Kimberly A. Cook

Military Romance Author

writers

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

Happy Thanksgiving Eve

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A prior classic Libby’s recipe pumpkin pie from my very own kitchen. Can you smell the joy?

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. Family, turkey, friends, mashed potatoes, football, pumpkin pie, gravy, whipped cream. You get my drift. It’s also a time to reflect on all we have and how lucky we are to live in the USA.

When Debbie, my Australian friend, happened to visit our family during Thanksgiving one year, she totally endorsed this fabulous holiday. Everybody can get behind a time to be thankful.

Whether you’re having turkey, spaghetti, ham, a breakfast burrito, McDonald’s Happy Meal or eating Meals-Ready-To-Eat or mess food on a ship, it’s time to reflect.

My sister and brother-in-law just got back from a trip to California to visit family. On the way down I-5 they traveled on the road with Oregon fire crews going to backup our California neighbors in need. At the hotel in Redding they shared space with more fire crews and the displaced folks who had lost their homes in the fires.

It’s times like these that those of us who are not directly touched by the wildfires, hurricanes or other natural disasters can do our part to help. Donations are always welcome. The Red Cross is a good place to start. 

So while we thank and honor our firefighters on the lines in California, our troops in Afghanistan and Iraq spending another holiday away from home, and all our military members, veterans, law enforcement and intelligence personnel around the world protecting us, it truly is a time to say thank you for what we have.

I am blessed to be able to work on my writer dreams, have a funny family and supportive friends; plus cuddle Spec Ops Cat who thinks I’m his waitress and personal mobile heating pad.

And to my blog readers, I send you hugs and wishes for peace, prosperity and pumpkin pie.

Which means I’m now heading off to whip up the pumpkin pies for tomorrow. Somehow there always seems to be leftovers. Because we plan to feed an army on purpose so we can take turkey and pie home. Life is logistics!

The only thing better than turkey day, is turkey day leftovers.

Have a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving!

 

Unleash The Hedgehog!

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Obviously I’m not the only one starting early to celebrate Fall. Fufu, the hedgehog from the Oregon Zoo, had herself a wonderful time chowing down on grubs in Fall gourds. How cute is she?

So stock up on supplies of your choice, grubs or pumpkin, and get ready for winter. Don’t let Fufu get all the gourds!

Have a great, safe, weekend and Happy Quirky Friday!

 

Happy First Day Of Spring?

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IMG_3303by Kimberly A. Cook

Here in Oregon the trees are budding and Spring may actually appear. We had a wonderful warm day yesterday and then the bird bath froze last night. Welcome to weather.

I read another Nor’easter is headed for the East Coast. So sorry. Thought I’d send some blooms your way. This is one of the trees on my street. Used the telephoto so we could all get up close. Tree climbing is not my thing.

Hope this finds you enjoying the small signs of Spring. Or if you can’t find the ground buried under snow,  I suggest silk flowers and bunny figurines. Couldn’t hurt!

Have a wonderful first day of Spring!

Have You Hugged An Easter Alpaca?

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How cute are these two? Still in the paper bag when they arrived home. I’m keeping the pastel one and have named her Rainbow. She has moved into my office. Easter alpacas on sale. Is this a great country or what?

by Kimberly A. Cook

Bought two alpacas yesterday. Don’t freak, they were stuffed toys. Gotcha! The last thing I need is something else to take care of, as cute as alpacas may be. I like having the excuse to drive up the Columbia River Gorge or over to Sisters to make personal alpaca visits.

They were a complete impulse buy. I was on a mission for potting soil and ended up with these two cuties as well. One is a gift, one is for writing inspiration. Seems the next fiction book in my Vintage Vets series involves alpacas. Animals just keep showing up in my writing. I am not in charge.

But first I feel I should apologize to the USA residents in the East. Sorry about all the stupid snow. It was 69 degrees here yesterday, a fluke and we loved it, hence the potting soil trip. Rain again today, so back to our regularly scheduled weather.

When you live on the West coast, for me everything past Montana is back East. I have been told by Midwesterners that is not correct, but it works for us out here. Imagine that is why in Hawaii we are all “the mainland” because the rest of the country is East to them, except for Alaska which is North and East.

Potting soil bags does mean Spring is on its way. I’m downing the allergy pills to prove it. The two toys were on sale as Easter alpacas. Never heard of Easter alpacas, but I fell for it. Sometimes you just need an Easter alpaca.

What Spring rituals are you looking forward to?

Can You Say Bead Bonanza?

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by Kimberly A. Cook                 (Twitter@  WarriorTales)

Returned from a girl’s four day road trip to Las Vegas last Saturday. While my poor little creative brain is still on total sensory overload trying to process everything I saw and experienced, I wanted to share a few pictures of my view of Las Vegas.

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Most folks go to Las Vegas to gamble and see shows, but I prefer seeing exhibits, lights and animals. We took in the Elvis Exhibit from Graceland, the M&M’s Store, and the white tigers at The Mirage.

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One amazing thing which caught my eye was above my head in the Golden Nugget Casino in downtown Las Vegas. Having a bead addiction, I about lost it when I spotted this chandelier. These three pictures don’t do it justice, but I had a wonderful time getting closer to try and determine the crystal and bead patterns with my zoom lens.

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With so many things to see, hear and experience in “Sin City,” you know I found the biggest piece of bling I could find on a ceiling. Now if I can just figure out how to make one of my own. I’m sure Spec Ops Cat would love to play with these beads!

I will share more of my fun Vegas finds with you next week, so stay tuned. Or in my case, what happens in Vegas ends up on WordPress!