Whither you want to have an adventure in your backyard or on the Five Following Planets, the new Books section will take you there.
Currently in there is a link to Uncovering Oklahoma’s Date Guide book and descriptions for two of my upcoming books, A Collection Before the Crash and The Crashing of Heaven and Hell.
On May 28th, Tim Huckeby and Kellen Hodgeson from the improv troupe, One State, Two State, Red State, Blue State, and myself got together and shot these videos. The first in the series are some quick Facebook adverts the troupe used to hype their upcoming festival performances, which have since passed.
For Tim and Kellen, we each did political campaign style commercial videos arguing who was the more liberal half of the troupe. Tim makes the first statement.
These videos have been archived here in the Music and Short Videos section.
The Second Edition of Uncovering Oklahoma’s Date Guide book is now available! This edition is twice the size with 32 pages of places and over 50 ideas for dates – whether it’s a first date, a fun day out with other couples, or even an intimate, romantic date – the book has it covered.
The areas included are Oklahoma City, Bricktown, Norman, Edmond, and Arcadia, along with general ideas that can be done anywhere. Here’s a detailed list of what’s new:
→ Download Uncovering Oklahoma’s Date Guide Book PDF
If you liked my date book and Uncovering Oklahoma web site, please vote for “Uncovering Oklahoma” as “Best Web Site or Blog” and “Dennis Spielman” as “Best Local Writer” in the Oklahoma Gazette’s Best of OKC 2012 Awards! Every vote helps!
So, what now?
The third edition, which I tentatively set for September 18, will include Tulsa. I will be visiting the Tulsa area throughout the summer.
I will also be working on getting The Crashing of Heaven and Hell released (also tentatively set for early September). All’s that’s left is to get a book cover, a proofread by an editor, and film a book trailer.
In July the goal is to film prequel videos for The Time Traveling Troupe and hopefully in August film an actual show. Raychel Winstead, Kyle Brower, and I held a meeting at Big Truck Tacos and decided to put on an impressive, over-the-top one night show. The show should would be like three episodes with an over arching plot. We’re still working out the details, including the date, but we’ll more and likely partner with OKC Improv.
In September, I want to film a horror movie in a “found footage” style of to be released in October. I’m still working out the script, but it’s going to be a prequel for another book of mine, Too Close to the Ground, that I’ve been working on and off since high school. This book is planned to be released in either November or December.
As you can see, I have a full plate for this year. I even have projects planned for 2013. Keep up-to-date with the “Subscribe via Email” box to the right.
On Uncovering Oklahoma I’ve been running a series of Director Q&A sessions with filmmakers from the deadCENTER Film Festival. All of the deadCENTER tagged posts can be read here, including interviews with Jay Webster of LoveTown, Diane Glancy of The Dome of Heaven, and Lance McDaniel of Just Crazy Enough.
The second edition of Uncovering Oklahoma’s Date Guide book will be released online on Tuesday, June 12th. I already have twice the content of the first edition.
Once that is released, I’m going to focus on The Time Traveling Troupe. Since the Kickstarter fundraising failed, I had a meeting with the actors and we decided on having one big show that acts as a three episode story arc. More on that project another time.
I wrote this a few months ago for a friend for his Birthday. It’s a rainy day, so I’m posting it today.
INT. BEDROOM – NIGHT
In the upper level of his two-story duplex, ERIC and his boyfriend STEFAN are sound asleep when suddenly there’s a large crashing sound outside in the backyard. Eric bolts awake and scared while Stefan is asleep as a rock.
Eric sits up and listens. There is some faint talking outside. Eric shakes Stefan awake.
ERIC
Stefan, wake up.
Stefan slowly wakes up.
STEFAN:
Hey.
A small explosion is heard from the backyard. Stefan is fully alert.
STEFAN
What the hell was that?
ERIC
I don’t know. I just heard a loud noise and someone talking outside.
STEFAN
Let me get the gun.
Stefan tosses the covers off, walks over and opens up the safe.
ERIC
You think that’s a bit drastic?
STEFAN
I hope not. Come on.
Stefan pulls out the gun and the two head out of the room into:
INT. STAIRWAY/LIVING ROOM – CONTINUED
Stefan leads the way down the stairs. There are sounds of sparks. The blinds are closed in the living room. They make their way to the backdoor.
Stefan carefully opens up the backyard with the gun ready. He leaps outside with Eric following close behind.
EXT. BACKYARD
Leaning against the tree in the rubble of their tree fort platform is a large, blue box with lettering on the top that says, “Police Box.”
STEFAN
What the hell?
The DOCTOR pops out from the door holding a fire extinguisher.
THE DOCTOR
Hello there!
Stefan aims his gun.
THE DOCTOR
Whoa, I come in peace!
ERIC
You come in peace?
Stefan lowers his gun.
STEFAN
Who are you?
THE DOCTOR
I’m the Doctor. Sorry if I woke you it’s just that my ship had a bit of a malfunction.
ERIC
Your ship? Are you okay?
THE DOCTOR
Me? Yeah, I’m fine. Everything is under control.
Sparks fly out from the TARDIS.
THE DOCTOR
Or maybe not.
The Doctor runs back inside. Bits of fire extinguisher smoke sneak out the door.
THE DOCTOR
There we go. Say, where am I?
STEFAN
Oklahoma City.
THE DOCTOR
Ah, a great city. Lots of good improv here. You wouldn’t happen to know today’s date by any chance?
ERIC
It’s March 4th, 2012.
STEFAN
It’s his Birthday.
THE DOCTOR
It is? Well happy birthday! Birthday’s are cool.
ERIC
Thank you.
The Doctor looks around and sees the mess he caused.
THE DOCTOR
Sorry about your tree. I know! Let me make it up to you. Is there anything you ever wanted to see anywhere or anytime?
ERIC
Hum, you know, this will sound a bit nerdy, but I’ve always wanted to see a star form.
THE DOCTOR
Excellent choice. It’s such a beautiful thing to see a star born.
The Doctor goes inside the TARDIS. Eric and Stefan exchange looks. The Doctor comes back out.
THE DOCTOR
Come on inside now.
Eric and Stefan approach the TARDIS and enter:
INT. TARDIS CONTROL ROOM
Eric and Stefan look around in amazement as The Doctor runs up to the control panel, pulling various things.
THE DOCTOR
One star birth coming right up! And not just any star, but the birth of your star. Hold on.
The TARDIS travels way, way back in time.
The TARDIS comes to a stop.
THE DOCTOR
Here we are. Go ahead. Open the door.
Eric opens the door to witness the protostar transform. Stefan and Eric stand there, gazing while the Doctor checks his controls.
ERIC
Hey, what’s that?
THE DOCTOR
What’s what?
The Doctor rushes over to see a half a mile long spaceship orbit the star. Panels flip like doors on the spaceship.
STEFAN
What’s that ship doing?
THE DOCTOR
No, no, no, no.
The Doctor rushes to the controls.
ERIC
What’s going on, Doctor?
THE DOCTOR
(while messing with the controls)
That ship is going to absorb the energy from your star and if it does that, Earth will never have life.
The Doctor pulls a final leaver and rushes out the door into:
INT. SHARSHIP COMMAND DECK
The Doctor steps into the command deck, which looks similar to the Starship Enterprise.
THE DOCTOR
Stop what you’re doing!
The crew, consisting of humans, face the Doctor with guns.
THE DOCTOR
Lots of guns today.
The ship’s captain, CAPTAIN VRAZEL, is a sexy, voluptuous woman (30s) in a white uniform.
CAPTAIN VRAZEL
How did you get here?
THE DOCTOR
Look, I don’t have time to explain. That star there you’re about to absorb is Earth’s star. It’s going to be your star.
CAPTAIN VRAZEL
That’s impossible. It’s the year 5053. Our star is much more formed.
THE DOCTOR
You’ve traveled back in time.
Lieutenant FLEMING, a strong, charming man (30s) approaches Vrazel’s side.
FLEMING
There was that turbulence we experienced, Captain. It could’ve been a wormhole.
CAPTAIN VRAZEL
Still, the scans show that he’s an alien. Why should we trust you?
Eric and Stefan step out from the TARIDS. The crew points their guns at them.
ERIC
Trust us. We’re human. That’s about to become our star. The Doctor here brought us back in time to watch it be born as sort of a birthday slash apology present.
FLEMING
The scans show they are human and there is bacteria on them not from our time.
CAPTAIN VRAZEL
Everyone, lower your weapons. Okay, let’s say you’re telling the truth. How do we get home? We’re running out of energy and our ship can’t time travel.
THE DOCTOR
But mine can. We just hook my TARDIS into your mainframe and just as the sun forms, it should give us enough juice to get back to your proper time and place.
A guy sitting in front of computer screen looks up.
COMPUTER CONTROLLER
Captain, the star is about to form. What should we do?
CAPTAIN VRAZEL
Hook us up.
The Doctor claps his hands.
THE DOCTOR
Wonderful! Come on, boys.
Eric and Stefan follow the Doctor back into:
INT. TARDIS CONTROL ROOM
The Doctor swings underneath the control board and hands Eric and Stefan two, long, large jumper cables.
THE DOCTOR
Give this to them while I get us ready.
Eric and Stefan grab the cables and rush back into:
INT. SPACESHIP COMMAND DECK
Eric and Stefan run up to Lieutenant Fleming, who has a white metal panel sitting aside, and hand him the cables.
STEFAN
Here you go.
FLEMING
This had better work.
Lieutenant Fleming hooks the cables up to the mainframe.
COMPUTER CONTROLLER
It’s forming. Brace yourselves.
The star forms – big explosion of energy.
Everyone is thrown to the floor.
Panic.
Then, peace.
Everyone stands up.
CAPTAIN VRAZEL
Where are we?
COMPUTER CONTROLLER
Sir, it looks like we’re just outside of Earth and our fuel cells are fully charged.
FLEMING
My god, he did it.
The Doctor steps onto the Command Deck.
THE DOCTOR
That was fun. Never done that before.
CAPTAIN VRAZEL
You’ve what?
THE DOCTOR
I’d figured there was a 50/50 shot. Now if you excuse me, I have some people I have to take back home.
ERIC
It was nice meeting you.
STEFAN
Yeah, it was.
CAPTAIN VRAZEL
Let’s not meet again.
Eric, Stefan, and the Doctor enter the TARDIS. It fades away.
EXT. BACKYARD – MORNING
The TARDIS appears in the backyard. Eric and Stefan step out.
ERIC
Thank you for the present, Doctor.
STEFAN
Yes, thank you.
THE DOCTOR
It was my pleasure. Well, I must go now.
ERIC
Will we ever meet again?
THE DOCTOR
Only time will tell. Actually, I think we do meet in the future. Now, I know who you are! You’re Eric. Boy, do you have some great things coming in your future. Enjoy your Birthday.
The Doctor closes the door and the TARDIS fades away.
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