SOAP OPERA 451

2012-02-01T05:36:00.000-08:00

TALK IS CHEAP (AND THE DRINKS ARE FREE...)

Home Maid Simple Blog:
I loved (The Worldwide Dessert Contest: Enhanced Multimedia Edition). I rarely read books on the computer, but this one you must read on the computer, or reading device, like the Kindle (of which I don't own). The music is upbeat, fun and takes me back to my high school musical days.... The end will surprise you though! Not only does this book bring the story to life with music and lyrics, but it teaches a lesson as well.

Planet Weidknecht:

I have never experienced a book quite like this before! The Worldwide Dessert Contest: Enhanced Multimedia Edition is a Kindle Reader download (also available in ePub) that goes beyond regular book-reading. The story is written for ages 9-11 (grades 4-6) and tells a frolicking story about John Applefeller's annual failure to win the worldwide dessert contest.... Throughout the ebook, there are links that take the reader to videofeeds that complement the story with an original musical score. These fun songs are catchy and really enhance the experience of the book. Technology continues to amaze me. I remember how excited my family was to get a beta vhs player! Dan Elish, author of this book, knows how to create an adventure that will thrill young readers. This is a very well done glimpse into the future of how we will experience authors' creations. (Click on the link above for a chance to win a free copy!)

Want to learn more about enhanced ebooks (reading them, writing them, building them, selling them)?

I'll be speaking on the subject this Monday, February 6, 2012 at the NYC Chapter of the National Writers' Union meeting in The Houndstooth Pub (520 8th Ave. at 37th St. in Manhattan) from 6 to 8:30 PM.

Details at: http://nwuny.com/upcoming_events (most important detail: Free drinks for the first ten attendees!)

Hope to see you there!

2012-01-31T04:49:00.001-08:00

SOMETHING TO SMILE ABOUT

When my 7th grader came home from school asking about soap operas, I had to wonder what he'd been learning.

Turns out his Spanish teacher showed them Que Hora Es: The Mexican Soap Opera For Those Who Only Had Three Weeks of Spanish in the Fourth Grade.

I watched it and, I admit, I laughed. It's a brilliant piece of satire that, at the same time, manages to demonstrate precisely what's wonderful about soaps - language is no barrier to enjoyment.

Check out a sample below and tell me you didn't crack a smile at least once!

2012-01-30T06:12:00.000-08:00

THE MOTHER OF ALL....

On January 4, I broke down and made a confession: I'd watched my first reality show. Dance Moms on Lifetime. I couldn't help it. Having worked in figure skating for ABC, ESPN, TNT, etc.... it all just hit too close to home. I couldn't look away.

And then, last week, news broke that Lifetime was developing a spin-off. Ice Moms.

I... there are no words.

My latest enhanced e-book is On Thin Ice, the second book in the Figure Skating Mystery series. Among the reviews from the both the original paperback publication and the current electronic re-release were:

Mystery Ink: Who knew the world of ice skating was fraught with this kind of soap opera?

Romantic Times Magazine: Though Jeremy's rapid progress in the sport is somewhat unrealistic, Adams is right on the mark with her portrayal of the time and money spent on training.

About.com: The plot doesn't seem realistic at all, but is fun nevertheless.

Why do I have a feeling that Ice Moms will eventually prove me right... and more?

I can't wait!

2012-01-30T05:46:00.000-08:00

ANOTHER WORLD TODAY EPISODE #143-1

“You are my heart,” Carl told Rachel, instead. “Being asked to walk away is akin to being asked to leave it behind.”

“No.” Rachel shook her head. “It’s a fair trade. Because you’re leaving with mine.”

He asked, “Do you believe that which your children accuse me of? Do you believe that I am a danger to them and to their loved ones?”

Rachel hesitated. A beat too long for Carl’s taste. “I believe that you have the potential. I believe that if the motivation were strong enough, you are still, as before, capable of just about anything.”

Carl inhaled sharply. The unvarnished truth when you’d been expecting a familiar platitude was a bit of a shock to the system. “Are you saying that…”

“Let’s not insult each other’s intelligence, Carl,” Rachel’s voice was neither acrimonious nor accusing, merely realistic. “You helped Lucas frame Donna for Cecile’s murder, which almost landed Jamie in jail for thirty years. You deliberately toyed with Marley’s sanity, knowing she was unstable, which led to Lorna’s accident and who knows what down the line for Devon. You started a mob war in order to cover your tracks. Kirkland was kidnapped and Spencer killed as a result. You are a very dangerous man, and I would be foolish to pretend otherwise.”

****

Rachel gives Carl an answer he isn't eager to hear, GQ catches Jen in a compromising situation with Steven, Kevin pushes Amanda to expand their family, Chase confesses his motivation to Lila, and Grant does his best to break Sarah's heart - with the last news she expects.

Is Grant telling the truth, though? Cast your vote at: http://www.anotherworldtoday.com/2012/2012_143p1.html

2012-01-27T06:04:00.000-08:00

FREEBIE ROUND UP

Alina Adams Media has free books available for every taste and interest this week!

First up, a free copy of Jonathan's Story, the Guiding Light tie-in novel by Julia London and Alina Adams. Details in the post directly below this one.

Second, Skate Crime: Multimedia, a figure skating mystery with videos embedded alongside the text as part of the story is free to borrow from Amazon.

Finally, The Worldwide Dessert Contest: Enhanced Multimedia Edition by Dan Elish, a children's fantasy with it's own original musical score by a Broadway pro can be won at: http://iamareadernotawriter.blogspot.com/2012/01/author-interview-book-giveaway.html

2012-01-26T05:25:00.000-08:00

FREE LIGHT!

I had such a good time celebrating Guiding Light's 75th Anniversary yesterday with my link-filled trip down memory lane, that I decided to extend the fun!

So, to continue the festivities - and the memories - I am offering a FREE copy of Jonathan's Story, the GL tie-in book, with every purchase of Soap Opera 451: A Time Capsule of Daytime Drama's Greatest Moments enhanced e-book (which is also chock full of GL memories, as well as ATWT, AMC, OLTL, GH, DOOL, Y&R... well, you get the picture).

Simply purchase your copy of Soap Opera 451: A Time Capsule of Daytime Drama's Greatest Moments on either Amazon or BN.com, then forward the receipt to AlinaAdams@gmail.com, along with your mailing address, and I will send you a copy of Jonathan's Story! (Offer good while supplies last, and only available to US residents.)

Keep the Light shining!

2012-01-26T04:43:00.000-08:00

ANOTHER WORLD TODAY EPISODE #142-2

“Why did you reach out to me, Marley?” Grant cut through the chit-chat, needing to hear her answer before he could go on.

“I missed you,” she said softly.

“I wanted to visit. I tried, over and over again. Bribes, threats, flattery. You’d made it clear I was persona non-grata. When they took you away at the airport, you wouldn’t even look at me.”

“I couldn’t.”

He swallowed hard. “Do you really hate me that much?”

“No!” The words exploded out of Marley’s throat and she lunged for Grant, stopping only inches from him, realizing any kind of physical contact would be too much at this point. “I don’t hate you, Grant.”

“Then why? Why would you treat me like this? What did I ever do to warrant being cast out like some prodigal son who’d committed one infraction too many?”

“You… you loved me.”

****

Marley stuns Grant with the last thing he expected to hear, Lucas attempts to rein in Felicia, Kevin blindsides Amanda, Steven challenges Jen, and Elizabeth and Cory hit Rachel with an ultimatum of their own.

All at: http://www.anotherworldtoday.com/2012/2012_142p2.html

2012-01-25T06:13:00.000-08:00

THE INCREDIBLE LIGHT-NESS OF BEING!

In honor of Guiding Light's 75th Anniversary today, some of my favorite posts about the guiding light who made the world turn and allowed it all happen: Irna Phillips...

Irna Phillips inducted into the Hall of Fame

Irna's version of her life story... and questions raised regarding its veracity

Irna Phillips and religion

How the Bauers came to Springfield (with vintage photos!)

2012-01-24T05:54:00.000-08:00

HEAT WAVE

To continue with the Beat-Those-Wintertime-Blues theme started yesterday, check out the below video of All My Children, One Life to Live and General Hospital stars singing (and dancing to) Heat Wave.

When it first came out in 2010, it was just funny. Now it's kind of sad... But, it made me smile, nonetheless, I hope it might do the same for you!

2012-01-23T06:18:00.000-08:00

HEAT WAVE

With most of the US buried under snow or taking cover from rain, I thought we'd switch up the mood with some hot summer action courtesey of Days of Our Lives circa late 1980s.

You've got star-crossed Kim and Shane, Victor lurking in a white leisure suit, sweaty Chris (in lavender! - and before he began passing himself off as Roman) and Savannah, big hair, shoulder pads, and a Phil Collins soundtrack!

Check out this on-location soaps in their heyday shoot at: http://youtu.be/oWlEN-DiPcY

2012-01-23T06:11:00.000-08:00

ANOTHER WORLD TODAY EPISODE #142-1

“I will fight for you, Rachel,” Carl said calmly. “I shan’t go gently into the good night, you must know that, as well.”

“I’ll fight for you, too. For us. I know you don’t believe it, but, that’s precisely what I’m doing now.”

“They have no right,” Carl insisted. “Jamie, Amanda and Matthew have no right to tell you who you may or may not choose to spend your life with.”

“They didn’t,” she said softly. “They merely informed me that if I chose a life with you, they’d in turn choose to be no part of it.”

He hesitated, then confessed, “You know my instinct is to say, the hell with them.”

“I know. You’ve been doing a yeoman’s job suppressing it.”

“Your children initially objected to our marriage. Not merely Amanda with her Hadley Prescott masquerade, but Matthew bringing Alexander Nikos to town. We stood united in the face of their shenanigans, and they backed down in due course. What makes you think we can’t make that happen again, without employing these extreme measures?”

“Because. Fifteen years ago, you were merely the man their father hated. You’d been a threat to me, to them, but that was in the past. Now, you’re a threat to their children.”

“Poppycock! Kirkland – “

“I know. I understand. They don’t. I want to make them understand. But, I can’t while the situation is still so fraught. You moving out will calm the waters. It will allow them to let down their guards and listen to me. Without preconceived notions. I want to make it so that you can come home, Carl. I want to make is so that everyone can come home.”

“When?”

****

Carl questions Rachel's plan for reuniting her family, Donna challenges Matt to step up, Kirkland confirms Grant's worst fear, Kevin asks Morgan for a favor, Lucas provokes Felicia, and Cass and Frankie face a no-win scenario.

Help them make their decision at: http://www.anotherworldtoday.com/2012/2012_142p1.html

2012-01-20T05:17:00.000-08:00

EMMY FOUNTAIN

SoapClassics.com has released a best of Guiding Light DVD set and, not suprisingly, The Slut of Springfield episode is featured.

Most GL fans assume that Kim Zimmer won her Emmy that year for this episode (a clip of it was, in fact, aired during the broadcast, adding to the confusion). She actually did not. Read all about why, here.

Though the actress would go on to win three more trophies, her first win is as much remembered for her hairstyle and exuberant - and gracious - acceptance, as it is for her theatrical achievement.

Check out the clip!

And make sure you help demonstrate the buying power of soap fans by ordering your GL DVD set ASAP!

2012-01-19T06:15:00.000-08:00

FREE BOOKS FOR ALL - TWO DAYS ONLY!

As I've been writing about (for months now, I know - bear with me), my dream for transitioning soaps from TV to the Internet involves enhanced e-books, stories that are part text, part video, cheaper to produce and with a built in revenue model.

"Murder on Ice: Enhanced Multimedia Edition" was Book #1 in my Figure Skating Soap Opera series. Now Book #2, "On Thin Ice: Enhanced Multimedia Edition," which continues the story began in Book #1 - soap opera style, is out and available on Amazon and BN.com.

To celebrate the new release, and to give my readers a taste of what an enhanced e-book is actually like, I am offering my very first enhanced e-book, "Skate Crime: Multimedia," absolutely FREE for two days only, January 19 and 20, 2012.

To get your copy at no cost, go to: http://www.amazon.com/Skate-Crime-Multimedia-Skating-ebook/dp/B004HZXVPK/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&s=books&qid=1294410823&sr=1-5 either today or tomorrow before midnight PST.

And make sure to tell me what you think? Can you see soaps continuing in this fashion?

2012-01-19T05:38:00.000-08:00

ANOTHER WORLD TODAY EPISODE #141-2

“This isn’t about Kirkland.” Lorna invited herself inside, slamming the door behind her before turning on Grant with both barrels. “What the hell do you think you’re doing, seducing a kid only a couple of years older than your son?”

Like Sarah before him, Grant first considered denying everything before changing his mind and choosing to own the situation, flipping the tables on Lorna and demanding, “What business is this of yours, exactly?”

“None,” she admitted.

“Good. I’m glad we’ve got that settled.”

“Except that I happen to know a little something about older men who prey on young girls.”

Her implication couldn’t have been clearer. Or more offensive. Grant’s face managed to both flush and pale at the same time as he thundered, “Are you seriously comparing me to – “

****

Lorna forces Grant to view his relationship with Sarah in a new light, Felicia offers Cass a lifeline, GQ and Allie find common ground, Frankie attempts to kill two birds - and Donna - with one stone, and Kirkland tells Charlie the truth.

All at: http://www.anotherworldtoday.com/2012/2012_141p2.html

2012-01-18T08:10:00.000-08:00

DAYS LONG AGO...

I've been feeling nostalgic for soap's glory days lately. (I can't imagine why.)

My first job in soaps was in 1994, at E! Entertainment's Pure Soap.

I'd just gotten my Master's in Broadcasting, and when I saw Pure Soap, I sent a letter to one of the hosts, Michael Logan, telling him that his show was great, but it was lacking just one thing - me.

He agreed. I flew down to LA from SF for a week's work trial and, at the end of it, they hired me. I started as an Associate Producer, then was promoted to Writer, and stayed with the show until it was cancelled at the end of the year. At the time, there were ten soaps on the air and, when Another World was ultimately cancelled in 1999, it went out with a 2.3 rating. Who wouldn't love a 2.3 now?

Thanks to YouTube.com (down with SOPA!), some episodes of Pure Soap are still available.

Check out this interview with Kristian Alfonso (the slightly snarky historical intro is mine)....

2012-01-17T07:24:00.000-08:00

GOT CHANGE?

Mindy's Twitter (https://twitter.com/MindyLewisBaue r) originally launched in February 2009 as part of Ms. Lewis' return to Springfield for the Four Musketeers' 25th High School Reunion (http://pgpclassicsoaps.blogspot.com/2009/02/mindys-meme-mindy-comes-home-to-guiding.html).

When Guiding Light went off the air in September of the same year, Mindy continued sharing the lives and loves of her family, friends and neighbors on-line (http://pgpclassicsoaps.blogspot.com/2009/09/shining-light-back-in-days-when-both.html).

A year later, with the cancellation of As the World Turns, P&G got out of the soap business, and I kept up the site on my own - because I knew what it felt like to have a beloved show yanked away, and I didn't want to do that to the people who'd so loyally followed the project.

Now, however, my other writing assignments are taking up too much of my time for me to keep up Mindy's Twitter the way that I'd like, and you all deserve.

But, I am not abandoning it. Instead, I am putting it in the hands of the people who love GL the most.

When I ran Another World Today for P&G, we also had a Bay City-based Twitter role-playing game. Where fans got to continue the story.

I would like to do something similar, here. From the beginning, Mindy's Twitter has been interactive, with fans tweeting their thoughts on what she and her friends should do. I'd like you to continue doing it, and I will retweet the best suggestions, so that everyone can experience it on one timeline.

Just write what you think is happening in SF to @MindyLewisBauer, and see if your update gets picked up for retweeting. (Not everyone will get retweeted all the time, especially if stories contradict each other, etc... But, this is a work in progress, we'll work out the kinks as we go along, together.)

Mindy has recently recapped where all the stories left off in 2011 (i.e. Roger/Holly/Ed, Harley/Cyrus/Mel, a newly married Beth and Phillip, Reva's conflict with Marah over Jeffrey, etc...). Please stick to stories as they've been established, to cut down on confusion, but feel free to introduce your own with characters that haven't been as active.

This will be an original, on-of-a-kind experiment in interactive storytelling. I can't wait to see where we all take it!

2012-01-16T07:23:00.001-08:00

NAME DAY

How my daughter got her (very soapy) name, courtesy of Martin Luther King Day, at: http://www.kveller.com/blog/parenting/how-martin-luther-king-helped-name-my-daughter/

Plus, check out our roundtable from 2011 regarding Diversity on Daytime at: http://pgpclassicsoaps.blogspot.com/2011/03/soaps-jewish-problem-diversity-on.html

2012-01-16T07:21:00.001-08:00

ANOTHER WORLD TODAY EPISODE #141-1

“I thought I could do this,” Rachel confessed to Carl, broken. “I thought I could obey my children’s wishes, stay away from them until all three came to their senses and realized what a futile cause it was, trying to separate me from you.”

“And you’ve done it. Surely, you don’t consider rushing to be by Jamie’s side a slip in our strategy? This was an aberration, a necessary bending of your resolve – “

“Jamie didn’t want me there,” Rachel said. “He said… he said he didn’t want to get into it with me.”

“Jamie was in shock,” Carl dismissed her concerns as hardly meriting discussion. “His son was battling for his life. Who takes seriously the word of a soul in such dire straits?”

“I made it worse, Carl. My being there made my son’s already excruciating burden even worse.”

“Impossible.”

“Amanda said as much to me.”

“Ah,” Carl sighed, happy to finally be at the crux of the matter. Jamie’s perceived grief and subsequent rejection he could do nothing to assuage Rachel’s concern over. But, Amanda and her petty vengeance…. “Amanda, of course. Not Jamie, at all. Amanda.”

“Amanda was the one who had to point out to me that I was hurting my son just by being around him.”

“Amanda,” Carl reminded, not even vaguely amused. “Has an agenda where you and I are concerned.”

“You think I don’t know that? You think I didn’t call her on that?”

“Then I don’t understand what the subsequent issue could possibly be.”

“She wasn’t wrong, Carl. She may have had selfish, manipulative reasons for drawing my attention to the situation, but she was not wrong."

***

Rachel makes a shocking request of Carl, Grant holds back with Sarah while Jamie presses Kirkland, Jenna asks Dean a question he can't answer, and Donna attempts to rid herself of the past as John makes an overture towards the future.

All at: http://www.anotherworldtoday.com/2012/2012_141p1.html

2012-01-13T06:59:00.000-08:00

QUALITY OF LIFE

One Life to Live was never *my* show.

I started off life as a General Hospital fan, and my husband was a lifelong All My Children watcher. Friends joked that our children were destined to be OLTL fans.

Because, you know, ABC had a complete line-up then.

Except for a couple of stories I was really into: the Mary Karr/Mary Vernon baby-switch, the Gabrielle/Max/Steve triangle (I preferred Steve - go figure), Asa and Becky Lee's surprising love match, and David and Jenny (I actually saw Michael Zaslow for the first time as David not Roger; he had me as soon as he sat down at the piano - see clip below), it was never must-watch-TV for me.

But, it was another soap, and I am mourning it's demise as much as I did all the rest.

I moved to New York City in the last week of 1994 to work on SoapLine, a talk-show ABC was developing to promote their entire line-up, produced by Linda Gottlieb, fresh off her stint on OLTL.

SoapLine the half-hour talk show in development quickly morphed into SoapLine, the one minute segments ABC Daytime used to keep fans up to date during the unending preemptions of the OJ Simpson trial in 1995.

As part of the latter, we created stand-alone vignettes, such as snippets of screen-tests for the role of Tina (that ultimately went to Krista Tesrau), a feature on Clint Ritchie's recovery from a horrific tractor accident, Kassie DePaiva talking about her country music singing career, and Catherine Hickland making her Broadway debut as Fantine in Les Miserables.

Also from Linda, I heard stories about her days on OLTL, including her insistence that viewers didn't even realize that Mia Korpf was Asian, so it was no big deal to recast her with a blonde, and about focus groups that just didn't understand how and why Luna was psychic.

Although SoapLine's pilot didn't get picked up, I stayed at ABC Daytime to produce soap segments for the Mike & Matty show, and worked on the first Super Soap Weekend in Florida.

Even though it was never *my* show, OLTL was a huge part of my professional life.

It's killing me to see it go.

2012-01-12T06:45:00.000-08:00

HOP, SKIP AND A JUMP

When news broke yesterday about four One Life to Live stars taking their characters (McBain & the Mannings) to General Hospital once OLTL ends its ABC run this week, the blogosphere, and Twittersphere, and... uh... Facebooksphere? broke into a loud and vociferous debate about the wisdom of such an action.

Fans invoked AW's Jake, Vicky, Cass and Lila moving to ATWT in 1999 as an example of an identical tactic's earlier failure, while others noted the Linda Dano ABC line-up hop of the same year, and other crossovers such as the AMC/OLTL baby-switch saga, or the comings and goings of Ashley, Amber and Sheila within Y&R and B&B.

In 2008, I wrote an article on this blog entitled Pair Jumpers, where I talked about actors who'd made a splash as a supercouple on one show attempting to take that chemistry to another canvas. And how it had never, ever, ever worked.

Four years ago, the piece was, to put it kindly, not well received, as you'll be able to tell via the comments.

Any thoughts on it now?

2012-01-12T05:44:00.000-08:00

ANOTHER WORLD TODAY EPISODE #140-2

“Jamie is full of it, like usual. All that crap about me needing rest. He just wanted to get me away from Kirkland,” Grant mumbled, even as Sarah was forced to drive his car home, help Grant up the stairs with her shoulder beneath his arm, and maneuver him into his bedroom where, despite her cajoling, he preferred to collapse in an armchair, refusing to get into bed.

“Okay,” Sarah sighed. “If you’re not going to listen to doctors’ orders – “

“Jamie’s a quack. I don’t even think he went to medical school. The way I hear it, he was a novelist,” Grant extended his fingers in air-quotes. “Then he leaves town, comes back barely a few months later, and suddenly he’s a doctor. This town will believe anything. As long as it’s not a Harrison doing the telling.”

“Then you leave me no choice,” Sarah picked up her thought as soon as Grant finished talking. Or rather, ran out of energy to continue.

“What?” he asked, alarmed by her serious tone.

***

Sarah stuns Grant with the last thing he ever expected to hear, as Jamie does the same to Kirkland. Donna gets a surprise update from Matt while Frankie resolves to help Sharlene, and Felicia lays down the law where Lorna and Lucas are concerned.

It's a day of surprises and schemes at: http://www.anotherworldtoday.com/2012/2012_140p2.html

2012-01-11T04:58:00.000-08:00

LIVE STRONG!

As One Life to Live approaches the end of its ABC Daytime run, Soap Opera 451 takes a look back at some of our favorite show memories.

When I interviewed Emmy-Award winning actress Hillary B. Smith for my book, Soap Opera 451: A Time Capsule of Daytime Drama's Greatest Moments, she talked specifically about Nora and Bo's first wedding (with Little Richard!), and more generally about the couple's appeal as whole, telling me:

They were friends first. I think the key to a couple working is you’re just having a good time, and you’re not thinking about the results. We just were having a good time and having a lot of fun, and the writers were having a good time writing for us because there was no big agenda on the scene for these two. The writers were allowed to write whatever they wanted to. And the network kind of stayed out of it. It happened and it was perfect. The audience was rooting for them. The audience wanted them to be a couple before they were a couple, before Bo and Nora knew they were destined to be a couple. Hillary and Woodsy knew where we were going, but Bo and Nora didn’t....

It was an honest relationship. You saw them at their worst, and you still saw them as a team. It was an enviable relationship. Everyone wanted a relationship like that. Bob Woods tells the story of women going up to his wife, Loyita, and saying, “Oh, you’re so lucky, I wish I was married to Bo Buchanan.” And she says, “So do I.”...

People hang on to Bo and Nora because it was romantic. And it still is. We try to bring in as much romance as we can. We try to bring that aspect of marriage and that aspect of life back into play.

Click here for more OLTL memories and interviews with:

Headwriter Michael Malone

Judith Light (Karen)

2012-01-10T04:55:00.000-08:00

DEFEAT THE REVOLUTION!

You say you want a revolution?

Well, if you're a One Life to Live or ABC Daytime fan, odds are, you probably don't.

So, down with The Revolution!

And if you're interested in sabotaging from within, here's a suggestion:

The Revolution is currently looking for all sorts of "regular people" to guest on their show.

They want people who:

Wear their clothes too tight

Want a makeover

Want a makeover for their closet

Want a makeover for their bra

Want to feel sexy (Makeover, bra and closet optional?)

If you fit any of those categories (or can fake it), you might want to contact the show (directions at the links) and get on camera before sharing your opinion on this latest addition to the ABC Daytime line-up, LIVE!

Good luck!

2012-01-09T04:49:00.000-08:00

FAST TRACK

Anne - How long does it take you to write a book?

Alina - When I worked at Procter & Gamble Productions, I wrote tie-in novels for their soap operas, “As the World Turns” and “Guiding Light.” The process of merging television and book production was not an easy one. I was writing the books close to a year in advance of when it would show up on air. But, because book production is so much slower than television, I still needed to write the book in six weeks (to tie-in to a TV story that hadn’t been written yet, and could possibly change. For instance, in “The Man From Oakdale,” the character of Dusty is dead. Everyone talks about him being dead. Alas, by the time the book was released, Dusty was alive again. Oops.)

Also for P&G, I wrote an officially sanctioned continuation to one of their off-the-air soap operas, “Another World”. It was a weekly series, and each webisode was about 7000 words. Your average book is between 70,000 to 100,000 words, so that would be a book every two months or so.

I don’t know if I’m a good writer. But, I am a fast one.

Read the entire interview at: http://anne-k-albert.blogspot.com/2012/01/alina-adams.html

Leave a comment and enter to win your choice of "When a Man Loves a Woman: Enhanced Multimedia Edition" or "Murder on Ice: Enhanced Multimedia Edition." Every entry will receive an enhanced ebook excerpt, "Skate Crime: Multimedia."

Other opportunities this week to win a free Alina Adams Media Enhanced Ebook:

http://iamareadernotawriter.blogspot.com/2012/01/author-interview-book-giveaway.html

http://fullmoonbites.blogspot.com/2012/01/read-book-see-movie-at-same-time-by.html?zx=59a0e878620d42fe

ADDED on 1/11/12: http://fredasvoice.blogspot.com/2012/01/giveaway-ebook-worldwide-dessert.html

2012-01-09T04:42:00.000-08:00

ANOTHER WORLD TODAY EPISODE #140-1

“Okay,” Matt looked from one to the other. “Somebody needs to clue me in. What are we talking about, here?”

“Dean…” Jeanne beseeched. “It’s not… it’s not important.”

“No?” he asked, voice utterly neutral.

“You’re making a big deal out of nothing.”

“I am,” he repeated slowly, part question, part answer.

“Yes,” Jeanne told him firmly.

“Hey, guys,” Matt pointed his way. “I’m still in the room.”

“It’s not big deal,” Jeanne turned to her husband, figuring that if Dean wouldn’t listen to her, maybe Matt would.

“So I hear,” Matt agreed.

“Your wife spent the night with me,” Dean blurted, prompting both Jeanne and Matt’s heads to whip around.

***

Jeanne and Dean lay out their version of New Year's Eve events to a befuddled Matt, Jamie negotiates unfamiliar territory with Rachel - and with Grant, Lorna offers Sarah the hindsight of her own experience, Steven gets a surprise, Morgan sticks to his guns, and Amanda goes for the jugular.

All at: http://www.anotherworldtoday.com/2012/2012_140p1.html

2012-01-06T06:20:00.000-08:00

NOT ONLY IS SHE MERELY DEAD... NO, WAIT! SHE'S NOT!

Thanks to The TBR Pile for not only offering a rave review of "Murder on Ice: Enhanced Multimedia Edition" -

Murder on Ice is a very entertaining mystery. The author definitely kept me guessing as to who the killer was, which is something I have always liked in a book. Bex is a great character. She is smart and has lots of courage to try and figure out who the killer is. The other characters in the book definitely enhance the story. I loved the scenes with Frances and Diana as they were very amusing!.... I like the videos because it added a nice visual to the story. If you missed this first in the series, pick it up.

- But also for letting me guest post on the subject of why dead no longer has to mean completely dead (what also would a soap fan write about, after all?):

As we learned from both “The Princess Bride” and “The Wizard of Oz,” nothing is really dead until it’s really most sincerely dead.

The same applies to publishing. In theory, once a book is out of print, it’s dead. Well, mostly dead, as Miracle Max would say. (Really, if you haven’t read “The Princess Bride,” do yourself a favor and hop to it, ASAP. It has all the great lines from the movie, plus about a thousand more zingers. But, I digress….) You might be able to find a copy of an out of print book in a used book shop, or borrow it from a friend. Maybe the library will stock one, for old times sake.

But, it used to be that out of print meant as good as dead.

Not anymore. Thanks to the explosion of e-publishing, not only can currently released book ostensibly live on forever (shelf space just isn’t as important anymore), but even books once given up for… well… dead (how’s my leitmotif going? Sick of it yet?), can find new life.

Read the entire entry at: http://fromthetbrpile.blogspot.com/2012/01/throwback-thursday-guest-post-murder-on.html and please leave a comment.

And let's all hope that the demise of other mediums we love has, like Mark Twain's, been greatly exaggerated.

2012-01-05T06:19:00.000-08:00

FREE BOOK! FREE MUSIC! FREE DESSERT!

Well, kind of....

I Am a Reader, Not a Writer (http://iamareadernotawriter.blogspot.com/2012/01/author-interview-book-giveaway.html) is offering the chance to win a free copy of "The Worldwide Dessert Contest: Enhanced Multimedia Edition." An Alina Adams Media electronic book and original musical theater score CD all in one.

Interview with author Dan Elish:

What is the one book everyone should read?
Why the Worldwide Dessert Contest, of course! Also, Act One by Moss Hart.

Please tell us in one sentence why we should read your book?
No other book combines changing desserts, great rhymes, and roller-skating apple pies so well.

What was your favorite book as a child or teen?
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and the Phantom Tollbooth.

What inspired you to want to become a writer?
Hearing Ella Fitzgerald sing the songs of Rodgers and Hart. Wanting to write musicals led me to wanting to write books.

How do you react to a bad review.
Badly.

For more, and to enter to win, go to: http://iamareadernotawriter.blogspot.com/2012/01/author-interview-book-giveaway.html

2012-01-05T06:14:00.000-08:00

ANOTHER WORLD TODAY EPISODE #139-2

Felicia asked, "Has there been any word on Kirkland?”

Donna shook her head, pained. “When Steven called, he only told me to come pick up Michele and Bridget. I guess I’m not worthy of being told how my grandson is faring.”

“I haven’t heard anything either,” Felicia confessed. As close as she was willing to come to commiserating about their mutual, respective persona non grata standings.

“Will you let me know if you do? I realize I have no right to ask, but I’m afraid… I’m so afraid for Kirkland. I love all my grandchildren equally, I swear I do. But, Kirkland… Kirkland has always seemed the most vulnerable. The most sensitive. Steven, he has his purely intellectual world to withdraw into, nothing can hurt him there. And the girls, it’s silly of me, wishful thinking, perhaps; but I can’t help believing they’ve inherited both Jake and Victoria’s resilience. They just roll with the punches, no matter what. Kirkland – it’s as if he were missing some protective layer the rest of us are born with.”

“If we’re lucky.”

“If we’re lucky,” Donna agreed. “He’s so open, so trusting, so decent… and so easily wounded, as a result.”

“He has a great many people pulling for him. And Jamie will see to it he gets the best possible medical care.”

“I don’t know how much more of it I can stand,” Donna burst. “Being shoved to the outskirts of my family in this manner. I’ve already lost Michael and Victoria, now Marley wants nothing to do with me, and if Steven ultimately has his way, neither will Michele and Bridget. What right do any of them have… How dare they? Who do they think they are, by virtue of what extensive life experience or innate superiority do our children decree themselves qualified to judge us?”

***

Donna and Felicia find themselves in the same boat, Kirkland's crises prompts a surprising reaction from Steven, a heroic gesture by Grant, manipulation by Sarah, and Rachel to come forward. Meanwhile, John reaches out to Sharlene - with unexpected results, and Dean comes to see Matt about Jeanne.

All at: http://www.anotherworldtoday.com/2012/2012_139p2.html

2012-01-04T06:21:00.001-08:00

GOTTA DANCE!

Okay, time to make a confession.

Remember this summer, when I wrote a long post about how reality television was awful, and it was killing scripted programming and no one should never, ever watch one ever?

I've been forced to make an exception.

Dance Moms on Lifetime.

I watch Dance Moms. (Though not on Lifetime. On my computer. When I have time.)

Here's the thing. My brother was a competitive ice dancer in the 1990s, my eight year old son currently takes ballet (my 12 year old calls to me as I leave the house to take his brother to lessons, "Have fun being a dance mom!"), and, most importantly, I covered figure skating for ABC, ESPN, TNT and NBC for a good chunk of my in-between soap years, then wrote five murder mysteries about it.

I so get the whole Dance Moms... thing.

And I justify watching by pointing out that it's not really a reality show. There is nothing real about it (it's obvious if you've even so much as ever brushed up against that world). What Dance Moms is, in fact, is an improv show, where the situations are staged and phony, and the "actors" (i.e. the titular moms) are really, really bad at improvisation. Which somehow makes it good.

So... that makes it okay? Right?

2012-01-03T06:15:00.000-08:00

ONE LIFE TO SKATE

As One Life to Live winds down its ABC run (la la la la, I can't hear you, it's not happening; AMC is still on the air, too. As is GL. And ATWT. And Santa Barbara), I continue with my efforts to develop a new distribution channel for serialized storytelling via enhanced e-books.

Murder on Ice was a novel I published in 2003 with Berkley Prime Crime as a paperback original. The entire figure skating mystery series is five books long, with recurring characters, on-going plotlines, juicy secrets and shocking revelations. I.e. it's a soap. (Not that I told my editor that while I was writing it, but I always knew what it was. Soapy is the only way I know how to write.)

The book is currently available as Murder on Ice: Enhanced Multimedia Edition, with videos courtsy of The Ice Theatre of New York included with the text as part of the story.

Exactly the way I did Another World Today for P&G, and the way that I would like to see soaps continue in an attempt to cut down costs.

About.com recently reviewed the new edition at: http://figureskating.about.com/od/figureskatingbooks/fr/Review-Of-Murder-On-Ice.htm, writing, in part:

The author... shares her view of the elite figure skating world in an amusing and entertaining way. Readers get an idea of the the rivalries that exist in competitive figure skating, and the story's heroine, Bex Levy, has a delightful sense of humor.

I hope you'll check out the new, enhanced edition of Murder on Ice, as well as subsequent installments of On Thin Ice, Axel of Evil, Death Drop and Skate Crime, and let me know how you think the series works as an enhanced e-book, a murder mystery, and as a soap, too!

2012-01-02T06:21:00.000-08:00

FRIENDS DON'T LET HUNGOVER FRIENDS TWEET

This Sunday, January 1, 2012, SoapNet ran a One Life to Live marathon. Within an hour of the first episode, someone on Twitter asked the question: What if there'd been social media when this episode first ran?

It seemed like an innocuous, speculative query. But, in minutes, it somehow turned into a game wherein posters (led by ringleaders, https://twitter.com/#!/WeLoveSoapsTV, https://twitter.com/#!/tommiecas, https://twitter.com/#!/SpinsVixenella, and, I confess, https://twitter.com/#!/SoapOpera451) went back in time and offered their opinions as if the shows airing on SoapNet (as well as their contemporaries, i.e. ATWT, AW, GL, GH, etc...) were live, prompting such observations as:

I like Roger Howarth but I don't see how OLTL can sustain this character. I predict Todd will be forgotten in a year & never mentioned again.

I love Mia Korpf! OLTL has the most diverse cast. Finally an Asian character.

Personally, can't stand AW's new Vicky/Marley & the SORASd Frannie an ATWT. 2 green actresses going no where fast.

They just wanted this no-name chick to get her Patty Duke on. Identical cousins?

Sabrina's British accent is so awful, more Marland rewriting history.Irna Phillips would be rolling over in her grave

Doug Marland hates the Stewarts & ruined Steve. We've been overrun by the Snyders.

ATWT Snyders are just GL Reardons. Emma is Bea, Meg is Nola, Dusty is Kelly and Lily is Morgan. Stop recycling TPTB!

Doug Marland's stories go on forever. I prefer OLTL's faster pace and time traveling.

On DAYS, Vivian really hates Carly. I'm afraid of what she might do next! Duh, writers, it's Dennis Carrington, not Dennis Wheeler. I never watched TEXAS so the paternity ret-con isn't cannon.

And so, so, SO much more. Click on each individual Twitter handle above for the whole story (and note how confused the people who came in mid-conversation are).

Happy 2012! (From the paaaaaast! Oooh, spooky...)

2012-01-02T05:54:00.000-08:00

ANOTHER WORLD TODAY EPISODE #139-1

“Hello?” Steven dutifully answered his cell phone, albeit with a minimum of enthusiasm. However, the expression on his face quickly shifted from contempt to alarm as he opened and closed his mouth several times, either trying to get a word in edgewise, or merely attempting to think of something to say.

Sarah, Michele and Bridget exchanged frightened looks in response, all three understanding that any situation that rattled Steven was bound to be really, really bad.

This time, Sarah deliberately tried to catch Steven’s eye in order to ferret out what Grant might be telling him. But, Steven turned his back on them all and plugged his ear with one finger, the better to concentrate on what Grant was saying.

Finally, he nodded fervently – despite the fact that Grant couldn’t see him – and said, “I’ll call in and let them know soon as I hang up. I’ll meet you there. I’ll try and reach Dad, too. Text me if you hear anything else. Please, Grant.”

It was the please – specifically Steven saying please to Grant – that threw Sarah and the girls from controlled fear into unchecked terror.

“What is it? What’s wrong? What happened?” they peppered Steven with questions before he’d even hung up.

***

Grant is forced to turn to Steven for help, prompting a surprising response from Sarah; Jeanne and Matt face off after their respective New Year's Eves, Cass is suspicious of Charlie and Kirkland's accident, Chase stuns Lila with the next step of his plan, and Felicia schools Lorna in marital reality.

All at: http://www.anotherworldtoday.com/2012/2012_139p1.html

2011-12-30T07:34:00.000-08:00

HAPPY NIGHT YEAR

The Edge of Night went off the air on December 28, 1985 (what is it about major holidays and soap cancellations?).

In September of 2010, actress Mariann Aalda, who played Didi on the show, began a blog ruminating on what your favorite characters were doing in the new millennium.

In case you missed it the first time, start with the introduction: http://eontoday.blogspot.com/2010/09/introduction.html and keep an Eye on Monticello....

As an added bonus, check out a short story by Guiding Light's Tina Sloan on what she thinks happened to Lillian after the lights went out in Springfield at: http://www.anotherworldtoday.com/specials/tinasloan.html

2011-12-29T06:27:00.000-08:00

SOAP SEARCH

Veteran actress Maree Cheatham is the definition of a soap hopper, having played Marie on Days of Our Lives, Stephanie on Search for Tomorrow, Charlene on General Hospital, Mary on Knots Landing, Mona on Passions, Ceal on Desperate Housewives, and guest-starred on everything from Dexter to Cold Case to West Wing, in between feature film roles in Mr. & Mrs. Smith and The Wedding Singer.

The prolific actress let us in on a little acting secret she picked up from her years in daytime television:

In soaps, the favorite way to end a scene has always been on a close-up of the character driving the scene. Sometimes Stephanie was so evil, I imagined she had a pet snake in her pocket. When the scene ended with a close-up of me, I’d ask if they wanted me to “pet the snake.” It became shorthand for a withering look.

Read more from Maree and a host of other soap opera actors, writers, producers and experts in Soap Opera 451: A Time Capsule of Daytime Drama's Greatest Moments enhanced e-book, available on Amazon.com and BN.com!

2011-12-29T06:07:00.000-08:00

ANOTHER WORLD TODAY EPISODE #138-2

“I’m throwing a soiree,” Felicia informed in a tone that implied they really should have known that already. “At Tops. Right now. Come on, the champagne is on ice, and you don’t want it gone by the time you finally decide to make your fashionably late entrance.”

“When did this happen?” Cass wanted to know.

“I had a spontaneous impulse,” Felicia’s voice wrestled for dominance with the jangles of the bracelets she’d decked out on both arms. “Out with the old, in with the new! What better time to celebrate than the present?”

“What exactly are we celebrating?”

“Life!”

“Could you be more specific?” Cass requested.

“My life. My old life. The one Donna took away from me when she killed Jenna, and almost Lori Ann, as well. Well, I’m not about to let her have a minute more of it. What is it they say about living well being the best revenge?”

***

Felicia resolves to get her groove back - much to Cass and Frankie's concern, Jamie and Lorna find themselves cut off, Dean breaks through Jeanne's reserve, Charlie attempts to apply Zeno's advice to Kirkland - with potentially tragic results, Morgan takes the low road, and Grant hears from the last person he ever expected.

Ring in the New Year with your Bay City favorites at: http://www.anotherworldtoday.com/2011/2011_138p2.html

2011-12-28T06:49:00.000-08:00

GOOD READS BY GOOD READS!

As promised earlier, I am offering free copies of either The Man From Oakdale, Jonathan's Story, or Another World 35th Anniversary for anyone who posts a review of my latest soap book, Soap Opera 451: A Time Capsule of Daytime Drama's Greatest Moments (shipping within the continental US only; while supplies last).

Here is an example of a review from Good Reads:

It was a nice little tidbit and a nice way to remember the soaps. The enchanted e-book version is wonderous as it links you to the YouTube scenes of the moments they talk about in such a way that you can relive the magic as well.

More reviews at Amazon.com!

2011-12-26T06:18:00.000-08:00

SOAPY E-READS!

Thank you to TulsaWorld.com (if you're a Guiding Light fan, you know why just the mention of Tulsa makes me smile) for running Cindy Elavsky's (@Celebrity_Extra) interview with me regarding my work with Another World Today, Mindy's Twitter, and Soap Opera 451: A Time Capsule of Daytime Drama's Greatest Moments Enhanced E-book.

DD: Tell me about your enhanced electronic book “Soap Opera 451.”

AA: I reached out to the fans on transmedia – Facebook, Twitter, fan clubs, soap sites – and I asked them to tell me their favorite, most memorable moment from the beginning of soaps until now. I received a wonderful avalanche of responses. Once I compiled those lists, I went to either the actor, writer or producer who was involved in the scene, and I got the story of how the scene came together.

For example, after Linda Dano tells you about what it was like to shoot the intervention scenes on “Another World,” there the scene is – you can click a button on your tablet and watch it. I developed the idea as a fan and as a consumer.

Read the entire piece at: http://www.tulsaworld.com/scene/article.aspx?subjectid=275&articleid=20111225_275_TV35_Whiley353384&rss_lnk=4

Did you find a brand new iPad, Kindle Fire, Nook Color or other tablet under the tree? Want to read a book designed especially for what they can do?

Is there an Amazon or BN.com gift-card burning a hole in your pocket? Then make sure you check out Soap Opera 451: A Time Capsule of Daytime Drama's Greatest Moments Enhanced E-book at either Amazon or Barnes & Noble.

Write a review of it, send me a link to your post at AlinaAdams@gmail.com, and I'll say thank you by mailing you a free copy of either The Man From Oakdale, Jonathan's Story, or Another World 35th Anniversary Scrapbook (offer good in the continental US only; while supplies last).

Finally, if you want a sneak peek at what an enhanced e-book is like, go to: http://www.fictionalcandy.com/2011/12/guest-post-alina-adams-murder-on-ice.html and enter to win a free copy of my mystery novel, Murder on Ice!

Happy Holidays to all!

2011-12-26T06:12:00.000-08:00

ANOTHER WORLD TODAY EPISODE #138-1

Marley paused for a long beat. And then she said, “Grant.”

“What about him?” Alice wondered.

“He lost Kirkland because of me. If Grant hadn’t been trying to help me, he never would have been placed in the position of being forced to trade away Kirkland.”

“No one forced Grant to do anything. He made his own decision.”

“A decision I drove him to.”

“A decision he made of his own free will. Granted, because of his feelings for you.”

“I couldn’t even look him in the eye afterwards. I can’t imagine how he must feel, how much he must hate me.”

“Is that why you banned him from visiting you here?”

“I couldn’t bear facing his disappointment, his contempt.”

“If he truly felt that way, would he have tried as hard as he has been doing to see you? Your rejection broke his heart, you may take my word on that.”

***

Marley makes a confession to Alice, Carl and Rachel plot to outsmart Chase, Steven needles Sarah about her mystery man, Matt comes to a decision about Donna, John deals with his final issue regarding Gregory's death, and Dean continues to be confused by Jeanne.

It's New Year's Eve in Bay City at: http://www.anotherworldtoday.com/2011/2011_138p1.html

2011-12-23T07:26:00.000-08:00

HAVE YOURSELF A SOAPY LITTLE CHRISTMAS!

As The World Turns:
2000
1985
1960s

Guiding Light:
1984
1983

Another World

Days of Our Lives

One Life to Live

General Hospital

Santa Barbara

All My Children

The Young & the Restless

Ryan's Hope

And a peek into my own personal holiday soap opera: http://www.kveller.com/blog/parenting/in-soviet-russia-christmas-celebrates-you/

Happy Holidays to my fellow soap fans. Because we remember....

2011-12-22T07:32:00.000-08:00

CHRISTMAS LIGHTS

It's Christmas 2011 in Springfield, and Mindy has a whopper of a surprise for Phillip and Beth.

How does St. Nick fit in?

Watch the classic Guiding Light 1983 holiday clip below:

Then find out at: http://twitter.com/#!/MindyLewisBauer and help Guide the Light!

2011-12-22T06:40:00.000-08:00

ANOTHER WORLD TODAY EPISODE #137-2

"Why don’t we just do Christmas here?" Jasmine wondered plaintively. "Like always.”

“I don’t live here anymore, Jazz,” Matt reminded gently. “I explained all that to you.”

“Oh,” she said, nodding, doing her best not to sneak a peek Carl’s way, even as that’s precisely what Elizabeth and Cory did at Matt’s words, while Carl stared back defiantly at them all.

“I’ll drive her over as soon as we’re done,” Lila told Matt coolly. “I’ll give you a call when she’s ready.”

“I can wait for Jazz to get changed,” Matt said.

“We’re in the middle of something,” Lila hissed. “Show a bit of respect, Matt. If not for your mother, at least for your daughter.”

“It’s okay, Mama,” Jasmine hurried to appease. “I can get dressed super-duper-fast. Don’t worry. Don’t fight.”

“Your daddy and Jeanne can wait. And we aren’t fighting. Are we, Matt?”

He hesitated, taking in the squirming Jasmine, the nervous Cory and Elizabeth, the torn Rachel and… Carl. Did Carl actually appear to be enjoying this?

****

Rachel and her children deal with the consequences of their estrangement while Lucas fills Lorna in about her own family's disintegration, Sarah asks Grant for a surprising holiday gift, Felicia and Morgan compare war wounds, Zeno offers Charlie inspirational advice as Cass and Frankie celebrate a multitude of happy occasions.

It's Christmas in Bay City 2011 at: http://www.anotherworldtoday.com/2011/2011_137p2.html

2011-12-21T06:57:00.000-08:00

WIN A FREE ENHANCED E-BOOK!

For the past year, I've been talking about enhanced e-books and how I think they could be a cost-effective way to transition soap operas from television onto the Internet.

What's an enhanced e-book, you may ask?

Read all about it here, here, and here.

Or you could see for yourself.

Go to: http://www.fictionalcandy.com/2011/12/guest-post-alina-adams-murder-on-ice.html and enter for a chance to win a totally FREE copy of Murder on Ice: Enhanced Multimedia Edition.

This Figure Skating Mystery was originally published by Berkley Prime Crime in 2003. The Enhanced E-Book Edition features all the text of the paperback original, plus skating videos courtesy of The Ice Theatre of New York embedded as an integral part of the story.

Check it out and let me know what you think of the book, the overall concept, and it's potential as the future of both publishing and television!

2011-12-20T05:55:00.000-08:00

NEWMANS HEAD INTO A NEW YEAR...

A Young & Restless Christmas from 1998...

Cassie is tiny! Victor and Nikki are together (as are Victoria and Neil - much to Cole's cranky displeasure)! Nick has very, very fluffy hair! And Victor gets all morally superior!

2011-12-19T05:46:00.000-08:00

GENERAL HOSPITAL CHRISTMAS 1979

There's Steve and Audrey and Anne and Jeremy and Tommy and Joe and Jeff and Alice...

And Lesley and Rick and Amy and Laura and Scotty (and more Alice)...

Watch... and remember....

2011-12-19T05:35:00.000-08:00

ANOTHER WORLD TODAY EPISODE #137-1

It's time for the Ghosts of Bay City Christmas Past!

Who will visit whom - and what lessons will they offer for the new year?

Find out at: http://www.anotherworldtoday.com/2011/2011_137p1.html

2011-12-16T06:14:00.000-08:00

SANTA (BARBARA), BABY!

Santa Claus has been arrested by smarmy DA Keith (Justin Deas)! (Where did all those toys come from, huh?) And it's Julia (Nancy Lee Grahn) and Mason (Lane Davies) to the rescue, in this Christmas-themed episode of Santa Barbara:

When I interviewed Lane for Soap Opera 451: A Time Capsule of Daytime Drama's Greatest Moments enhanced e-book, he told me: Mason’s top moment? I am sadly under-qualified to make a judgment like that. I'd put some of the early Santa Barbara episodes against the best of them, though.

A fan, however, did write: I loved the Mason and Julia love story, and I think Santa Barbara was so extraordinarily terrific with Santa Claus during the Christmas episode….

Enjoy!

2011-12-15T06:50:00.001-08:00

TO LIFE!

Yesterday, as part of my mania to make a merry soap Christmas - no matter what the real world may have to say about it, I posted a classic AMC holiday clip of the Martins Making Merry.

Today, we have One Life to Live and Christmas 1989 with the Buchanans.

There's Bo with Sarah (#1 - before she went off to Another World - literally and soapily), the late Clint Ritchie as the original Clint, Cord, Viki, Renee, a pre-teen Kevin (before the recast roller-caster kicked in), teeny tiny Joey, Jessica (we can assume Natalie is hanging with Roxy and Rex, messing up Christmas Carol lyrics) and CJ, a Chuck (!) mention - and Asa promising to make amends.

Check it out below:

2011-12-15T04:33:00.000-08:00

ANOTHER WORLD TODAY EPISODE #136-2

“I beg your pardon,” Rachel sputtered upon accidentally walking in on Lila mid-lip lock with… the Mayor of Bay City?

The pair turned around in unison, shocked, guilty, stunned, embarrassed.

“I’m sorry,” Rachel repeated. “I didn’t mean…” Before the obvious question surfaced. “What are you two doing in here?” she indicated her husband’s study.

“I’m afraid it’s my fault, Mrs. Hutchins,” Chase stepped forward so smoothly, Rachel felt certain that, even if she hadn’t immediately recognized him, she’d have known a polished politician anywhere. “Lila and I were headed…” he made a vague gesture that could have been anyplace, but one that Rachel interpreted as the direction of Lila’s bedroom – exactly as Chase had intended. “When I decided to get… spontaneous. I’m very sorry. I should have known better. Is this your personal office?”

“My husband’s, actually…”

“Then, please, do pass my apologies on to him.”

“Or you could just not mention it altogether,” Lila regained her power of speech to suggest, following up with, “I’m mortified enough as it is.”

“Mr. Hamilton…”

“Call me Chase, please.” He offered Rachel his most dazzling, photo op smile.

She appeared anything but enchanted. “I must admit, I’m rather… surprised by this display.” She left it to him to discern precisely what had triggered her… surprise.

***

Jamie offers Lorna a different perspective on her family while Lucas stays the course with Felicia, Rachel disapproves of Lila's choices, Sarah twigs to Steven and Jen, Kirkland makes a confession to Charlie, Grant mourns what he's lost, and Matt and Dean face off over Donna.

All at: http://www.anotherworldtoday.com/2011/2011_136p2.html

2011-12-14T06:09:00.000-08:00

SOAPY HOLIDAY COUNTDOWN!

'Cause we need a little Christmas/Right this very minute/Candles in the window/Carols at the spinet....

It hasn't been the merriest of holiday seasons up to this point (i.e. The Grinch Who Stole Soaps), so I say we need a little daytime Christmas. NOW.

First up, All My Children from 1991.

The Martins host a party, Brooke is pissed off, Dixie is missing a presumed dead Tad (but not so much that she hasn't hooked up with new sleaze-about-town Craig), Jamie's an innocent infant, JR's a sweet toddler - and brunette (and still called Junior), and Tom wears an ugly sweater. Enjoy!

2011-12-13T07:00:00.001-08:00

LIKE SKATES THROUGH THE HOURGLASS... (AS THE DAYS SKATE?)

As soon as the weather starts to turn nippy, thoughts turn to Winter. Which means Winter Sports. Which means, specifically, figure skating.

This winter, skating is particularly uppermost in my mind as I am in the process of re-releasing my Figure Skating Mystery series, originally published by Berkley Prime Crime, as enhanced e-books, with skating videos embedded alongside the text as part of the story.

The first novel, Murder on Ice, is a (very) thinly disguised take on the 2002 Olympic judging scandal. Only in my version, the judge who cast the unpopular vote and gave the gold to Russia over the West turns up dead soon after.

Who done it? A skater? A coach? An official? A fan? (Hopefully, I did a good job of laying out the clues!)

Of course, as regular readers of this blog know, my first love is soap operas. Which is what led me to the absolutely, LOL, hysterical clip below.

Days of Our Lives' John and Marlena explain the judging scandal (complete with trademark flaring nostrils, negligees, and pregnant pauses)! You must watch this!

And afterward, check out Murder on Ice: Enhanced Multimedia Edition at: http://www.amazon.com/Murder-Ice-Enhanced-Multimedia-ebook/dp/B006LEH0L6/ref=sr_1_7?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1323788873&sr=1-7

2011-12-12T06:02:00.000-08:00

NOW IT CAN BE TOLD...

Like any soap character worth their salt (who hopes to make it past the first thirteen week contract cycle), I too have a deep, dark secret in my past.

This particular one goes back to my days as a figure skating researcher.

Naturally, I have chosen to share it on the Internet, here.

2011-12-12T04:48:00.000-08:00

ANOTHER WORLD TODAY EPISODE #136-1

Sitting facing her grandmother’s gravestone, Lorna nevertheless heard Felicia come up behind her. She’d know the sound of that jewelry anywhere.

Her mother supplied by way of explanation, “I called Jamie. He said you needed time to think. I suspected I’d find you here.”

Lorna declined to respond. Or turn around.

“I must say, I’m happy the whole truth is finally out.”

Lorna smirked to herself ironically.

“It allows me the chance to explain.”

“You don’t have to.” Lorna pivoted where she sat, looking at Felicia for the first time. “I read the court transcript. I know everything now.”

Though surprised, Felicia pressed on. “You may know what I said. I assure you, you have no idea how I felt.”

“That’s rich,” Lorna snorted. “You claimed to know exactly how I would feel about the abortion Morgan proposed. I guess our Mother/Daughter ESP only flows one way.”

“What about your own daughter? You’re a mother yourself now, Lorna. Take a moment to imagine what you would have done in my position. If Devon was the one fighting for her life, and you had the means to save her, wouldn’t you take it? Wouldn’t you do anything you had to, no matter what the cost?”

****

Felicia attempts to explain herself to Lorna, Frankie - and Charlie - see a new side to Zeno, Sarah points out the obvious to Allie while Dean is anything but to Jeanne, Kevin refuses to let Amanda off the hook, and Lila grows suspicious about Chase's true motivations regarding Carl.

All at: http://www.anotherworldtoday.com/2011/2011_136p1.html

What happens next for everyone? Tell us on our Message Board at: http://www.soapopera451.com/talk/mboard.php or on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Another-World/307355595460?ref=search&sid=13800416.3728872026..1

2011-12-09T06:22:00.000-08:00

BABY SOAP

It sounds a little weird these days to say that you like kids, but I'm going to go ahead and admit that I've always loved child actors, especially on the soaps.

It's very rare when a child actor is allowed to age with a role, like General Hospital's Kimberly McCullough (Robin), or One Life to Live's Kristen and Eddie Alderson (Starr and Matthew). Usually, they're recast at several key junctures:

* When cute babies turn into cute toddlers who like to toddle off the set very cutely.

* When cute babies turn into such meek toddlers that they refuse to say a word on camera (ala Lily on Modern Family).

* When cute school-age kids suddenly sprout up and into teen-agers before the writers are ready for them to (I worked at ABC when Gina Gallagher was fired from her role as Bianca on All My Children because, according to one exec, "She got boobs.")

* When cute school-age kids fail to sprout up and look like teen-agers in time for the writers who want to pen them a more adult storyline.

Some child actors continue on in their profession, others choose to have a more normal life and pick alternative careers.

Below are some "Where Are They Now" interviews I've conducted personally with former pint-sized soap stars, as well as news links to other stories.

Ashley Peldon (Marah; Guiding Light)

Damion Scheller (Gregory; Texas, Jonathan; Guiding Light, Josh; Search for Tomorrow, Paul; As The World Turns)

Danielle Burns (Nancy; Another World)

Bryan Buffinton (Bill; Guiding Light)

Jadrian Steele (Little John; Ryan's Hope)

2011-12-08T07:24:00.001-08:00

ONCE MORE INTO THE... PARK?

No sooner do I post yesterday about Prospect Park no longer being an option for All My Children and One Life to Live, then Variety.com reports:

(O)ne of the options Prospect Park is said to be considering is bringing in an overseas firm to turn the shows into a co-production. That may or may not allow the shows to circumvent the unions, which couldn't come to terms with Prospect Park on compensation for talent on both sides of the camera.

Here's the thing:

Let's say the shows could be filmed overseas, in Eastern Europe or Spain, or even just across the border in Canada (they'd hardly be the first ones to leave the USA in order to cut costs - a couple of years ago an actor friend of mine shot a Baskin-Robbins commercial in South Africa; yes, it was cheaper to put up an entire crew in a foreign country for a few days than it would have been to shoot locally).

You could presumably get non-American/non-Union production staff, non-Union writers (would Agnes Nixon participate?), non-union directors. You could truck out the sets and make them look exactly the same as they did when erected at ABC Studios. Maybe no one would even notice the difference.

But, what about the actors?

Would American actors work on a non-Unionized production?

Some might, some might not. I certainly don't know everyone's personal status or opinion.

But, it's doubtful that enough actors would sign on to such an endeavor to makes the shows feel the same. This could well end up being All My Children and One Life to Live in name only, with a flood of new faces in familiar roles, or simply a flood of new characters (it's hard to determine which options soap fans would hate less.)

In 1988, a TV movie entitled Bonanaza: The Next Generation served as a pilot for what would have become a series sequel to the mega 1959-1973 hit. It featured none of the original characters or actors, though Michael Landon Jr. did play Little Joe's son, and Lorne Greene's daughter was also cast.

Next Generation failed to go to series, though it did spawn two more TV movies. In 2001, viewers got The Ponderosa, a prequel series that lasted one year on PAX, again featuring none of the original cast and changing some cannon history, to boot. The show filmed in Australia to cut costs.

Though it failed for a variety of reasons, a similar project, Star Trek: The Next Generation, was a phenomenal success using basically the same formula: Familiar name, new characters.

Would you watch an All My Children that focused on a now-grown Miranda, Gabrielle, Emma, Jenny, Little A, Spike, Ian and Trevor, or a One Life to Live that showed you what life was really like for young Viki under the thumb of her dictatorial father - not to mention what in the world made Dorian, well... Dorian?

Is All My Children: The Next Generation or Llanview a viable option?

2011-12-08T04:34:00.000-08:00

ANOTHER WORLD TODAY EPISODE #135-2

“Your mother is deeply distraught these days,” Carl managed to make the innocent status update sound both sinister and threatening.

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Amanda said. “That wasn’t my intention.”

“Bollocks. That may not have been Jamie’s intention, or Matthew’s intention, but it most certainly and definitively was yours. You have been lying in wait for, I daresay, years, looking for any adequate excuse with which to attempt battering your mother into submission. As if you give a fig regarding Spencer Harrison, or even Kirkland.”

“Kirkland is my nephew! I love him! And Spencer Harrison was the husband of a dear friends of mine, not to mention a father-in-law I actually liked.”

“Nonetheless, in this particular instance, both were nothing more than tools to further an insidious agenda, which is to make your mother pay for the perceived sin of stepping out on the sainted Mac Cory – death be damned – with another man.”

“A man who stalked me, a man who was planning to kidnap me!”

“During a time period when young Alexandra was still in diapers. And now here she is, a mother herself – inconvenient and unpalatable as you may find that fact to be, Grandma – and yet you insist on holding petty grudges. How childish!”

“The child of a father you tried to destroy, and a mother you actually succeeded in kidnapping, then shooting. And what was it you said to the police afterward? I remember: Rachel shouldn’t have gotten in the way. Charming. Very romantic. Do you whisper those words to my mother in bed at night? Does she get turned on by that?”

****

Amanda and Carl prepare to duel to the death, Jen at long last explains herself to Steven, Lorna goes for the jugular with Morgan, Gregory helps Allie through her latest crisis, while Matt and Donna exchange expectations.

Is this the end, or a new beginning? Vote at: http://www.anotherworldtoday.com/2011/2011_135p2.html

2011-12-07T06:32:00.000-08:00

BEWARE OF SOAP ENTITIES BEARING GENERALITIES....

After my foray into figure skating, I returned to daytime television in 2001, working for a company called SoapCity.com. They were owned by Sony, and hosted the official websites for The Young & the Restless, The Bold & the Beautiful, and Days of Our Lives. I was hired to produce the official As the World Turns and Guiding Light sites, under their overall umbrella.

From the beginning, SoapCity was very big on grand plans... and very vague on specific details. The buzz words flew fast and furious, the results... not so much. More often than not, when I'd request a particular feature for the ATWT and GL sites, I'd hear, "That's impossible."

My husband, a long-time web developer, translated for me, "That means it's a little bit hard."

Eventually, SoapCity folded, and I stayed on with P&G, ATWT and GL.

This past summer, when news of Prospect Park's licensing All My Children and One Life to Live broke, I contacted them, offering my expertise in the field of continuing television properties on-line the way I had with Another World Today and Mindy's Twitter. Initial response was swift and enthusiastic. We had a couple of back and forths... and then they fell off the face of the Earth. (It's actually kind of reassuring that I was treated exactly the same way as Susan Lucci. I'm honored.)

Once again, big picture plans were high, specifics mostly absent.

Now comes the announcement from Broadway Video via We Love Soaps that:

In addition to ordering online through the company’s website or Amazon.com, fans will soon be able to buy episodes right off store shelves. Classic episodes of AS THE WORLD TURNS and GUIDING LIGHT will hit store shelves next year. “We’ve been talking to re-sale partners who can have these releases and others on store shelves next year,” the company’s president, Mark Yates, told World Turns TV. “We’re working toward an aggressive release schedule.

I want to be enthusiastic, I really do. Same way I really, really, really wanted the Prospect Park deal to work out.

But, see how the first sentence announces the ability to buy episodes right off store shelves as a definite... then backtracks in the second paragraph to say that they're "talking to" and "working towards?"

One is a statement of fact. The other is a possibility.

The article goes on to report:

Yates declined to say how many As The World Turns DVD box sets the company has sold since the initial offering in October. He did say sales were robust enough to attract ‘a number of online sales and online partners’ and to justify creating an aggressive release calendar for next year.... Response has been so overwhelming that the company will continue to produce the box sets, at least for World Turns and Guiding Light.

My husband left the corporate world of web development to return to his first love, teaching, a few years ago. He is a high-school math teacher now. And one thing he always tells his students (and our kids) is "lots is not a number." Neither is robust. Or overwhelming. Or a number, for that matter.

I have written before about 1000 True Fans and the absolutely mandatory requirement to tangibly demonstrate that soap products (DVDs, merchandising, books, etc...) can be profitable for their creators if we want to have any chance of getting our shows back in any form.

We need to go from robust and overwhelming to X number of units sold, X dollars of profit made. The industry decision makers demand specifics, not generalities.

And it's up to the fans to provide them.

I know you can do it!

2011-12-06T06:51:00.001-08:00

SOAPS.... ON... ICE....! (You have to say it like: Pigs... In.... Space....!)

I have a confession to make.

From 1995 to 2000, I cheated on my first love, soap operas, with a brash young interloper: competitive figure skating.

I worked at ABC, ESPN, TNT and NBC as a writer/researcher/producer for their skating coverage, including the US Championships, the World Championships, the 1998 Olympics and several professional shows.

In 2001, I saw the error of my ways (primarily due to the fact that my constant traveling prompted my then 18 month old son to cease speaking to me, or even acknowledging my existence when I got home) and returned to soaps.

In 2002, I was offered the chance to author a series of Figure Skating Mysteries for Berkley Prime Crime. I accepted the offer, and then proceeded to turn my skating mysteries into soap operas. (I know, very sneaky of me.)

Although each of the five books in the series, Murder on Ice, On Thin Ice, Axel of Evil, Death Drop and Skate Crime are stand-alones in that the mystery raised in the beginning is solved at the end, the rest is pure soap opera. Characters' personal stories, especially their romantic entanglements and deep, dark secrets flow from one book into the next, and reading the preceding one definitely adds to your enjoyment of the subsequent story.

Now, I am making the books even more soapy with the addition of enhancements such as video, courtesy of The Ice Theatre of NY.

As I revealed to the Crime Writers Blog:

“Skate Crime” features a prominent subplot about an African-American woman skating pairs with a white man at a time when that just wasn’t considered acceptable. And, what do you know? Several Ice Theatre videos just happened to feature the exact same combination skating together! To see how I worked the videos into the text, check out my $.99 cent excerpt, “Skate Crime: Multimedia” at: http://tinyurl.com/SkateCrime on Amazon. (You’ll need a reading device with an Internet connection and the ability to play videos.)

With other cases, I was forced to massage the text just a little bit to make it match up with the available footage. Obviously, I couldn’t change a character’s race (that would be one too many cases of Search and Replace, and utterly out of the question in cases where race was a key part of the story). But, I’ll admit, a few imaginary people did receive a quick change of hair-color just to make the juxtaposition flow easier.

Read the entire thing at: http://crimewritersblog.blogspot.com/2011/12/meet-alina-adams-turning-visual-into.html

2011-12-05T04:16:00.000-08:00

NICE TO BE PART OF SOME GOOD NEWS FOR A CHANGE!

From Lynda Hirsch's column this weekend:

Q: With all the sad news about soap operas, is there anything good? — Lauren in Walnut Creek Calif.

A: Well, there is one great new e-book on the world of soaps that came out in September. "Soap Opera 451: A Time Capsule of Daytime's Greatest Moments," written by Alina Adams, who is a soap insider and has had books on the New York Times bestseller list, loves soaps and wants to share her love of soaps with others...

Read the entire piece at: http://www.creators.com/lifestylefeatures/fashion-and-entertainment/lynda-hirsch-on-soaps/lynda-hirsch-on-soaps-q-and-a-11-12-03.html

2011-12-05T03:28:00.000-08:00

ANOTHER WORLD TODAY EPISODE #135-1

“I – I was just with Morgan," Amanda began.

“Really?” At least the declaration succeeded in capturing Lorna’s attention, even if she looked anything but pleased to hear it.

“He feels awful.”

“That’s impossible.”

“No, honestly, he does. Having you find out about what happened when you were in a coma – and the way you found out… He’s a wreck, a complete and total wreck.”

“Impossible,” Lorna repeated, slower in case Amanda was feeling unusually dim today. “If Morgan thinks he’s feeling awful now, he’s going to embrace a whole new appreciation for the true meaning of the word once I get through with him.”

“Seriously, Lorna, he’s suffering enough, and he’s going to keep on suffering for a long time. What good would you laying into him do?”

“How is my relationship with Morgan any of your business?”

“He’s a good guy, he doesn’t deserve – “

“Did your brother deserve to be dragged into court and forced to prove that my baby was his?”

“That was your doing, not Morgan’s. You’re the one who lied to Jamie about being married. Why don’t you just admit that all this righteous indignation at both Morgan and your mother should rightfully be pointed your own way? You’re the one who stuck them all between a rock and a hard place, and now you’re shrieking as loud as you can in the hope that no one comes to their senses and realizes what’s actually going on here!”

***

Lorna tangles with Amanda before moving on to confronting Morgan, while Amanda is stunned by Kevin's reaction to her confession. Donna find a surprising - if temporary - ally, Jen and Steven can't ignore each other any longer, GQ comes to Allie's defense - with tragic results, and Cass and Frankie face an inconvenient decision.

All at: http://www.anotherworldtoday.com/2011/2011_135p1.html

2011-12-02T05:29:00.000-08:00

ROUND UP

The best of November 2011 posts:

Could 1000 True Fans Save Soap Operas?

A Modest Proposal for Moving Soaps to the Internet - Cost-Effectively

How Soaps Benefit Society: A Roundtable Discussion

Love in the Time of Recession (Soaps and the Economy)

LARP the Soaps (Live Action Role Playing Game)

Turning Readers into Writers (Interactive Storytelling)

Soap Opera 451's mission is to remember the soaps that we love. But, it's also about exploring way to move them forward.

2011-12-01T06:34:00.000-08:00

SOAPS CAN TEACH YOU CHEMISTRY! (THE REAL KIND, NOT JUST THE OOOOH, THOSE TWO BETTER GET TOGETHER SOON KIND)

Coming off this Monday's roundtable discussion about the benefits of soaps to society (listen to the entire thing here), I read the below story in MIT's Technology Review Magazine (yes, I have very diverse interests: Soaps, skating, musical theatre, education, economics, theoretical physics... Check out my earlier post on soap operas and Schrodinger's Cat, here):

For two years between college and graduate school, Mala Radhakrishnan, PhD '07, taught high-school chemistry in San Jose, California. To help her students grasp some of the trickier concepts, she used analogies based on a familiar medium: the soap opera.

Her descriptions of atoms and molecules that fall in love and cheat on each other helped her students learn chemistry and even inspired them to create a chemistry-themed mural, which they titled One Half-Life to Live.

Radhakrishnan, who had begun writing poetry the previous summer, took a cue from her students' mural and wrote her first chemistry-themed poem: "As the Magnetic Stir-Bar Turns."

Read the entire piece, here.

There's also a cool video tying both ideas together at: http://youtu.be/xhOtKurHayo

2011-12-01T04:43:00.000-08:00

ANOTHER WORLD TODAY EPISODE #134-2

“Go to Hell, Donna,” Lorna ordered, turning her back on the woman, heading back to Jamie and Devon… when the look on her husband’s face, not to mention Morgan and Felicia’s, forced Lorna to waver just a little. “What? What is she talking about? What’s going on?”

“Leave.” Lucas grabbed Donna by the elbow, pulling her towards the door. “Now.”

“I’ll leave when Lorna tells me to leave,” Donna insisted sweetly.

“The directions to Hell earlier weren’t clear enough?” Jamie seethed.

Lorna pivoted in her place, abruptly ordering, “Fine. Say your piece.”

“No!” Felicia interjected, warning Donna, “You don’t want to do this.”

“I do,” Donna corrected. “I honestly and genuinely do.”

“Then go ahead,” Lorna snapped. “Get it over with. Say whatever you came to say, then go back to your pathetic, miserable, friendless existence, and leave the rest of us to enjoy our celebration.”

“You heard the lady,” Donna advised Felicia, Lucas, Morgan and Jamie. “Lorna wants to hear what I’ve got to say.”

“Lorna,” Jamie said softly. “Don’t let her do this. Don’t give her this power over you.”

“I’m not,” Lorna insisted, putting up a much braver façade than she actually felt, but resolved to see this through to the end. “I’m actually doing the exact opposite. I’m showing Donna there is nothing she can do to hurt us. Let her do her worst, blow her wad; it’s the only way to be rid of her once and for all.”

***

Donna's bombshell sends shock-waves through Lorna and Jamie's, and Felicia and Lucas' - not to mention Frankie and Cass', and Amanda and Kevin's - relationships, while Lila wallows in guilt of her own, and Morgan takes desperate action.

Bay City boils over at: http://www.anotherworldtoday.com/2011/2011_134p2.html

2011-11-30T07:59:00.000-08:00

YOU GOTTA HAVE HOPE!

So, remember my super top secret plan to transition soaps from television to the Internet in a cost-effective manner?

The one that I talked about here, and here, and in my interview with Daytime Confidential, and in this week's ABC Soaps in Depth (12/12/11 issue). (So maybe secret is a bit of an exaggeration. Would you believe... endlessly talked about?)

Here is an update.

This past September, I released a romance novel of mine, When a Man Loves a Woman (previously published as a paperback original by DELL in 2000) as an enhanced e-book, utilizing the same format of text combined with video/audio that I originally developed for P&G and www.AnotherWorldToday.com.

I was very nervous about how my enhanced e-book would be received, as nothing quite like this has ever been done before, and while I believe in it as the wave of the future, ultimately it's up to the customer to decide. (And the customer is always right!)

Luckily, reviews have started tricking in, and they appear to be positive!

Bibliophilic Book Blog says:

Have you ever fallen in love with your best friend? Can you overcome the biggest hurt and betrayal of your life to trust again? Ms. Adams tackles all of these questions with a deft hand and compelling characters... Well-crafted with people and events which worm their way into your heart, this book is compelling. Add the music from the enhanced e-book and it makes it a rich and multi-layered experience to pick up When a Man Loves a Woman. (Read complete review, here.)

Reading Reality writes:

This was a good friends-into-lovers romance.... I was reminded of a quote from science fiction author Robert A. Heinlein, “There is only one way to console a widow. But remember the risk,".... About the enhanced part of the ebook…This is an interesting idea, and I can see, or rather hear, how this might work in the future.... But it’s a neat concept. (Read the complete review, here.)

So far, so good!

Finally, the review that really gave me hope this morning came from one posted regarding Soap Opera 451: A Time Capsule of Daytime Drama's Greatest Moments Enhanced e-book:

What really makes this worthwhile are the carefully chosen video clips related to the topics. The clips were able to play pretty well on my iphone. I've never seen a Kindle work like this, but I hope I will see more in the future.

Yes! Thank you! I have been banging the drums and preaching the gospel and typing away to anyone who'd listen the possibility that enhanced e-books might be, if not the savior of serialized storytelling, at least an adequate transition point while respective creative minds regroup, recalculate, and reconfigure a way to get us the soaps we love back at a price everyone (producer and consumer) can live with.

Stay tuned for more updates from my brave new, enhanced e-world, and please check out When a Man Loves a Woman: Enhanced Multimedia Edition on either Amazon.com or BN.com and let me know what you think. Could this be a way to transition soaps to the Internet while keeping costs in check and setting up an alternative revenue model, besides?

2011-11-29T06:57:00.001-08:00

ON THE AIR

Last night, I was lucky enough to participate in a round-table on soaps, hosted by Silas Kain of BlogTalk Radio, with three fantastic women:

Michelle Patrick: A Harvard graduate, Ms. Patrick was a writer at AMC for 19 years. Ms. Patrick also wrote for GH.

Dr. Melissa Scardaville: Melissa was the Guiding Light editor at Soap Opera Digest from 1999-2005. She recently completed her PhD in sociology at Emory University relating to the struggle of aesthetic legitimacy of the soaps.

Sarah Adams: Graduate student at North Dakota State University with a background in History and Mass Communications with an emphasis on Media Studies. She examines the soaps from the eyes of the fans with scholarly perspective.

We ended up discussing everything from the lack of ethnic, cultural, religious and disabled representation on daytime, to the genre's disrespectful treatment in mass media, to actors who believe they were hired to play themselves rather than a character, to the future of soap operas on the Internet and what it would take to revive the serialized drama to its former place of glory.

Listen to the show below and let me know what you think!

Listen to internet radio with Silas Kain on Blog Talk Radio

2011-11-28T06:08:00.000-08:00

CYBER MONDAY! BUY ONE SOAP BOOK, GET ONE FREE!

Thank you once again to Soaps in Depth Magazine which, in addition to writing an article on Soap Opera 451: A Time Capsule of Daytime Drama's Greatest Moments (read it here), and featuring the one-of-a-kind enhanced e-book in their Holiday Gift Round Up, has now run an interview with me in their 12/12 issue.

I am quite humbled and very appreciative!

And for everyone looking to get an on-line, soapy deal today, my contribution to the holiday season is below:

Buy a copy of Soap Opera 451: A Time Capsule of Daytime Drama's Greatest Moments enhanced e-book, boasting exclusive interviews with the actors, writers and producers who made the scenes soap fans and experts voted as their favorites of all time, and I will send you one copy of Oakdale Confidential, The Man From Oakdale, Jonathan's Story, or the Another World 35th Anniversary Album FREE!

Just e-mail me your proof of purchase to AlinaAdams@gmail.com with your mailing address and the book you'd like to receive.

Remember, you do not need a Kindle, a Nook, or any designated reading device to experience this one-of-a-kind book. All you need is anything with an Internet connection (your desktop computer, your laptop computer, your phone, a tablet, etc...) and the FREE Kindle or Nook app.

Sale ends at midnight, Monday, November 28, 2011. (You may pick which book you'd like to receive for free while supplies last. If we run out of your preferred title, you will be asked to make a second choice. So hurry and make your selection now!)

On Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/Soap-Opera-451-Greatest-ebook/dp/B005NSDZYC/ref=sr_1_1?m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&ie=UTF8&qid=1316430944&sr=1-1

On BN.com: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Soap-Opera-451/Alina-Adams/e/2940013566910?itm=5&usri=alina%2badams

2011-11-28T05:11:00.000-08:00

ANOTHER WORLD TODAY EPISODE #134-1

“Just one more picture,” Felicia insisted, despite the groans her suggestion engendered. “Last one, I promise. I know when I’m beginning to try people’s patience…” Felicia waved a warning finger at the crowd. “Don’t anybody dare correct me.” She swept her arms together, gesturing for everyone to get closer. “Final shot: Devon, Lorna, Jamie, Morgan, Alice.”

Lorna leaned in to Jamie and whispered, “Do you think she’d believe me if I told her Devon refuses to come out of her trailer?”

“You heard your mother: Just one more shot.”

“You are so trusting,” Lorna clucked.

Nevertheless, everyone dutifully did as Felicia ordered. Lorna and Jamie posing with Devon between them, Morgan and Alice on either side of the proud parents.

Felicia had finally gotten the composition exactly to her liking and was threatening to click the shutter any minute now, when a new, albeit familiar, voice from the back of the room purred, “What a lovely tableau.”

All conversation ceased and every head turned in her direction as Donna slowly made her way down towards the guest of honor.

Taken aback, but refusing to show it, Lorna told her husband. “Hide the spinning wheels, Jamie, Maleficent is here.”

***

Donna interrupts Devon's christening with a threat to tell all, Carl finally tells Rachel how he honestly feels, Lorna offers Felicia a peculiar compliment, Cory attempts to reunite his family, Lila is put on the spot, Alice helps Kirkland untangle his thoughts, Morgan and Kevin square off, Steven schools Allie, and Dean scores a point with Jeanne - while receiving a challenge.

The story heats up at: http://www.anotherworldtoday.com/2011/2011_134p1.html

2011-11-24T10:00:00.000-08:00

BLACK FRIDAY/CYBER MONDAY EXCLUSIVE OFFER JUST FOR MY READERS

As I've said over and over again, I am so thankful for all the support daytime fans have given me for my books, my blog, my soap projects - and my non-soap ones.

To show my gratitude, I have a special offer, good starting today, Wednesday, November 23, 2011 through Tuesday, November 29, 2011.

Want a copy of "Oakdale Confidential," The Man From Oakdale," "Jonathan's Story" or the "Another World 35th Anniversary Scrapbook" to slip under someone's Christmas tree? (Or keep for yourself? I'll never tell!)

Want to get it for free?

All you need to do is buy a copy of my latest enhanced e-book, "Soap Opera 451: A Time Capsule of Daytime Drama's Greatest Moments" featuring behind the scenes interviews with the actors, writers and producers who created the scenes soap fans voted their all-time favorites, at either:

Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/Soap-Opera-451-Greatest-ebook/dp/B005NSDZYC/ref=sr_1_1?m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&ie=UTF8&qid=1316430944&sr=1-1

OR

BN.com: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/soap-opera-451-alina-adams/1107154000?ean=2940013566910&itm=4&usri=alina+adams

E-mail me your proof of purchase to AlinaAdams@gmail.com along with your mailing address and which book you want, and I will send it to you, ASAP!

Happy Thanksgiving, Everybody!

2011-11-24T07:40:00.000-08:00

ANOTHER WORLD TODAY EPISODE #133-2

“I don’t mean to put you on the spot, Jamie,” Alice began as they all settled around the impeccably decorated Thanksgiving table.

“So why do I suspect you’re about to, anyway?” he asked with a good-natured laugh.

Alice smiled. “Everyone here remembers Mac and his wonderful toasts. And those who don’t, have certainly heard enough about them from the rest of us. I’m wondering if you might oblige to do the honors this year.”

Jamie coughed uncomfortably into his fist. “Those are awfully big shoes to fill. Especially at the last minute.”

“Don’t worry,” Grant reassured innocently. “We’re not expecting much.”

“Some people,” Amanda drawled in her ex-husband’s direction. “Set slightly higher bars for themselves than a notch above adequate.”

“Oh, believe me, Amanda,” it took all of Grant’s self-control not to sneak a peek at Sarah as he responded. “You taught me that lesson very, very well.”

“Better step up, Dad,” Steven advised. “Natives are getting restless.”

“How very thematic of you, Steven,” Felicia praised, even as she chimed in. “I agree.”

“Okay, then,” Jamie rose awkwardly, Lorna patting his hand in mock encouragement as he lifted his wine glass, waiting for everyone else to do the same. He looked around, gathering his thoughts and – admittedly – stalling for time. Wondering what Jamie could possibly say that might resonate with the motley group of revelers even a fraction as much as Mac’s words traditionally did.

***

Thanksgiving makes strange bedfellows as Matt, Jeanne and Donna welcome yet another holiday refugee, Cass is forced to share Frankie with an Oakdale tradition, John and Sharlene celebrate in another world, Jen explains herself to Allie, Sarah confounds Grant, Felicia offers Lorna a chance to come clean, and Cory lives up to his namesake with a pointed toast of his own.

All at: http://www.anotherworldtoday.com/2011/2011_133p2.html

2011-11-23T12:13:00.000-08:00

PROSPECT PARK OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCES PLAN NOT TO CONTINUE ALL MY CHILDREN AND ONE LIFE TO LIVE ON-LINE

Complete press release at: http://www.soapoperanetwork.com/news/prospect-park-suspends-online-plans-for-all-my-children-and-one-life-to-live

2011-11-22T06:25:00.000-08:00

LOVE IN THE TIME OF RECESSION

Last month, TIME Moneyland released a list of 12 Thing We Buy in a Bad Econom y.

Number One on the list? Romance Novels!

Josh Sanburn writes: During bad times, we want an escape – so Americans often turn to those sordid, steamy paperback novels found on grocery store racks featuring Fabio-like men seducing scantily clad women. During the four years before the recession hit, sales of romance novels were flat, according to romance publisher Harlequin Enterprises. But in 2009, the romance category took off, with overall sales up 7 percent and Harlequin making a $3 million gain year-on-year.

Not surprisingly, even during the Great Depression, when times were much, much harder than they are now (i.e. a 24.9% unemployment rate), 100 million Americans still went to the movies every week to - what else? - escape the bad news at home.

In other words, a bad economy is good for entertainment companies.

Recently, I wrote a post about the Theory of the 1000 True Fans, and how that could help soap fans get their shows back.

We need to form a group of "true fans" committed to buying every soap product on the market. Because, once we demonstrate what the number of fixed buyers is, we can give companies like Prospect Park and Soap Classics hard data with which to plan their next offerings. If they know that they are guaranteed say, $200,000 dollars of sales - minimum - with every soap product they put out, they will adjust accordingly. If sales vary widely from one item to the next, it becomes much harder to plan, and the temptation becomes to chuck the whole thing in favor of something less unpredictable. In a nutshell, if you see a soap product - buy it. It's the only tangible way to make your voice heard. (The cold, hard truth is, a fervid fan only means something to a content producer if they can be converted into income. A fan who can't be converted into income is useless, and thus doesn't "count." Again, we don't have to like it, but we have to be aware of how we're perceived and valued.)

SoapClassics.com, which released the ATWT DVD set last month just announced a special, 5-episode Christmas compendium for the holidays (available separately and as a value pack with the original box set).

Just like with romance novels and escapist movies, if soap fans can demonstrate that they are a solid investment, even - especially! - in tough economic times, they can position themselves as the perfect customer, the kind that can be counted on to buy the product no matter what.

The kind of customer that gets more of what they've been asking for.

History is on our side!

2011-11-21T06:08:00.001-08:00

NUMBERS GAME

Besides being a show-stopping number from the original Broadway production of Nine in 1982, Be Italian also features soap stars from One Life to Live, Days of Our Lives, As The World Turns, and Ryan's Hope.

Watch below and see if you can name them all!

2011-11-21T04:50:00.000-08:00

ANOTHER WORLD TODAY EPISODE #133-1

“I don’t quite know what to say,” Felicia apologized to Rachel. “Lorna told me about your rift with Jamie. How he, Amanda and Matt…”

“Told me to go to Hell?” her friend wondered bitterly.

“I’m sorry. I – I know how it feels to have your children turn their backs on you.”

“And on Thanksgiving, too,” Rachel remarked. “No one can say my brood doesn’t have a sense of the symbolic.”

“If it helps any, I understand why you felt compelled to act the way you did.”

“Do you? You and Spencer, you two were friends, weren’t you?”

“We were. He even called me before he went to help Kirkland. He thanked me for being his sponsor. He sounded… he sounded resigned to his fate. I know it sounds odd, but, in some ways, he sounded almost happy to have been given this chance to redeem himself, to redeem his past. It’s tragic. For him, for Alice. Having so little time together. But, the life he led up to this point…”

“The life he and Carl both led.” There was only so much whitewashing of the past even Rachel felt committed to doing.

“Lucas, too,” Felicia shrugged. “When I heard about what had happened to Spencer, to Kirkland, my first, unchristian, uncharitable, ungracious thought was: Thank God it wasn’t Lucas or Lorna; Devon or Lori Ann.” Felicia smiled sadly. “So, you see, how can I possibly judge you when, if I were in your shoes, I probably would have done the exact same thing?”

****

Rachel deals with the ramifications of her earlier choice, Jeanne continues to surprise Matt, especially where Donna is concerned, Morgan challenges Cass' cheerful facade, Lila makes up her mind regarding Chase's request, Kirkland and Steven question stances they've previously taken, Amanda and Grant discover way too many points in common, and Lucas finally says his piece to Alice.

Thanksgiving in Bay City begins at: http://www.anotherworldtoday.com/2011/2011_133p1.html

2011-11-18T06:26:00.000-08:00

SOAP STARS ARE THE BEST!

Jon Lindstrom, who is featured in the Tour De Force section for his work as Kevin on Port Charles, had this to say about Soap Opera 451: A Time Capsule of Daytime Drama's Greatest Moments enhanced e-book as a whole:

A really fun read. Half the time I can't even remember the scenes I shot, let alone anyone else's. This ebook took me back to my own time and opened a window on the experience of so many of my friends. I had a wonderful time going through it!

Thank you, Jon! Make sure to visit his personal website, http://www.jonlindstrom.com for the latest updates about his current projects.

And remember, writing your own review of Soap Opera 451: A Time Capsule of Daytime Drama's Greatest Moments on either Amazon, BN.com or your own personal blog, earns you a soapy thank you gift! Details, here!

2011-11-17T04:33:00.000-08:00

AFTER THE ANNIVERSARY

Yesterday's "celebration" of what would have been Luke and Laura's 30th wedding anniversary on General Hospital left many fans unsatisfied... to say the least.

As someone whose mom picked her up from school early so I could see the wedding (I think it was the first and last time I was ever in sync with anything mainstream, or, at least, vaguely popular), not to mention a cliche who got hooked on soaps via Luke and Laura in the first place, obviously the day means a lot to me.

But, the exchange of vows is actually not the moment everyone remembers. That came afterward and, as described by then headwriter Thom Racina:

Tony and Genie had that chemistry that you just can't create no matter how hard you try. And my favorite moment is one that I pulled out my writer's hat at the last minute – Scotty catching the bouquet. It's a twist and, God knows, in daytime, twists are the foundation of keeping the audience tuning in tomorrow.

Watch the clip below!

To read more from Thom, as well as other soap opera writers, actors and producers who made the moments fans voted as their favorites of all time great, check out Soap Opera 451: A Time Capsule of Daytime Drama's Greatest Moments enhanced ebook on Amazon and BN.com.

Plus, read the book GH's Ice Princess storyline was based on, The Great Los Angeles Blizzard (aka The Deep Freeze) by Thom Racina, here!

2011-11-17T04:19:00.000-08:00

ANOTHER WORLD TODAY EPISODE #132-2

“How do you think Ryan would have felt,” Alice asked abruptly, though the connection between his assertion and her question was obvious to anyone paying attention. “About what you did to Spencer?”

Carl startled, fighting a simultaneous instinct to defend himself versus rearing up and stomping off in a huff. He settled for a variation on the former, telling Alice, “Ryan would have, first and foremost, wanted Kirkland out of danger. He adored that boy. As much as if the lad were his own flesh-and-blood. Ryan’s untimely death, in point of fact, came about primarily due to his concern for Kirkland – and Grant’s utter lack of it.”

“Ryan’s death was an accident,” Alice said. “Spencer’s wasn’t.”

“I am sorry, I didn’t come here to – “

“You came here in an attempt to recruit my help for getting Jamie and Amanda to change their minds about wanting you out of Rachel’s life.”

“I came here because I know you are deeply fond of Rachel’s children, and – I presumed – have no interest in seeing them suffer needlessly. I thought you might wish to offer them your own perspective on the folly of drawing impenetrable lines in the sand and setting up familial civil wars. The end results of such tussles are never satisfactory for anyone.”

“Does Rachel know you’re here?”

***

Carl turns to Alice for help with his family feud, while Rachel deals with Jamie, Amanda and Matt's response to her choice. Marley boils over at Donna's best intentions, Frankie explains her own intentions to Cass, and Chase comes to Lila with an even more shocking proposition.

All at: http://www.anotherworldtoday.com/2011/2011_132p2.html

2011-11-16T07:29:00.000-08:00

LOOK, A VOOK ON NOOK! (I read a lot of Dr. Suess...)

Ever since Soap Opera 451: A Time Capsule of Daytime Drama's Greatest Moments was released in September of 2011, I have received numerous requests to make it available on Barnes & Noble's Nook, as well.

Well, your wish is my command! Our tribute to the best of daytime, featuring exclusive interviews with the actors, writers and producers who made them happen can now be read on either the Nook, or the Nook app on your desktop, laptop, phone, etc... Buy the enhanced e-book, here.

Also newly available on the Nook are The Worldwide Dessert Contest: Enhanced Multimedia Edition a tale of adventure, fantasy, music, and roller-skating apple pies, as well as When a Man Loves a Woman, a contemporary romance that asks the question: Can men and women ever truly be just friends? What if one of them is married? What about when they're suddenly not anymore?

Meanwhile, my thank you gift of either a free copy of Oakdale Confidential, The Man From Oakdale, Jonathan's Story, or the Another World 35th Anniversary book for those who review Soap Opera 451: A Time Capsule of Daytime Drama's Greatest Moments applies to reader reviews at BN.com, as well. Details, here.

2011-11-15T05:15:00.000-08:00

HOW MUCH FANS COULD A SOAP FAN COUNT IF A SOAP FAN COULD COUNT FANS?

Even though they may argue - sometimes rather violently and personally - about the how, where, when, and why, daytime fans overall seem to agree on the big picture: Support Our Soaps!

The question is: What does that mean?

E-mail campaigns are good. Written campaigns are better. Coupons, rallies, Facebook pages, phone calls, all of those are good.

But, nothing is as good as money. That's a fact. You don't have to like it, you just have to accept it.

Mel Brooks once lamented that "it used to be show business. Now it's show business."

It is. And if fans want to have any chance of saving their shows, they need to keep that notion first and foremost.

The Technium's Kevin Kelly, in 2008, posted The 1000 True Fans Manifesto.

It read, in part:

The gist of 1,000 True Fans can be stated simply: A creator, such as an artist, musician, photographer, craftsperson, performer, animator, designer, videomaker, or author - in other words, anyone producing works of art - needs to acquire only 1,000 True Fans to make a living.

A True Fan is defined as someone who will purchase anything and everything you produce. They will drive 200 miles to see you sing. They will buy the super deluxe re-issued hi-res box set of your stuff even though they have the low-res version. They have a Google Alert set for your name. They bookmark the eBay page where your out-of-print editions show up. They come to your openings. They have you sign their copies. They buy the t-shirt, and the mug, and the hat. They can't wait till you issue your next work. They are true fans....

Assume conservatively that your True Fans will each spend one day's wages per year in support of what you do. That "one-day-wage" is an average, because of course your truest fans will spend a lot more than that. Let's peg that per diem each True Fan spends at $100 per year. If you have 1,000 fans that sums up to $100,000 per year, which minus some modest expenses, is a living for most folks.

One thousand is a feasible number. You could count to 1,000. If you added one fan a day, it would take only three years.

When http://soapclassics.com/ released their As The World Turns DVD set, the cry went out, "Buy the set! Support the shows! If enough people buy it, there will be a Guiding Light set! And maybe an Another World set! And streaming! And maybe more shows produced!"

My husband is a math teacher. He is always telling our kids, "lots" is not a number. Neither is "enough."

Human beings may speak in generalities, but, truth be told, they prefer specifics.

Instead of telling our friends and fellow fans, "Let's make sure "lots" of DVDs are sold, so there are "enough" sales to insure more sets," those of us who want to see our soaps continue to thrive and flourish well into the 21st Century need to set a numerical goal everyone can get behind.

We need to form a group of "true fans" committed to buying every soap product on the market. Because, once we demonstrate what the number of fixed buyers is, we can give companies like Prospect Park and Soap Classics hard data with which to plan their next offerings.

If they know that they are guaranteed say, $200,000 dollars of sales - minimum - with every soap product they put out, they will adjust accordingly. If sales vary widely from one item to the next, it becomes much harder to plan, and the temptation becomes to chuck the whole thing in favor of something less unpredictable. In a nutshell, if you see a soap product - buy it. It's the only tangible way to make your voice heard. (The cold, hard truth is, a fervid fan only means something to a content producer if they can be converted into income. A fan who can't be converted into income is useless, and thus doesn't "count." Again, we don't have to like it, but we have to be aware of how we're perceived and valued.)

At their peak, soap operas had 40 million daily viewers. Surely it would be possible, out of all them, to form a core group of 1000 true fans.

And then go from there....

2011-11-14T06:10:00.000-08:00

LARP THE SOAPS!

This weekend, I took my Harry Potter reading 8 year old (though he recently started whichever book it is that's REALLY long - don't know if the enthusiasm will hold) to the World Quidditch Cup, on Randall's Island in NYC.

100 College Teams (I saw Dartmouth, Yale, Swarthmore, Hofstra, U Mass...). Two thousand dedicated athletes - men and women (the official rules state all teams must be co-ed). All running around a dozen outdoor fields (thankfully, the weather was great) with a broom between their legs, chasing a person dressed in gold lame to signify the snitch, playing an imaginary game based on an imaginary world created in a series of best-selling books.

That's fan dedication!

The website states that they are not affiliated with author JK Rowling, and Alex Benepe, the event's commissioner and creator told NJ. com: Rowling hasn't stopped the IQA from running its website, where it sells a rulebook. "Warner Brothers leaves us well alone."

Benepe also reportedly wondered: Could he even find anyone interested enough to run with a broomstick between their legs? Would the whole enterprise simply prove to be nothing more than an adventure in LARPing (live-action role-playing)?

While the above paragraph (written by the reporter, not Benepe himself) appears to view LARPing as somehow inferior to his endeavor, it was, in fact, precisely what I thought of when I first heard of the Quidditch World Cup.

Wikipedia describes LARPing as: A form of role-playing game where the participants physically act out their characters' actions. The players pursue goals within a fictional setting represented by the real world, while interacting with each other in character. The outcome of player actions may be mediated by game rules, or determined by consensus among players. Event arrangers called gamemasters decide the setting and rules to be used and facilitate play.

And I have long-wondered whether there might be a place in fandom for a Soap Opera LARP? Would people be interested in acting out new scenarios featuring characters from All My Children, As the World Turns, Guiding Light, Santa Barbara, etc... And, consequently, would the shows' original creators be just as generous about letting their fantasy world be expanded as Ms. Rowling seems to be?

I'd love to hear your thoughts! Could this be another way for fans to demonstrate their passion and commitment to the genre?

2011-11-14T04:52:00.000-08:00

ANOTHER WORLD TODAY EPISODE #132-1

“You don’t know what Carl and I were up against," Rachel lectured Jamie, Amanda, and Matt. "None of you know how we agonized over our options. In the end, we had to choose the one that would do the least damage to our children, to your children. And if the three of you would take a moment to climb off your respective, self-righteous high horses, you would see that matters could have been a great deal worse, if Carl hadn’t stepped in when he did. Jamie, do you honestly think Kirkland would have made it out alive and unscathed without Carl’s intervention?”

“I wouldn’t say he made it out unscathed,” the eerie calm of Jamie’s voice proved much more terrifying than any hot-headed explosion. “And, Mom, do you honestly believe that my son would have been in danger to begin with, if it hadn’t been for your husband?”

“Kirkland wasn’t kidnapped because he was your son. He was kidnapped and used as a bargaining chip because he is Spencer Harrison’s grandson.”

“Spencer Harrison. Who Carl made it clear was responsible for exposing the compound.”

“He was! You know he was! That file! Damn it, Jamie, that file would have never even come into play if Spencer hadn’t tried blackmailing you over Kirkland’s custody. Have you forgotten that? Have you all forgotten how this began?”

“It began with Jenna,” Matt said quietly. “And Donna being so afraid of Carl that she gave away her own child – “

“You know it wasn’t that simple, Matt. You know Donna had other reasons – “

“She was so terrified of Carl, that she had to take drastic measures. All of which she learned at the foot of the master.”

“This is irrelevant!” Rachel snapped. “We aren’t here because of what may or may not have happened between Carl and Donna during their marriage. We are here because you three have decided to play judge and jury, and decree that the steps my husband took to protect all of us don’t meet some high-bar of standards you’ve all recently acquired. I have no interest in debating this with you further."

***

Rachel, Jamie, Amanda, and Matt lay their cards on the table for the final time, Kirkland wrestles with his legacy while Grant rages over his banishment, Jeanne moves to help Dean, Allie forces Sarah to question her motives with men, and Felicia defends her actions to Lucas, who offers a warning of his own.

Read all about it at: http://www.anotherworldtoday.com/2011/2011_132p1.html

2011-11-11T07:44:00.000-08:00

SOAP VETERANS

There are many different kinds of soap opera veterans.

There are the fictional characters who served...

There are the actors who served...

Read an interview with Robert S. Woods (Bo; OLTL) from 1981 about his experiences in Vietnam at: http://onelifetolive.about.com/library/prm/blwoods_interview_1981a.htm and Mark Valley (ex-Jack; DOOL) from 2010 on serving in the Gulf War and how that led him to acting at: http://shows.ctv.ca/HumanTarget/article/How-Mark-Valley-went-from-the-Gulf-War-to-Human-Target#c_0

And finally there are the actors who are considered the veterans of their genre.

The late Helen Wagner (Nancy; ATWT) got a kick out of being listed as the longest running "thing" on daytime television in the Guinness Book of World Records.

Please enjoy this 1998 tribute to her below:

May everyone have a meaningful Veteran's Day!

2011-11-10T13:25:00.000-08:00

WHERE ARE ALL MY CHILDREN????

ABC Soaps in Depth is reporting that Prospect Park has seemingly benched their web relaunch of All My Children in favor of putting all their eggs in the One Life to Live basket. (In what is utterly and purely my opinion, and despite knowing that OLTL not only has/had better ratings but is also believed by many to be creatively on fire, I still think AMC - even without Lucci - would have been the better bet. Its name recognition is simply stronger, both among soap fans and, more importantly, non-soap fans. There is a reason PEOPLE Magazine put out a special AMC commemorative issue, and not one on any of the other recently departed soaps. AMC is the daytime drama most media people know, and thus it's the one most likely to get written about in the mainstream press. Which is critical for a project like this.)

But, my own personal backseat driving aside, this is really, really sad. I kept hoping all along that it was a case of no news being good news, while strongly suspecting that no news meant no clue.

Hopefully, OLTL will still happen and do so phenomenally well that taking on a relaunch of AMC (and ATWT and GL and AW and EON and, oh, what the hell, Ma Perkins) becomes a no-brainer with dozens of web companies engaged in a fierce bidding war.

A girl can always dream... soaps taught me that.

2011-11-10T04:36:00.000-08:00

ANOTHER WORLD TODAY EPISODE #131-2

“I am sorry,” Donna seethed. “I am deeply and truly sorry for what happened to Jenna. How many times am I supposed to keep repeating that?”

“Just once over the past two years would have been nice,” Felicia informed her.

“Dean thinks that besting me in court will make him feel better, that it might somehow alleviate the emptiness. We both know that’s not the case. We’ve both lost enough to understand that all his actions will do is prolong Dean’s pain and keep the anger and bitterness bubbling close to the surface until it engulfs him. And that’s not good for either Dean or Lori Ann.”

“Kindly do your best, Donna,” Felicia warned. “To keep from subscribing me to any clubs in which you claim membership.”

“I know what it’s like to lose a child,” Donna reminded, holding her ground, refusing to be marginalized, not on this issue, of all things. “Twelve years on, Victoria’s death is still as freshly painful to me as if it happened yesterday. In addition, I had to give up Mikey, the little boy Michael and I were intending to adopt. And Marley… I almost lost Marley to a suicide attempt just a few months ago. If I hadn’t come home when I did, the garage filled with carbon monoxide would have – “

“It was a set up,” Felicia said flatly.

“I – I beg your pardon?” Donna’s voice quavered.

“Marley’s so-called suicide attempt. It was a set up.” The coldness in Felicia’s voice made it clear she wasn’t speaking out of anger or lying in the heat of the moment. Felicia knew exactly what she was doing, and she wanted Donna fully cognizant of that fact. She wanted her to feel every ounce of what Felicia was telling her.

***

Felicia deliberately (mistakenly?) provokes Donna, Spencer's will-reading blindsides Grant, Frankie makes an offer to Zeno that affects the rest of her family, Morgan questions Lorna's choices, while Allie and GQ finally get to the heart of their conflict.

All at: http://www.anotherworldtoday.com/2011/2011_131p2.html

2011-11-09T06:51:00.000-08:00

YOU GOT YOUR CHOCOLATE IN MY PEANUT BUTTER...

(Raise your hand if you remember that ad campaign...)

I guest blog at: http://chrisredddingauthor.blogspot.com/2011/11/sum-of-parts.html regarding my plan to fuse books and TV and, along the way, revitalize them (and their writers) both.

An excerpt:

But, this is where things get tricky. Just because the technology is now available to enhance all books, does that mean that all books should automatically be enhanced?

If by “enhanced,” you mean what a majority of publishers are doing, which is adding an interactive table of contents, some photos, and maybe a critical essay on the main work, then yes, sure, why not? All of those things are useful and not particularly distracting.

If by “enhanced” you mean non-fiction books incorporating maps and period film footage and video interviews with the key players in their story then yes, absolutely, a more complete picture is always preferable when it comes to fact-based tomes.

But, if you’re talking about fiction, it’s not nearly as cut and dried.

In my humble opinion (and, at this stage of the game, everyone is simply making their best guess, the concept hasn’t been around long enough to mint a single expert who might claim superior knowledge) the only reason to introduce enhanced elements into any novel is if it serves the story – nothing else.

Does this enhancement improve the reader’s experience? That’s it. Not: Does it fluff the author’s ego, show off a cool, new gadget, or even pad the bottom line? Does it make the story we are trying to tell better?

Read the entire piece at: http://chrisredddingauthor.blogspot.com/2011/11/sum-of-parts.html

2011-11-08T04:25:00.000-08:00

THANK YOU, SOAP OPERA WEEKLY!

Thank you to Soap Opera Weekly for featuring "Soap Opera 451: A Time Capsule of Daytime Drama's Greatest Moments" in their latest issue.

Meanwhile, let's talk Kardashians.

Full disclosure: I have no idea who (what?) a Kardashian is.

All I know is that, ever since "Soap Opera 451: A Time Capsule of Daytime Drama's Greatest Moments" was released in September 2011, it has hovered in the top three best-selling books on Amazon's Television Guides and Reviews list. It's main competition are Will Wheaton's "Memories of the Future" (a really funny episode by episode memoir of "Star Trek: The Next Generation") and a compilation of thoughtful essays on Joss Whedon's cult-hit, "Firefly."

All three books are loving tributes to three beloved, scripted television genres and shows. I can live with this.

What I cannot live with is that, as of this weekend, the #1 slot on the list has been taken over by a book highlighting "Kim Kardashian: In Her Own Words." (It speaks?)

I have written before about the havoc reality TV has wreaked on scripted programming, soaps in particular. And now this insult!

She must be stopped!

2011-11-07T05:11:00.000-08:00

SEEING THE LIGHT

Last week, the soap opera rumor mill was churning with speculation regarding whether or not Judith Light would reprise her iconic role as Karen Wolek on One Life to Live before the series went off the air on ABC in January 2012.

For a while the answer seemed to be yes. Currently, it appears to stand at no.

Nevertheless, I wanted to take a moment to honor the actress who, when I was compiling nominations for Soap Opera 451: A Time Capsule of Daytime Drama's Greatest Moments, inspired kudos not only from soap fans:

The thing about soap opera is that it's the relationships and small moments that matter. That's why, when the "big moments" happen, they mean so much more. Something like Karen Wolek on the stand. Unless you followed her story – all the moments of anguish, self-hatred, loathing, etc... – the moment when she testified to save a friend wouldn't have as much meaning.

And soap journalists:

Mimi Torchin: Judith Light won the 1980 Daytime Emmy for Lead Actress for this scene and no matter how successful she has become (she was nominated for a Tony Award in 2011 for her role in Lombardi), this scene will be remembered as HER most memorable moment by everyone who witnessed it, no pun intended.

But also her follow actors:

Linda Dano: I believe you can get a certain actor who is filled with emotion or is digging deep, and you can walk by your TV and, I swear to you, that actor will stop you dead in your tracks, and you’ll find yourself sitting down and watching. I think that some performance in daytime – not all, but some – is as good as it gets.

Judith Light is currently appearing in Other Desert Cities on Broadway, alongside Stockard Channing and Stacey Keach. Read an interview with the cast, here.

And please check out Judith Light's Intimate Portrait, the part that addresses One Life to Live, below:

2011-11-07T04:59:00.000-08:00

ANOTHER WORLD TODAY EPISODE #131-1

“What about everything Mom has done for you?" Matt demanded of his brother. "I mean I know…actually, scratch that, I don’t know what Alice did for you, because you won’t tell me. But I realize it had to be a hell of a lot for you to embrace her like you have, knowing her history with Mom.”

“It was a hell of a lot."

“Okay, but Mom has been there for you, too. Fighting with Sandy over Cory Publishing, Blaine, Cecile, your tell-all book, knocking up Vicky while you were with Lisa, marrying Vicky, fighting her for Steven – ”

“I was there, Matt, I remember.”

“Jake’s shooting, his attempted murder trial, your feud with Jake, Kelsey, the sexual harassment lawsuit – “

“I said I get it!”

“Not to mention the 21st Century piece de resistance: Your double whammy of hiding a nervous breakdown and being accused of killing Cecile to cover it up.”

“You done?”

“Just as soon as you admit that Mom doesn’t deserve you turning your back on her. Not after she put up with all your crap for forty years, too.”

****

Matt questions Jamie's true motivation for turning his back on Rachel, Marley reveals her fears to a sympathetic Alice, Charlie struggles to understand Kirkland's withdrawal, Amanda gets blasted by a surprise source, and Dean turns to Jeanne for an explanation - and help.

All at: http://www.anotherworldtoday.com/2011/2011_131p1.html

2011-11-04T06:12:00.000-07:00

MONEY MAKES THE WORLD GO ROUND

And it's kind of key to transferring a pair of legendary daytime properties like All My Children and One Life to Live to the web.

Yesterday, the Wall Street Journal reported:

An average hour of one of his soaps currently costs ABC around $160,000 to make, which is outrageously cheap for TV and fantastically expensive for the Web. But Kwatinetz says he’s not going to be able to save much money when he moves the shows online — he’ll still be paying the same writers, actors and production staff. Overall, he figures he’ll need around $80 million to produce both shows for a year, and $65 million in hand to start up production.... But Kwatinetz still doesn’t have all of the cash he needs to go forward.

“A lot of the investor pool that we go to are people with Hollywood backgrounds,” he says. “And while we feel that it’s obvious that convergence is here, we’ve met with an unusual amount of skepticism. So now we’re going out to Silicon Valley, and they seem to get it.”

Read the entire article at: http://allthingsd.com/20111103/can-one-life-to-live-get-new-life-on-the-web-heres-the-pitch/?reflink=ATD_yahoo_ticker#

When I was interviewed by Daytime Confidential about Soap Opera 451: A Time Capsule of Daytime Drama's Greatest Moments enhanced e-book, Jamey Giddens also asked me, based on my experience with Another World Today and Mindy's Twitter, what I thought soaps needed to do transition to the web.

I answered: Got a character you want to keep on the canvas but the actor is leaving? Keep them alive through a personal blog or e-mails sent right to fans that could also tease their return story and allow fans to write back, interact and even become a part of the story.

New technology makes getting input from the fans easier and quicker than ever. Another World Today ended every episode with a poll so that fans could actually drive story the way they wanted. Wwell, majority rules... Some science fiction shows have set up fan chats that appear on the screen right as the show is going on. You could even have characters interacting with the posters as the action is happening!

It wouldn't be a matter of changing the shows, which, as I pointed out in Soap Opera 451: A Time Capsule of Daytime Drama's Greatest Moments, have a great deal of things going for them still, but a matter of expanding how the stories we've loved for 70 years are presented and distributed, and thus how they're received and embraced by the next generation.

What would you all think of Prospect Park picking up and continuing the ABC shows in a format similar to Another World Today and/or Mindy's Twitter while they continue to look for funding to shoot full episodes?

Let me know in the Comments below!

2011-11-03T06:21:00.001-07:00

SOAPS MATTER

I started reading romance novels because I watched soaps. I started writing romance novels because I watched soaps.

And now, because of my involvement with the As the World Turns and Guiding Light tie-in novels, as well as Another World Today and Mindy's Twitter, I am exploring ways to take both soap operas and romance novels in a new direction - technically and creatively (and I sincerely hope you join me. In fact, the concept kind of hinges on you!)

I guest blogged about it at: Perfect-Romance.com:

I spent close to ten years working for Procter & Gamble Productions. I wrote three best-selling tie-in novels for them, Oakdale Confidential and The Man From Oakdale for As the World Turns, and Jonathan’s Story (with Julia London) for Guiding Light. I also developed a property called Another World Today, a bi-weekly serial where every episode ended with a question. Fans voted and whatever majority ruled, I wrote.

Now, I am ready to try authoring a romance novel series, Counterpoint, in the same way. Every book will end with a cliffhanger (I do come from the world of soaps, after all!) and a chance for readers to vote on what they’d like to see happen next. I intend to put out a book a month, all reader-directed. There will also be a message board, where those who need to express their ideas and suggestions in more detail can do so. I am very curious to see what the result will be, for a variety of reasons. For one thing, it will answer the question of whether readers want to be involved in the story-telling process, or whether they prefer to be swept away by the action.

For instance, with Another World Today, only about half of the people who visited the site actually voted, and some visitors even posted that they refused to vote because the emotional issues were too complex! (I am going to take that as a compliment. No matter how they meant it.) Another point that came up with AWT was that while some vocal posters on the message board expressed particular fondness for one character, whenever questions about her were put up for a vote, the response was lackluster — and, more often than not, against her!

And then there were the split-down-the-middle tallies...

Read the entire piece (and find out more about some of those too close to call votes) at: http://perfect-romance.com/2011/11/02/crowded-house-engaging-readers-as-writers/ and please leave a comment. Mala, who runs the blog, is also an editor at Soap Opera Weekly, so she really listens!

2011-11-03T05:45:00.000-07:00

ANOTHER WORLD TODAY EPISODE #130-2

“They’re my children, Carl. Would you ever give up on Cory or Elizabeth no matter what they said or did? Did you give up on forging a relationship with Ryan despite all the bad blood and history between you two?”

“No,” Carl conceded. “But in the case of Jamie and Amanda… they’ve made their positions clear. Them or me.”

“Them or you,” Rachel nodded with sudden sadness as she examined a framed photo on the mantle – Rachel and Mac flanked by Jamie, Amanda, and Matthew – before looking to a second shot, a second family, she and Carl with Cory and Elizabeth.

“And your decision is?”

Rachel turned abruptly. “What do you mean? You actually believe I would consider – “

“You would not be the woman I know you to be, if you did not at least work through the cost-benefit analysis of staying with me over your children’s objections. As you repeatedly remind me, they are your children.”

“Yes, they are. But I refuse to be bullied by them. Verbally or emotionally.”

Carl smiled, wryly, “Ah, so you shall be sticking by me out of spite?”

***

Carl wonders how Rachel intends to respond to her children's ultimatum, while Amanda attempts to convince Matt to join them, Steven spells out his terms to Marley, Grant struggles not to fall into old habits, and the results of your vote regarding Jamie and Lorna's future!

All at: http://www.anotherworldtoday.com/2011/2011_130p2.html

2011-11-02T05:19:00.001-07:00

INTER-SOAP

Previously, I have mocked soaps' attempts to deal with interfaith romance. I stand by my mocking. This scene in particular was dreadful.

I have also written about interracial relationships and biracial children on soaps. A little more seriously. Probably because, overall, soaps have taken interracial relationships more seriously than interfaith ones.

While they acknowledge that there might be some tangible differences among people of different races, having a non-mainstream faith is, more often than not, treated like a cute little quirk you can get over if you just try hard enough. (In soaps' defense, considering how almost everyone on daytime practices some kind of vague Christianity that flares up for weddings, funerals, christenings and out of the blue confessions destined to be overheard by the wrong person, you can't really blame them for being confused about religion overall, and other people's in particular.)

Now, in the interest of putting my money where my... uh... typing fingers are, I have written about my own interfaith, interracial, interethnic family at BreezyMama.com. Opportunities for turnabout is fair play mocking begin at: http://breezymama.com/2011/11/02/interfaith-celebrations/#more-18275.

(And for those wondering, yes, I did mention how much we had in common when I interviewed Hillary B. Smith about One Life to Live's Bo and Nora's first wedding. She thought it was neat.)

2011-11-01T08:36:00.000-07:00

TIS THE SEASON...

Thank you so much to the current issue of ABC Soaps in Depth for featuring Soap Opera 451: A Time Capsule of Daytime Drama's Greatest Moments in their Showered With Love Holiday Gifts suggestions.

Planning on being everyone's favorite Secret Santa and sliding some brand new Kindles and iPads under the tree this year? Or maybe expecting to find some? How about souping your new toys up with soaps? An enhanced e-book celebrating daytime drama at the very top of its game and featuring exclusive interviews and tips could be just the ticket to hearing, "This is the best gift ever, Mom/Dad/Spouse/Life-partner/Significant Other/Casual Hook-Up I'm Ready to Take to the Next Level Now!"

Read more at: http://abc.soapsindepth.com/2011/10/adams-talks-soap-opera-family.html

2011-10-31T06:08:00.000-07:00

A WOLF IN SOAP CLOTHING...

In honor of Halloween 2011, an excerpt from the interview I did with Michael Corbett for Soap Opera 451: A Time Capsule of Daytime Drama's Greatest Moments where he talked about his Young & Restless stint as David Kimble, and the challenge of portraying a character already in make up who puts on more make up who puts on a wolf disguise...

MC: It was a lot of make up. It was really difficult. A lot of hours because, in addition to having that whole set of KILLER make up (ed. note: a presumed dead David kidnapped a plastic surgeon and tried to force him to make David look like David Hasselhoff. Instead, the surgeon carved KILLER into David's forehead. David later returned to town incognito), I would have days where, as the storyline evolved, David went to a make-up artist to become another character, Jim (who married Flo). I’d have the whole disfiguration make up on and I’d do those scenes in the morning, then they’d have to strip all that off and put on a whole other set of prosthetics. My skin was just cracked. It was really hard because, sometimes, we’d have to go from the KILLER scars to the Jim make-up, then pull all that off with acetone, and then go back to the scar make-up.

Later, the masquerade ball was a great, amazing thing. We shot for so many hours, it was such a long process, there was a lot of downtime and long days, but the end product was really great. It was really exciting because the storyline was fantastic. The whole cast was at the giant masquerade ball, it was a big event; long, long hours, but really beautiful and a lot of plotlines were woven together, as the Bells are so good at doing. It was the big climax of a lot of storyline all in one place.

For more from Michael and dozens of other soap opera actors, writers, producers, and experts, check out Soap Opera 451: A Time Capsule of Daytime Drama's Greatest Moments at: http://tinyurl.com/SoapMomentsEBook.

Meanwhile, enjoy a clip of Genoa City all dressed up for Halloween 1991 (exactly 20 years ago!), below:

2011-10-31T05:22:00.000-07:00

ANOTHER WORLD TODAY EPISODE #130-1

“Someone must have put you up to this, Dean. It’s the only explanation. If you’d wanted to sue me you’d have done it immediately after Jenna died.”

“Sorry I’m late to the party, Donna, but some of us actually need a moment to, you know, process things. We’re not as good as you at, whatchamacallit? Compartmentalizing.”

“When you came back to town, then. That was over a year ago, wasn’t it? Why not file your papers then?”

“I was trying to get back in touch with my kid. Hate to break it to you, but you’re not my priority.”

“Was this Felicia’s idea?” No matter how much Dean denied it, Donna knew perfectly well she was on the right track.

“Like Felicia needs your money. Trust me, unless it’s a pound of flesh, she ain’t interested.”

“It’s not about the money, you said it yourself. Carl, then? This sounds very much like Carl, forever using proxies to get his dirty work done.”

“It wasn’t Carl, either.”

“So it was someone!” Donna crowed triumphantly. Dean and the rest of Bay City may think she was an obsolete pariah, but Donna Love still knew how to get things done.

***

Donna suspects ulterior motives behind Dean's out-of-the-blue lawsuit, Carl offers his children an alternative version of his role in Spencer's death, Cass explains his motives to Zeno, Steven resolves to deal with Marley, Allie lobs a blistering accusation at GQ, and it's your chance to vote on Lorna and Jamie's future!

All at: http://www.anotherworldtoday.com/2011/2011_130p1.html

2011-10-28T06:15:00.000-07:00

THE BEST OF OCTOBER 2011 POSTS

SOAPCLASSICS.COM AND ATWT DVDS

AGNES NIXON ON HOW TO WRITE A SOAP

SPIRIT DAY AND THE SOAPS

HOW TO CONTINUE A NETWORK SOAP ON-LINE

GOOD-BY ALL MY CHILDREN: DAVID CANARY

SOAPS' GREATEST MOMENTS: DAYS OF OUR LIVES

SOAPS' GREATEST MOMENTS: GENERAL HOSPITAL

AGE-LESS: YOUNGER AUTHORS WRITING OLDER CHARACTERS

A SOAPY THANK YOU GIFT!

2011-10-27T07:11:00.000-07:00

MARLENA'S RETURN TO DOOL (WELL, ONE OF THEM, ANYWAY)

Daytime Confidential's Jamey Giddens, who interviewed me about the future of soaps on the web yesterday, also contributed an expert opinion for Soaps Opera 451: A Time Capsule of Daytime Drama's Greatest Moments.

Jamey wrote about what the reunion on the docks meant to him personally and to daytime as a whole (and I think the fact that John and Marlena were brought back prominently as a part of Days of Our Lives recent reboot speaks to how important they are to the canvas, past, present and future).

But, in addition to Jamey's entry, one of my favorite fan memories of that moment is below:

The first thing that came to my mind about Marlena’s return from the dead in 1991 was I remember she wore the same outfit for an extended period of time. Back in the free-spending days of high soap opera budgets, it was unusual for an actress to wear the same clothing day after day. Of course, if the script called for a party or holiday that stretched out over several episodes, everyone would be wearing the same clothes for two or three days. In this instance, the storyline played out over several weeks of real time as Marlena was being held captive on an island somewhere away from Salem and had escaped her captors and then made her way back to the Midwest. The other funny thing I remember about that outfit was that she had to steal it out of someone’s suitcase. (Since she had been kidnapped and kept in a drug-induced coma, her captors had not left clothes scattered around in case she tried to escape.) I thought it was quite fortunate that she managed to steal an outfit that fit her perfectly and looked so good on her!

To read more about Marlena and John, plus the memories of dozens of other actors, writers, producers and professionals, check out the book at: http://tinyurl.com/SoapMomentsEBook

And remember, write a review (good or bad) and post it on Amazon, and I'll reward you with a soapy thank you gift! Details, here!

2011-10-27T05:26:00.000-07:00

ANOTHER WORLD TODAY EPISODE #129-2

“We’re moving in with Alice,” Amanda said, seemingly proud of the fact, or at least proud of her ability to upset Rachel with it.

“Alice? Why would you – “

“She’s alone. Kevin and I want to help in any way we can. I’m sure you understand.”

“Understand,” Rachel repeated the word slowly, as if translating it from a foreign language. “You expect me to understand that yet another of my children has decided to turn their back on me in favor of Alice Frame?

“Alice is my family now, and she’s just lost her husband, a man that she truly and deeply loved.”

“Oh, please. They were married for less than a year.”

“Wow!” Amanda blinked at Rachel in disbelief. “That’s… harsh.”

“Alice Frame Harrison is not the first woman in history to lose a husband, and she won’t be the last.”

“Does that preclude you from offering her a bit of compassion? I remember Alice showing a hell of a lot more respect towards you at Dad’s funeral, despite having a perfectly good reason not to.”

“So that makes her a saint in your eyes?” Rachel demanded even as a voice in her head urged her to just walk away. “I am so sick of you and Jamie putting that woman on a pedestal while standing ready to toss my every transgression – real and imaginary – in my face at first opportunity. What did I ever do to either of you to warrant that kind of malicious betrayal?”

“Really, Mom?” The smile on Amanda’s face suggested that perhaps this question of Rachel’s was one Amanda had been egging her mother towards all along. “Are you really asking me that? You want to talk about betrayal? Okay, then, let’s talk about betrayal. Let’s talk about Carl...."

***

Rachel provokes Amanda into a fifteen years in the making explosion, Cass surprises Frankie, Donna draws a line in the sand for Jeanne, Allie defies political correctness, Lila offers Grant a warning while Lorna does the same for Morgan, and Cory comes to Jamie for answers about both his parents.

All at: http://www.anotherworldtoday.com/2011/2011_129p2.html

2011-10-26T06:49:00.001-07:00

KEEPING SOAPS ALIVE

Thanks to Jamey Giddens at Daytime Confidentia l for posting an interview with me talking about "Soap Opera 451: A Time Capsule of Daytime Drama's Greatest Moments."

We chatted about the book, and also about what, in light of my experience with Another World Today, I think All My Children and One Life to Live could do when Prospect Park takes them to the Internet this January 2012:

Got a character you want to keep on the canvas but the actor is leaving? Keep them alive through a personal blog or e-mails sent right to fans that could also tease their return story and allow fans to write back, interact and even become a part of the story.

New technology makes getting input from the fans easier and quicker than ever. Another World Today ended every episode with a poll so that fans could actually drive story the way they wanted. Well, majority rules... Some science fiction shows have set up fan chats that appear on the screen right as the show is going on. You could even have characters interacting with the posters as the action is happening!

Read the entire interview at: http://daytimeconfidential.zap2it.com/2011/10/25/dc-interview-best-selling-author-alina-adams-chats-new-interactive-tome-soap-451-and-how-

2011-10-25T06:30:00.001-07:00

BLOOD LIBEL

In lieu of yesterday's General Hospital episode where whack-a-doodle Lisa attempted to inject Patrick with his wife, Robin's, HIV+ blood, opinions on my particular Twitter feed (@SoapOpera451) were split between those who thought the act was daringly and perfectly in character for a demented supervillain like Lisa and a pertinent nod to Robin's history, and those who were disgusted and offended at the misinformation such an act could trigger as well as the exploitation and the suggestion that threatening to infect anyone with AIDS could ever be considered entertainment.

For newer viewers, the history they refer to is Robin's original diagnosis in 1995, as recalled in my book, Soap Opera 451: A Time Capsule of Daytime Drama's Greatest Moments by Soap Opera Weekly's Mala Bhattacharjee, who wrote:

As a young girl growing up along with Robin (we're exactly the same age), I invested wholeheartedly in her first real love story. My heart fluttered right along with hers as she experienced the highs and lows of forbidden romance. But the pathos was taken to another level when, in the wake of a deadly mob hit, a wounded Stone revealed to Robin that he'd tested positive for HIV. Bloody, defeated and terrified, he begged her to go away, to leave him. Of course, viewers already knew they'd been having sex without a condom… and while Robin's eventual HIV diagnosis wasn't that much of a surprise, it absolutely gutted Stone, who had developed full-blown AIDS.

Equal parts personal, human tragedy and teaching moment, (Headwriter) Claire Labine's beautifully crafted story drew on the medical expertise of characters like Alan Quartermaine and Kevin Collins, who supported Stone and Robin and educated the audience about HIV and AIDS. Robin's uncle Mac, her guardian in the wake of her parents' presumed death, had to grapple with guilt and a sense of failure while trying to be strong for his niece. The entire community of Port Charles pulled together, with then-villain and supporting player Sonny Corinthos showing depths that would soon make Maurice Benard the show's lead.

Read more from Mala and dozens of other soap opera experts, actors, writers and producers at:
http://tinyurl.com/SoapMomentsEBook.

And catch her no-holds barred opinions on all things pop culture at: http://badnecklace.com/

2011-10-24T06:15:00.000-07:00

AGNES' ALWAYS APT ADVICE

As the clock ticks down to One Life to Live's last airdate on ABC, and Prospect Park, the company scheduled to take both it and sister show, All My Children, on-line continues to be skimpy on the details: Will it be daily? Weekly? Will it be ad supported? Subscription-based? Will it be an hour? A half hour? Will it be all video? Will it be multimedia? Who is in the cast? Who is writing?

I thought now would be a good time to share the advice AMC and OLTL's creator, Agnes Nixon, gave to Michael Malone prior to his first daytime assignment.

Malone recalls, "When I first joined One Life as Headwriter, Agnes Nixon invited me to her home for dinner. That evening she graciously asked me about my novels. I didn’t want to talk about them. Here was one of the most gifted creators of a great American genre right across the table. I wanted advice on how best to write serial for television. Her metaphors were a master class in how narrative must move when story is open-ended, now in the case of her One Life to Live, for more than forty years. She said, “Keep turning the diamond to the light. There’s a lot to see.” She said, “It’s a big ship. If you want to change directions, start way ahead.” She said, “Don’t let all the waves break at once. One wave crests; there’s another behind it, then another.”

Read more from Michael Malone and dozens of other soap opera writers, actors and producers about what made - and still makes - the medium great in Soap Opera 451: A Time Capsule of Daytime Drama's Greatest Moments. (Direct link at: http://tinyurl.com/SoapMomentsEBook)

2011-10-24T04:48:00.000-07:00

ANOTHER WORLD TODAY EPISODE #129-1

“So you knew this was going on, too?” Lorna’s focus was now fully back on her mother.

“Fanny put the pieces together mostly after the fact, same as you," Lucas defended.

“Your father and I agreed this wasn’t a matter to burden you with after everything you’d been through already.”

“You mean like when I kept the truth about Lucas being alive from you because you were still so upset about Jenna and Lori Ann? You called it a betrayal, then.”

“I was wrong, darling. I understand now.”

“Is that supposed to convince me to just overlook that you kept Jamie and I in the dark about our whole family’s lives being in danger?”

Lucas shook his head. “Sweetheart, even if you and Jamie had known everything, there still would have been nothing you two could have done to stop these bastards from taking what they wanted. They got past Spencer’s trained security guards. You – “

“That’s not the point. The point is: I thought we were done with secrets. None of us appreciates being kept in the dark about things that directly affect us. No matter what the good intentions. It just ultimately leads to more drama and more hurt feelings that push us farther apart precisely at a time when we should be pulling together.”

***

Felicia and Lucas make Lorna a promise they know they won't be able to keep, Cory pushes his parents into a shocking decision, Alice wonders what she did wrong, Amanda defends her marriage to a skeptical Morgan, Allie refuses unsolicited help, Kevin is stunned to get to the bottom of Jen's motives, and Kirkland turns his anger on Grant.

All at: http://www.anotherworldtoday.com/2011/2011_129p1.html