Kimberly A. Cook

Military Romance Author

military romance author

Seasons of the Heart

By

A Double Delight rose for Dolly.

Is it still August?

Seems to me this month has been longer than usual. I know they call it the dog days of summer, but I think that just means dogs and people need to nap. A lot.

While on a small shopping spree at Dollar Tree last week, I saw the staff move out the school supplies. I turned and came face to nose with a wall of pumpkin and red truck harvest signs. Then I escaped around the corner and ended up in a fully stocked aisle of Christmas decorations.

No wonder I have no idea what month it is. They say when you’re retired, every day is Saturday. Okay. That was always cleaning day when I grew up. But retailers don’t make it easy to figure out the actual month either.

Given the fact both allergy and wildfire seasons came way too early to Oregon this year, shouldn’t I be carving a pumpkin by now? But nope, more to go.

A huge thank you to the incredible firefighters, pilots, cooks, support crew, mechanics, and law enforcement personnel taking care of the more than 13,000 firefighters on the line in Oregon and Washington, plus across the west and Canada. It’s been another very bad fire season.

And not to be forgotten, hugs and support to the people of Hawaii who seem to be getting ALL the rain. We could help out by using it here on the mainland to put out flames, but Mother Nature is not cooperating with any of us right now.

Which brings me back to August.

This is a transition month from the end of summer to the start of school and then into fall and winter. I tend to get a little melancholy this time of year. Most of it is the allergies wearing me down and the heat and wildfire smoke, but part is the change of seasons.

Then I jerk myself back into perspective and remain grateful that I am not on the fire lines – those folks have to be in amazing physical shape and brave – or bobbing around on an aircraft carrier off the coast of Iran. A salute to all of the above. It helps me realize how good I have it.

Then I remember it’s almost pumpkin everything time!

Which gives me an excuse to stay inside and read books, craft, write, and drink gallons of hot cocoa. Even though I pound down hot chocolate all year long. I don’t need an excuse to do all those things in the summer, but it is cozier in the fall and winter.

Yesterday I checked on the Akawa Butte Fire close to my favorite town of Sisters and it is ninety-nine percent contained. Then a turkey photo popped up. Given my recent book, Tactical Turkeys, imagine my surprise to see the wild turkeys forging back into the burned area to start over. So proud of those feathered fowl. They are tactical.

I’d put myself on a media diet this week to improve my August mental health. But when I checked an online order last night, I saw the news about Dolly Parton. WHAT? NO…

I loved that lady. Before going into a tailspin, I asked myself, “What would Dolly do?”

I purchased her Dream More ebook to find out. After reading the first two pages, it helped. Dolly is a legend who has left a hole in our collective universe. We were so blessed to have her in our lives. And being a smart cookie, she planned her legacy to live on after her. Epic.

While I process her passing, I will strive to embrace the four principles in her book that guide her Dollywood Foundation for the Imagination Library:

“Dream more. Learn more. Care more. Be more.”

How about that for a mission statement for all of us?

I can’t wait to read the rest of her book. She left us instructions.

Because I’ve got my own writing projects kicking my butt all over my office and I need to get back to the fight.

Dolly would.

And the wild turkeys are way ahead of me, leading the charge.

Dolly Strong everybody.

September is almost here.

Turkeys on the march into burned over ground in the Akawa Butte Fire. The caption “Birds, such as turkey, quail, and woodpeckers, are the first to return to a fire area, often as vegetation is still smoldering.” Photo taken 8-2-2026 Image credit to the Central Oregon District of the Oregon Department of Forestry, Prineville, Oregon.

European Memories and World Cup Dreams

By

Here are my bus mates from Autotours EX 57 in 1983 with our loyal bus. I am bottom right.

Exactly forty-three years ago on June 22nd, I stepped onto a thirty-passenger Autotours Bus in London, England, for an adventure of a lifetime. It was a seventy-day camping trip with twenty-six strangers. It rocked my world.

Onboard our bus we had one Brit, four Americans, seventeen Aussies, and six New Zealanders (aka Kiwis) and visited sixteen countries. We sailed on a ship in Greece for a week, visited the Munich Olympic Stadium, explored the Catacombs of Rome, the Blue Mosque in Istanbul, the magical city of Dubrovnik, Paris, and many other amazing places.

Our tour guide kept a running diary of the trip, which we were invited to write in along the way. One of our campers contributed amazing drawings. At the end of the tour, back in London, the Daybook was given to one camper based on names drawn out of a hat. With much joy, it became mine.

I still have it. As the official keeper of the Daybook, I figured I should launch this little blog post out into the universe and see what happens. I know the locations of five members from the trip. For the American and New Zealander who met on our bus and later married, I did mail them a photocopy of the diary.

This was all before the Internet and social media. Thank heavens! At the time, it was my last summer before completing my Journalism Arts Technology degree. I talked my parents into giving me the money they saved for my wedding, added my savings from my part-time jobs, and headed for Europe.

Along with seventy rolls of thirty-six exposure Kodak 35mm film. One for each day. Popping the lids on every one of those seventy gray plastic cannisters at Gatwick Airport customs was a challenge, but I did it. That was a very patient customs officer.

Watching the World Cup match yesterday between the USA and Australia brought back warm and wild memories of that trip. The party vibe is real. I’ve wanted to post about the adventure on recent anniversaries, but life just happens.

Plus, as an American, I feel I should apologize to our NATO allies and partners for my country’s chaos. Perhaps now is a good time.

NATO’s Article five has only been activated once, when the USA was attacked on 9/11. Our allies came to our aid with comfort and support. It is not forgotten.

The many football/soccer fans from around the world who have come to visit us during the World Cup, have done it again, but this time by bringing us joy and hope. Which we dearly need.

The majority of Americans are hardworking, good people, who want world peace and a prosperous life for our families. We are working to fix our nation. Trust me.

We understand our Allies and partners have to do what is necessary to protect their own citizens.

But I wanted to say thank you for coming to our aid with emotional support right now. You have no idea how much we need it and our gratitude. We will clean up our mess and get back on track, but it requires commitment and fortitude.

In the meantime, I am now an official World Cup fan. I enjoyed the match, sorry Aussies, here’s hoping you make into the next round too. Complete with those yellow and brown inflatable kangaroos I saw in the crowd, that I desperately want. So stinking cute!

Because on that trip in 1983, I had the solemn honor of walking the battlefields of Gallipoli, Turkey, with the descendants of those who fought that bloody battle in World War I, while my own grandfather fought in the Meuse-Argonne, France.

We are bonded. Now and forever.

Thanks for bringing the parties!

Welcome to America World Cup fans!

 

P.S. If this post finds some of my former EX 57 campers, I’m at @instagram.com/kimberlyacookauthor

P.P.S.S. This was our itinerary, except for some detours, and our bus breakdown in Athens… Easy stops means we did not pitch our two-person tents. We were either in a taverna, Gasthof, pension, chateau, or on the ship.

 

Sending Valentine’s Day Wishes

By

As a romance author, one would think this is my peak season for romance and happy endings. The holiday is a great reminder, but I prefer to practice love and happiness every day. Because love is still the most powerful force in the galaxy.

One reason I watch the Olympics is to learn the athlete’s back stories, as we call it in the writing business. How they came to be the person they are and ended up on the team. The athlete’s paths range from poignant to harrowing to determined. But they never achieve their goals alone, they have a support team of family, friends, and coaches around them.

The Olympic athletes are a prime example of what it takes to strive for a dream. To want to represent your country on the world’s stage. Be the best for that one moment.

They are the good in all of us.

As a military romance author, this is one reason why I write about veteran couples. My women and men characters who avoid love in all the right places are part of a bigger story about life after military service. It can be a bumpy road at best.

In my books, I get to provide happy endings for veterans who many times do not get that in real life. Does that ignore reality? No, my goal is to remind those who don’t serve about the level of love and commitment from those who do, and the toll it can take during and after service.

Are veterans perfect? No. But that is true of mankind as a whole.

In the end, our active duty, reserve, and National Guard members swear an oath to the Constitution to defend our country against all enemies, foreign and domestic.

With their lives.

There is no greater love.

In my heart, Veterans Day and Valentine’s Day have a lot in common.

Have a cupcake, cookie, or a piece of cake on Valentine’s Day to celebrate the power of love.

Maybe share one with a veteran?

Love does save the world.

Happy Valentine’s Day everybody!

Happy Pumpkin Dunking Season!

By

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…

Happy May Day Everyone

By

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!

Happy Galentine’s and Valentine’s Days!

By

Happy Galentine’s Day Eve and almost Valentine’s Day!

As a romance writer, this is my season. It’s the best time to shop for Valentine goodies to decorate my home office. I start doing recon in January to get the good stuff. And this year I scored big time. A welcome mat with Snoopy mailing Valentine’s Day cards. On sale. For $13.99. (See above)

Pretty sure it’s staying outside until the Turkey mat switches in November. If I can get a perfect Valentine doormat on sale? Golden. It was the last one. Obviously, divine intervention.

My rations are stocked up too. A new candy obsession is the Reese’s thin peanut butter cups made with dark chocolate. Be still my heart. Somehow, I’ve convinced myself they save calories. I write fiction for a reason, people.

We are having crisp weather here in Oregon with lots of sun. But that ends early tomorrow morning with potential snow and freezing rain. Always a good time to stay inside when my neighborhood becomes a skating rink. After all, tonight is the full Snow Moon. But I switched out my dead TV cable box all by myself, so let the romantic comedy movies play!

Sending you all Galentine’s and Valentine’s Day wishes.

And candy, if I could. You know my top favorite right now.

Never forget.

Love is the most powerful force in the world.

Snoopy believes.

And so, do I.