Dennis Spielman

Free Book this Week!

On April 14, 2014

For the week of my 30th Birthday, I have a present for YOU! My sci-fi/fantasy novel, The Crashing of Heaven and Hell, is free Monday through Friday for the Kindle! If you enjoy it, please rate and review it to help with future sales.

Get the book for free for Kindle

Here’s one positive review of the book:

Leave all of your preconceived notions of Heaven and Hell at the door, but do hang on to your sense of fantasy as you enter the universe created by Dennis Spielman in The Crashing of Heaven and Hell. Two young lovers get caught up in a bizarre series of events through an act of human concern and kindness. They have become pawns in a battle of the gods as a plot unfolds to unleash havoc on the Green Planet (one of five planets in another star system named by color.) Heaven and Hell are “islands” shrouded from the eyes of the living, what would happen if they were both brought together, and this tale is narrated by the God of Egos as he watches Virus and Jet take on supernatural forces intent on playing with fate. One will become a force to be reckoned with, one will be the catalyst for that change. Will the Green planet be saved from insanity? Will the islands of Heaven and Hell return to their rightful places? Are Heaven and Hell what our minds envision them to be?

The day Dennis Spielman was born, there must have been a generous helping of imagination dished out, because the world he has created can only be related to our reality in a very general way! Virus and Jet are completely likable, actually seem very “normal” and most definitely have grown to their full potential, one becoming something far greater and more powerful than a mere mortal! I pictured myself using Ego’s eyes to see the events unfolding, until it almost seemed normal to talk with a gorgon, pet Cerberus and see the guy in the potholder suit walking down the street! Did I mention the vampire, who cleared up a few things about vampire culture, myths and mysteries? there is no point A ending at Point B…the reader will travel through a maze of characters, twists and turns before arriving at”The End.”

As I read, I began to feel I was seeing a message in this farfetched tale, I could be wrong, but its extreme stretching of plausibility in this fantasy world seemed to mirror some of the excesses of “our reality.” Or was that a result of my own imagination on hyper-drive?

I read to be entertained and even to think/learn in the process, and Dennis Spielman did amuse me with his far out events, people and descriptions! Is this mainstream fantasy? Probably not, but there is a niche for it and I’m sure Mr. Spielman’s fan base will swell! If you are looking for something off the beaten path, cleverly written, with some snarky dialogue, a strangely foreign world and quirky characters hiding a possible deeply hidden message about our society’s state? Its all there in The Crashing of Heaven and Hell!

Now, go get the book for free for Kindle or buy the paperback.

Starbase Studios with Uncovering Oklahoma

By Dennis

On March 2, 2014

In Real

On my travel blog show, Uncovering Oklahoma, I traveled boldly to Starbase Studios in Oklahoma City. Watch the video to learn about Starbase Studios, how filmmakers can use the set, and you can volunteer.

Thoughts on the 2014 Date Idea Book and the future

By Dennis

On January 24, 2014

In Real

Uncovering Oklahoma’s 2014 Date Idea Book expands the concept of, ‘What can we do for a date?’ Written with all types of couples and dates in mind, this year’s edition features over 70 pages suggestions of activities for couples throughout the entire state of Oklahoma.

Want to know where to eat? How about staying at a Bed & Breakfast? Or how about something daring and adventurous? Uncovering Oklahoma’s 2014 Date Idea Book has it all uncovered for you.

Whether you need creative first date ideas or date night ideas for married couples, buy a copy of the 2014 edition for love and adventure all year round. It’s the perfect for birthdays and anniversaries too! Or keep the book a total secret from your partner and surprise them with fantastic dates. I won’t tell.

There’s a ton of new content in the 2014 edition. Highlights include:

– New layout and design
– Bed & Breakfast listings
– More cities featured like Stillwater and Davis
– Not Oklahoma ideas
– Plus more ideas in all of the other cities featured

The 74 page paperback book is available on Amazon for just $14. The book will be available in local shops and as an eBook soon. Your purchase helps support Uncovering Oklahoma. Check it out for great times year round

Putting together the book took longer than I expected. I thought I would’ve wrapped it up in December, but I fell into my problem of thinking things won’t take as long as they really do take. Plus, I did keep adding and updating things until a few days ago. Café 7 for example got updated (despite the book being done) because of a revisit in which I found out they changed things up.

I’m rather proud of myself with this new book. Why? Last year’s book had 48 pages and I beat with 74. The whole inside of the book was greatly improved and looks more professional. I reorganized the ideas into districts. Featuring Bed and Breakfasts is a great addition. I have an awesome cover designed by Jill Lynch. I like that I got to include some Not Oklahoma places this year, which is part of a small step to do a national project. Again, all of the new content and updated information is cause for celebration.

I wish I would’ve gotten some advertisements in the book, like for spa services or flower shops. I just didn’t have to time to make that effort. I wish I had pictures of places that I didn’t get to personally visit last year. I wish I could’ve added even more ideas in the Tulsa section, but I did give it more pages. If only I didn’t have a day job… I guess I got to save some stuff for 2015.

If you’re wondering what’s next, one of my projects is another Uncovering Oklahoma book. Since this year will mark my fifth year, I thought it would be neat to make a book showcasing my photography and what I’ve learned. I haven’t decided on a title yet. (Uncovered Adventures from a Travel Show Producer? Meh. I don’t know.) The book will be written as a good read even for people that don’t live in Oklahoma as it will have helpful information, beautiful photography, and insights of working on a travel show. I have decided I want to release the book in April, which is the month I filmed the first video back in 2009. This book is also part of a step to do a national travel project and I’m not going to say anything else because it’s way too early.

One major milestone for 2014 done!

Preview of 2014’s Date Idea Book

By Dennis

On January 10, 2014

In Real

Above is a preview of Uncovering Oklahoma’s 2014 Date Idea Book. Pretty cool, huh? The book should be out for sale within a week or two. I’m really proud of how much an improvement this year’s edition compared to last’s year’s. I just wanted to share what I’ve been working on real quick.

Let’s go 2014!

I Dare You

By Dennis

On December 29, 2013

In Real

If the unknown scares you, then you should not continue reading this story that truly happened to me.

Today I had trouble sleeping. I had fallen asleep just fine, however, I woke up at about three in the morning and couldn’t fall back asleep. There was a good few hours chunk of time where I kept tossing from side to side to get comfortable. I finally laid on my back to force me not to move around. (I’m generally a side sleeper.) I fell asleep for an unknown length of time and when I woke up, I was still on my back, dead still, and eyes closed.

Then I felt something stiff my face.

If you’ve ever had a dog get in bed with you, you know exactly what I felt. My mind went through this thought process: Where I am? … I’m at my place… I don’t have any dogs… Did Leslie come to my place bringing one of her dogs? That’s a weird thing for her to do…

So then I decided to open my eyes as I still had this sensation of a dog sniffing around my face.

What I saw was not exactly a dog. I’m not entirely sure what it was. I saw this small creature, but it was more like an outline of a dog, similar to active camouflage in video games and movies where you would see something but you would see through it.

Whatever it was, knew I was aware of it. It freaked out and ran away, scoured down the side of my leg and off the bed. I then looked up at the ceiling where I saw this glowing, red, misty, light shapeless…thing flailing about in the room. At one point it looked like a butterfly, a snake, a skull, a dragon, and yet it just remained shapeless. The more I tried to decipher what it was, the more rapidly it changed its appearance to confuse me and make me doubt its own existence. It also acted quite shocked and as if it were saying to the invisible dog, “Oh, shit, oh shit, he saw us! He sees us! Quick, run!”

The invisible dog and red light faded away as I saw up in bed.

My heart raced. I knew what I felt. I knew what I saw.

However, I can’t help but think the red light dared the invisible dog to lick my face.