnny Flynn, and Bill Nighy.

Right now, I am reading Undressing Mr. Darcy by Karen Doornebos.

Love is the greatest power on earth.

Let’s refill our hearts and work toward everybody getting a happily ever after.

Inside and outside the book pages.

I leave you with the 20th Anniversary film trailer to make your day.

You’re welcome.