Kimberly A. Cook

Military Romance Author

military

Have You Checked Out A Local Historical Society?

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by Kimberly A. Cook                  (Twitter@ WarriorTales)

The only thing I like better than going on vacation to Maui is to do book research while there. My passion for hunting the quirky was indulged this past week while on the beautiful Valley Isle, even though Mother Nature provided a heat wave too.

The Maui Historical Society has a list of their archive items online on their website. I checked it out a couple of months ago while getting ready for the trip. I spied a group of documents titled World War II and a gem about one Navy ship. Decided I had to check out the file.

Bailey House Museum of the Maui Historical Society in Wailuku.
Bailey House Museum of the Maui Historical Society in Wailuku.

Called the Society when we arrived and made an appointment later in the week to review the file plus two others. Can’t wait to tell you about those gems later this Fall. (I keep saying Fall because I’m not ready for it.)

I felt so official, having my appointment, my notepad and camera along. They provided white cotton gloves to view the items, so not only did I feel like Mickey Mouse, but I was in hog heaven for a good hour. Paid for copies to be made of the items I wanted to take home. Took some non-flash photos of others.

Discovered a gem in the file about the Navy ship and some hand written letters which related to it too. Score! To me there is nothing like original research and archival documents. In this age of digital everything, for me there is true romance in touching paper other human hands used to write letters and communicate.

In the Museum basement reviewing archive documents with my fabulous white gloves. Hair explained by heat wave.
In the Museum basement reviewing archive documents with my fabulous white gloves. Hair explained by heat wave.

Call me old school, but it really gives you a feel for the person and the times when you can touch the photos, see the loops of their hand writing and bond with history.

If you have a certain area of interest, genre or passion, check it out at your local historical society. You may be excited with new inspiration and support the local keepers of the past. It’s a win for everyone!

Are you a history detective? Explore your local historical societies and museums today.

www.mauimuseum.org

 

Loving Those Fat Guys In The Woods!

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by Kimberly A. Cook           (Twitter@ WarriorTales)

My newest guilty pleasure is the Weather Channel’s television show “Fat Guys In The Woods.” While the title might seem a little off-putting, it’s a great premise. Creek Stewart, resident survival expert and hottie, teaches three men how to live off the land for five days with a knife, backpack and water canteen or filter. That is all the gear they get. Not one cracker or Oreo.

While these men are from all walks of life, the need to unplug and get back to nature is a life changing event for them. Creek keeps it real and genuinely cares about helping the men make a shift to test themselves and make major life decisions.

Stewart also offers valuable survival tips for everyone and relates the fact we are at the top of the food chain, but pudgy because we’ve lost our survival karma. He thinks we all depend too much on gear and need to know the basics when our gear breaks.

I clicked over to his website and found out he’s an indie published author too. He started as a college sophomore. He quickly learned some author life lessons as well.

In the military we always knew the first thing to go haywire was communications and then whatever piece of equipment you really needed. Improvise, adapt and overcome came from the military and family camping trips. Even the backup plans were usually toast in a matter of minutes.

If you’d like a look at a fun new show that’s educational too, check it out on the Weather Channel on Sunday nights. The show’s tagline is, “Off The Couch and Into The Woods.” In my case, the La-Z-Boy.

Link to Creek’s web site about how he started and became an author:

http://willowhavenoutdoor.com/featured-wilderness-survival-blog-entries/my-most-popular-question-answered-and-how-a-crow-changed-my-life/

 

Are You Ready For Some Penguins?

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by Kimberly A. Cook                        (Twitter@ WarriorTales)

Reading the Fall films guide in the paper on Friday, a true wonder appeared. The Penguins of Madagascar have their own movie. Finally! Granted they’ve had a tv show, but they really deserved their own film and it’s arriving Nov. 26, 2014. Tickle me happy!

What better way to get ready for the long Labor Day weekend then to watch a preview of the Penguins on a mission. How to top a long weekend and a Penguins movie trailer? TWO Penguins movie trailers! Have a safe long weekend and Happy Quirky Friday! (Notice the “Top Gun” music? Be still my heart!)

http://youtu.be/O5KgUyrYLMk

 

Time To Play In The Mud!

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by Kimberly A. Cook                    (Twitter@ WarriorTales)

They may say these final hot August summer days belong to the dogs, but I think elephants know how to party too! At the Oregon Zoo baby Lily and her brother Sam are having a great time playing in the mud. What better way to cool off then making really big mud pie splashes!

Some of my favorite memories are playing with Match Box cars in the neighbor’s backyard, creating an entire road system for my yellow convertible and travel trailer to use. Dirt and a little mud and I was in hog heaven. Actually, those play days helped me get through the mud of Army basic training.

What is your favorite mud memory? Happy Quirky Friday!

Know How To Request Military Records?

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by Kimberly A. Cook              (Twitter@ WarriorTales)

Sent off my snail mail request on Saturday to get copies of my Dad’s military and medical records. Have been meaning to do it for a couple months now, but finally made it happen. It’s a pretty simple process, but most folks won’t realize they need to deal with the National Archives, not the military branches.

New treasure! My Mom and sister discovered this bunch of letters my Dad wrote to his Mom during World War II tucked away in his dresser. More projects for me!
New treasure! My Mom and sister discovered this bunch of letters my Dad wrote to his Mom during World War II tucked away in his dresser. More projects for me!

Couple of things to know:

  • If the veteran is living, they have to request their own records.
  • If the veteran is deceased, only next of kin can request the records. Next of kin is limited to unremarried surviving spouse, father, mother, son, daughter, sister or brother.

Proof of death must be provided by a death certificate or obituary or death notice, coroner’s report of death, funeral director’s signed statement of death, or verdict of a coroner’s jury.

If you want to request military records for service completed before World War I, National Archives Trust Fund forms must be used to request those records. You can get the forms by email.

While there is a way to file electronically for the records if you’re next of kin, I went with old-fashioned snail mail. Filled out the pretty simple one page form, then figured out based on Dad’s service time where to mail it.

So that envelope is on its way to the National Personnel Records Center in St Louis, MO. They receive between 4,000 and 5,000 record requests a day, so they say not to even ask about status until 90 days have gone by. I will let you know what happens!

Link to National Archives veteran service records – http://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records/

Link to SF180 Request Form – http://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records/standard-form-180.html

 

 

What Is The Real State Of Our Union?

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by Kimberly A. Cook             (Twitter@ WarriorTales)

Last Thursday I ran errands to several places I was not excited to visit; usually I’m a little more logistically together to avoid the pharmacy, grocery store, post office and gas station the day before a major holiday weekend. But life happens and I ended up at those busy spots.

Walking into the pharmacy waiting room it was packed with folks. They were serving number 298 and I was number 316. The digital message on the wall let me know I should expect to be served in 22 minutes.

Captured this while waiting for a left hand turn signal light in May. Fabulous.
Captured this while waiting for a left hand turn signal light in May. Fabulous.

Sitting down on a cushy bench, I decided to do what writers do best: observe. People watching is fascinating. Learned several things. Everybody was pretty orderly. The pharmacy folks slammed at the windows were being pleasant and taking time to chat with people, but getting the job done. The noise level was quiet.

Friends, relatives and hired drivers were helping each other out. It was pretty low-key. It struck me how with all the craziness in the news on our nation’s birthday eve, we may not be the most fashion forward folks all the time but, the majority of Americans are kind.

The experience made me keep my eyes open on the rest of my stops. A man held the door open for a lady with a large package. USPS counter workers told people to have a Happy Fourth.

The woman who pumped my gas, yes we do not pump our own gas in Oregon, was perky and friendly and had on a bright red shirt for the occasion. At the grocery store walking out I saw another shopper helping an elderly gentleman locate the employee who had checked him out earlier. Stranger helping stranger.

Heard on the news the Boston Pops even moved up their concert one day to be able to party and keep everyone safe too. Is this a great country or what? Got bad weather coming? Party first!

Perhaps those of us who have served in the military realize the special meaning of our national birthday since many times we have not been on U.S. soil to celebrate, and we know others serve as the nation plays.

It’s always a good idea to open our eyes, look around, see the bigger picture in the small everyday details and tell the stories. That’s what writers do.

“You have to love a nation that celebrates its independence every July 4, not with a parade of guns, tanks and soldiers who file by the White House in a show of strength and muscle, but with family picnics where kids throw Frisbees, the potato salad gets iffy, and the flies die from happiness. You may think you have overeaten, but it is patriotism.”

Erma Bombeck