FREE LOVE!
Word on the street is that Leap Day is when you're supposed to try something you've never done before.
Well, I've never given away one of my books for free before, so why not give it a try today?
When a Man Loves a Woman is a romance novel I wrote for DELL in 2000, asking the eternal question: Can men and women just be friends? What if one of them is married? What if one of them suddenly isn't, anymore?
It got me some of the best reviews of my career!
In addition to all the text of the original book, I've added special video and audio enhancements to When a Man Loves a Woman: Enhanced Multimedia Edition.
Check it out for yourself, below. FREE all of Leap Day: 2/29/12.
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
HELP WANTED
Soap Life, a documentary on the daytime drama genre, is in the process of trying to get funding to complete and distribute their movie.
As of today, they have $8,743 dollars already pledged towards a goal of $12,000.
Check out their trailer below:
And then visit their Kickstarter page, here, to contribute whatever you can.
We are truly at a stage in the game where all soap fans and content producers have to support each other's efforts and projects. United we stand, divided we fall.
Soap Life, a documentary on the daytime drama genre, is in the process of trying to get funding to complete and distribute their movie.
As of today, they have $8,743 dollars already pledged towards a goal of $12,000.
Check out their trailer below:
And then visit their Kickstarter page, here, to contribute whatever you can.
We are truly at a stage in the game where all soap fans and content producers have to support each other's efforts and projects. United we stand, divided we fall.
Monday, February 27, 2012
SOAPS DO MATTER - AND SO DO SOAP FANS!A very good friend of mine is preparing a research paper on soap operas to present at a major media conference. They are looking to include examples of the following from viewers:
* Viewer education as a result of a health-related storyline (i.e. someone getting a pap smear because of Bert Bauer, HIV awareness due to
Robin Scorpio,etc.)?
* Soap opera viewing used as a welcome break from “real-life problems”?
* Soap viewing as diversion (specifically, viewing of a soap, for entertainment purposes, that spans years/decades)?
* Viewer response to long-dormant character or storyline resurfacing after years or decades?
* Long-term friendships forming as a result of involvement in soap opera fangroups, fan events, or viewing parties?
* Involvement in any “fan activism” (i.e. “Save Our Show” campaigns)?
Please e-mail me your responses at AlinaAdams@gmail.com. All answers will be kept completely confidential, and are for academic research purposes only.
Want to show what it truly means to be an engaged, intelligent, involved soap fan? This is your chance!
ANOTHER WORLD TODAY EPISODE #147-1“Oh, yeah," Matt snorted. "I bet you really had to twist Carl's arm when it came to sticking the knife into Donna one more time. Tell me this isn’t what he’s been itching to do ever since the truth about Jenna came out?”
“I’m not denying Carl has wanted to get back at Donna for their daughter’s death for a very long time now.” Rachel conceded.
“It’s what he was trying to do with Lucas and Spencer, wasn’t it? Set her up to make it look like she was the one who exposed the compound. Only I threw a wrench into those plans, and Carl had to change tactics at the last minute. Though I guess, in the end, one old enemy obliterated is as good as another. He couldn’t kill his daughter’s mother. So he got his son’s father, instead.”
“I thought you would be happy to hear that Dean would be getting support in his case. He is your friend, isn’t he? And you and Donna… you and Donna are over.”
“Doesn’t mean I’m looking to have her end up like Spencer!”
“How dare you? Do you have no notion of what a sacrifice Carl is making? He is putting himself on the line, confessing to things he’d prefer to keep private – “
“Why?” Matt challenged.
****
Rachel doesn't get the response she expected from Matt, while Dean struggles with his own next step regarding Donna. Steven gets a surprising confession out of Jen, Lila listens to Grant's justifications, and Sarah only hears what she wants to hear from Lorna.
All at: http://www.anotherworldtoday.com/2012/2012_147p1.html
Friday, February 24, 2012
MORE COUNTERPOINT....Earlier this week, I broke the news about Counterpoint, my upcoming original, family saga series that I will write based on reader input (ala Another World Today).
I offered Part #1 of my exclusive sneak peek, here.
Now please enjoy Part #2, below:
She heard the water turn off in the bathroom, the mirror-door open and close, the swish of a towel sliding off the rack. Her sham poise of a moment earlier slipped away.
Victoria glanced around the room, wondering where she should stand. She didn't want to startle Robin when he first came out, but, then again, she didn't want it to look like she was hiding and spying on him, either. Frankly, if her early morning mission weren't such a matter of life and death, she might have seriously considered obeying her instincts, and getting the hell out of there. But, either way, it was too late now.
When Robin Cooper sauntered into his hotel suite's main room, he was still rubbing his dripping hair with an extra-thick, ivory towel, the ends obscuring his face and his line of vision. He wore a maroon bathrobe tied casually around the waist, so that the upper folds fell apart, revealing a slender, yet muscular frame heralding untold hours spent on such gentlemanly pursuits as squash and polo, then supplemented by the industrious, yet never acknowledged, efforts of a personal trainer. Even in bare feet, Victoria guessed Robin stood over six feet tall.
He slipped the towel from his head, and, in spite of herself, Victoria couldn't help swallowing hard. She wasn't sure what she'd been expecting. Presumably somebody like Douglas Cooper, Robin's father, the man who'd hired her. Someone dignified, stately, proper. Someone who looked like the heir to an international empire like Cooper Shipping. What she hadn't been expecting, was someone who looked like Robin Cooper.
Aesthetically, classically, logically, his facial features had no right fitting together as well as they did. For one thing, his eyes refused to commit to staying either emerald-green or bronzed-brown for any period of time, teasingly shimmering between the alternatives. For another, the two sides of his face weren't even precisely symmetrical. They resembled two distinct pictures of the same person, sliced down the middle, then forced into a fresh whole. His smile diverged further up the right side of his cheek than it did his left, leaving the cleft in his chin jutting somehow off-center. And yet, in spite of what should have been visible flaws, the asymmetry granted Robin's face character, adding charisma, a sort of devilish roguery. The parallel that was only enhanced by his freshly scrubbed, sable hair horning up in a series of still-damp curls. As a result, there was something vaguely unnerving about his entire countenance. But, for the life of her, Victoria couldn't look away.
Robin spotted her as soon as he'd turned to toss his towel onto the bed, next to the discarded tuxedo. Rather than being startled, he only raised an inquisitive eyebrow. "I say, do you come with the Continental breakfast?"
His accent intrigued Victoria. From Douglas, she knew that his only son had been born in Maine, educated in Switzerland, then, reluctantly, subsidized to explore every decadent pleasure-dome in Europe. What Victoria didn't know was how he'd managed to absorb and retain only the most charming aspects of each region's dialect.
She swallowed again in order to revive her voice. "I - no."
"Pity." Robin padded over to the breakfast tray, critically lifting several of the silver lids and wrinkling his nose at their contents. He reached for the bottle of vodka tactfully positioned in ice behind the water pitcher, peered at its label, unscrewed the cap, and splashed two fingers’ worth into a crystal tumbler. He offered the glass to Victoria. "Drink?"
"No. Thank-you. It's a bit early in the day for me."
He nodded understandingly, and briefly perused the remaining staples along his tray. Spotting a container of orange juice, he expertly mixed it with the vodka and re-introduced as, "Breakfast?"
Counterpoint: An Interactive Family Saga (Volume One) will be released this Spring.
In the meantime, please check out my 2000 romance novel from DELL, When a Man Loves a Woman, now re-released as an enhanced e-book and available on Amazon and BN.com!
Thursday, February 23, 2012
ANOTHER WORLD TODAY EPISODE #146-2“What is your intention, Donna?” Frankie asked, now merely curious, no longer invested. “What exactly are you and Matt trying to pull, him being married to both you and Jeanne at the same time?”
“Do you, or do you not intend to keep this information to yourself?” Donna demanded, fed up with playing games.
“I can’t,” Frankie said. “I owe it to my client.”
“Your client?”
“Dean,” Frankie filled her in. “He hired me to investigate you before Jenna’s wrongful death suit hits court. This is a pretty intriguing piece of evidence, wouldn’t you say?”
***
Donna considers striking back - and striking first, while Chase sets a trap for Grant - and so does Sarah. Morgan questions Amanda's sincerity, Steven questions Jen's honesty, and Charlie questions adulthood.
All at: http://www.anotherworldtoday.com/2012/2012_146p2.html
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
BEST OF THE BEST
I worked as a Daytime Emmy researcher for Dick Clark Productions from 1996 to 2004. In 1999, we decided to do a segment honoring all the Best Actor and Best Actress winners from the previous 25 years.
And then we decided, not only would we show video clips of their performances and victories, but we would then reunite the actors on stage at the conclusion of the segment.
Easier said than done.
Some actors were easy to track down - they were still playing the roles that had won them their statuettes in the first place. Others had moved on to other shows, to primetime, to film.
They may not have been available to come, but, at least we knew where to extend the invitation.
Others were more of a mystery, as they seemed to have retired from show business with no forwarding address.
But, then again, that's what researchers are for!
We got to work playing detective, which lead to a variety of adventures. My colleague ended up tracking down Another World's Laurie Heineman by painstakingly calling information in every state in the US. While my big coup was tracking down Search for Tomorrow's Val Dufour. Not only did we find the man, but, it turned out he had rare video of himself on tape, which we used for the tribute.
(Of course, that challenge was nothing compared to coordinating everyone's schedules when it came to rehearsal, or convincing notoriously stand-offish actors to attend. We convinced As the World Turns' Larry Bryggman that the ceremony was worth his time. Guiding Light's Justin Deas, however, declined - as per usual.)
We like to think the ultimate results, though, were worth the weeks of hard work.
See for yourself...
I worked as a Daytime Emmy researcher for Dick Clark Productions from 1996 to 2004. In 1999, we decided to do a segment honoring all the Best Actor and Best Actress winners from the previous 25 years.
And then we decided, not only would we show video clips of their performances and victories, but we would then reunite the actors on stage at the conclusion of the segment.
Easier said than done.
Some actors were easy to track down - they were still playing the roles that had won them their statuettes in the first place. Others had moved on to other shows, to primetime, to film.
They may not have been available to come, but, at least we knew where to extend the invitation.
Others were more of a mystery, as they seemed to have retired from show business with no forwarding address.
But, then again, that's what researchers are for!
We got to work playing detective, which lead to a variety of adventures. My colleague ended up tracking down Another World's Laurie Heineman by painstakingly calling information in every state in the US. While my big coup was tracking down Search for Tomorrow's Val Dufour. Not only did we find the man, but, it turned out he had rare video of himself on tape, which we used for the tribute.
(Of course, that challenge was nothing compared to coordinating everyone's schedules when it came to rehearsal, or convincing notoriously stand-offish actors to attend. We convinced As the World Turns' Larry Bryggman that the ceremony was worth his time. Guiding Light's Justin Deas, however, declined - as per usual.)
We like to think the ultimate results, though, were worth the weeks of hard work.
See for yourself...
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
IN WITH THE NEW...
In November of 2011, I wrote 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.
(Read the entire post at: http://perfect-romance.com/2011/11/02/crowded-house-engaging-readers-as-writers/)
Book #1 of Counterpoint will be out this Spring, but Soap Opera 451 readers can get a sneak peek in the weeks leading up to publication with our series of exclusive experts, starting with the first, below....
CHAPTER ONE
When persistent knocking failed to arouse a response, Victoria Morgan cornered the room-service waiter wheeling his cart across the Fairmont Hotel’s fourteenth floor hallway, and said, "I'm looking for Mr. Cooper."
"Mr. Robin Cooper?" The waiter folded his white linen napkins into triangles and laid out a silver knife, fork, and spoon alongside an ivory dish of black caviar and thinly sliced rye bread. He surveyed Victoria, taking in the vibrantly auburn hair pulled back from her face with coral combs, the eyes so light blue they seemed nearly translucent, the minimal make-up, the neatly pressed, cream blouse, the strictly professional, above-the knee skirt and, unimpressed with the overall package, sniffed, "Take a number, Miss."
Victoria watched him unlock Robin Cooper's door and unobtrusively wheel in the cart, briefly parking it besides an unmade, four-poster bed. A rumpled, black tuxedo jacket and bow-tie dangled tossed over one carved post. She heard the shower running and, stepping inside without being invited, made an executive decision on the spot, informing the waiter, "I'll wait for Mr. Cooper in here, thank you."
He opened his mouth to protest. She countered by opening her purse and slipping a folded bill into his starched, left pocket.
Victoria Morgan had spent the first five years of her life in a trailer barely longer than Robin Cooper's hotel room (and certainly less wide). She passed the subsequent decade shuffling between foster homes, and the span between ages fifteen and twenty-two waiting tables to cover her college tuition. As a result, she possessed an uncanny knack for figuring out just how much money to slip every member of the working class. Even ones who, factoring in drunken tips and penitent after-bribes, probably netted more a year than she currently did.
The same waiter who, a minute earlier, had judged her unworthy of soliciting Mr. Robin Cooper's company, now only peeled away his jacket pocket to confirm the amount she'd deposited there, bowed his head respectfully, winked, and, sliding the breakfast tray off his cart and onto a table in front of the picture-window, silently exited the room.
Left alone, Victoria's confidence wavered. Officially, she'd worked under Robin Cooper for six months now. But, she'd never met the man, or even spoken to him on the phone. The closest they came to communicating was when the reports Victoria Federal Expressed to whichever French villa, Italian yacht, Monte Carlo casino, or Swiss Alp her alleged boss happened to be inhabiting that week, came back with Robert James Cooper's signature dashed across the bottom. In other words, she knew nothing about him. And she certainly had no idea how he might react to finding a total stranger in his hotel room.
Well, ready or not, Victoria was about to find out.
In November of 2011, I wrote 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.
(Read the entire post at: http://perfect-romance.com/2011/11/02/crowded-house-engaging-readers-as-writers/)
Book #1 of Counterpoint will be out this Spring, but Soap Opera 451 readers can get a sneak peek in the weeks leading up to publication with our series of exclusive experts, starting with the first, below....
CHAPTER ONEWhen persistent knocking failed to arouse a response, Victoria Morgan cornered the room-service waiter wheeling his cart across the Fairmont Hotel’s fourteenth floor hallway, and said, "I'm looking for Mr. Cooper."
"Mr. Robin Cooper?" The waiter folded his white linen napkins into triangles and laid out a silver knife, fork, and spoon alongside an ivory dish of black caviar and thinly sliced rye bread. He surveyed Victoria, taking in the vibrantly auburn hair pulled back from her face with coral combs, the eyes so light blue they seemed nearly translucent, the minimal make-up, the neatly pressed, cream blouse, the strictly professional, above-the knee skirt and, unimpressed with the overall package, sniffed, "Take a number, Miss."
Victoria watched him unlock Robin Cooper's door and unobtrusively wheel in the cart, briefly parking it besides an unmade, four-poster bed. A rumpled, black tuxedo jacket and bow-tie dangled tossed over one carved post. She heard the shower running and, stepping inside without being invited, made an executive decision on the spot, informing the waiter, "I'll wait for Mr. Cooper in here, thank you."
He opened his mouth to protest. She countered by opening her purse and slipping a folded bill into his starched, left pocket.
Victoria Morgan had spent the first five years of her life in a trailer barely longer than Robin Cooper's hotel room (and certainly less wide). She passed the subsequent decade shuffling between foster homes, and the span between ages fifteen and twenty-two waiting tables to cover her college tuition. As a result, she possessed an uncanny knack for figuring out just how much money to slip every member of the working class. Even ones who, factoring in drunken tips and penitent after-bribes, probably netted more a year than she currently did.
The same waiter who, a minute earlier, had judged her unworthy of soliciting Mr. Robin Cooper's company, now only peeled away his jacket pocket to confirm the amount she'd deposited there, bowed his head respectfully, winked, and, sliding the breakfast tray off his cart and onto a table in front of the picture-window, silently exited the room.
Left alone, Victoria's confidence wavered. Officially, she'd worked under Robin Cooper for six months now. But, she'd never met the man, or even spoken to him on the phone. The closest they came to communicating was when the reports Victoria Federal Expressed to whichever French villa, Italian yacht, Monte Carlo casino, or Swiss Alp her alleged boss happened to be inhabiting that week, came back with Robert James Cooper's signature dashed across the bottom. In other words, she knew nothing about him. And she certainly had no idea how he might react to finding a total stranger in his hotel room.
Well, ready or not, Victoria was about to find out.
Monday, February 20, 2012
PRESIDENT ONCE REMOVED
This President's Day, our Soap Opera 451 clip features Lauren's 21st birthday party on The Young & the Restless. In attendance are a (very, very young) Paul, Amy, Tyrone, Gina, and Andy, played by President Gerald Ford's son, Steven Ford.
Enjoy the holiday-themed flashback below!
This President's Day, our Soap Opera 451 clip features Lauren's 21st birthday party on The Young & the Restless. In attendance are a (very, very young) Paul, Amy, Tyrone, Gina, and Andy, played by President Gerald Ford's son, Steven Ford.
Enjoy the holiday-themed flashback below!
ANOTHER WORLD TODAY EPISODE #146-1“Eating alone, Fanny?” Carl inquired as he towered over Felicia at Tops.
“Beats drinking alone,” she toasted him with a crystal chalice of seltzer. “Bottom’s up!”
“I must confess, I have always enjoyed the solitude of my own company.”
“Nice to chat with an equal once in a while?” Felicia guessed.
“Something like that,” he smiled wryly.
“Is that what you’re doing tonight?” She looked around him for signs of Rachel or the twins. “Taking a cerebral sabbatical from the wife and kids?”
“Not exactly,” he cleared his throat. And didn’t say anything else.
It was the fact of Carl Hutchins managing to stop at a two word phrase – with nary a quote or allusion in sight, that drew Felicia’s attention to the incongruity. She set down her glass and studied him with renewed curiosity. “What’s going on?”
Was that Carl looking ill at ease? Carl never looked ill at ease. He knew that as well as anyone. Which was probably why Carl attempted to play his answer off as being of no consequence whatsoever when he admitted, “Rachel requested that I take a… leave of absence from our place of residence, so she might endeavor to – “
“Rachel threw you out?”
***
A chat with Felicia offers Carl a new approach towards Rachel, Sarah's plan for Grant hinges on Steven's response to Marley, Cass and Frankie put Charlie on the spot regarding Kirkland, and Amanda does her best to stand by Kevin.
All at: http://www.anotherworldtoday.com/2012/2012_146p1.html
Friday, February 17, 2012
THOSE WERE THE DAYS...
When news broke yesterday that ATI had passed on producing the Daytime Emmys again (leaving the show's future in massive limbo), it made me nostalgic for the past glory days of soaps (then again, what doesn't currently make me nostalgic for soap's glory days?).
Check out this opening from the first ever Daytime Emmy awards in 1974!
When news broke yesterday that ATI had passed on producing the Daytime Emmys again (leaving the show's future in massive limbo), it made me nostalgic for the past glory days of soaps (then again, what doesn't currently make me nostalgic for soap's glory days?).
Check out this opening from the first ever Daytime Emmy awards in 1974!
Thursday, February 16, 2012
READING LIGHT
Rob Bogue, who played Mallet on Guiding Light and recently welcomed a son with costar Mandy Bruno (Marina), appears in Amazon's new ad for the Kindle Fire. (Should we assume Dinah is hovering somewhere nearby?)
The Kindle Fire allows readers to watch video on their devices, making it perfect for experiencing enhanced e-books such as Soap Opera 451: A Time Capsule of Daytime Drama's Greatest Moments, where actors, writers and producers share behind the scenes stories about the moments fans picked as their favorite of all time!
Check it out, below:
Rob Bogue, who played Mallet on Guiding Light and recently welcomed a son with costar Mandy Bruno (Marina), appears in Amazon's new ad for the Kindle Fire. (Should we assume Dinah is hovering somewhere nearby?)
The Kindle Fire allows readers to watch video on their devices, making it perfect for experiencing enhanced e-books such as Soap Opera 451: A Time Capsule of Daytime Drama's Greatest Moments, where actors, writers and producers share behind the scenes stories about the moments fans picked as their favorite of all time!
Check it out, below:
ANOTHER WORLD TODAY EPISODE #145-2“Aunt Marley?” Bridget and Michele asked in near-unison, having coming into the sitting room at Donna’s request to find both Marley and Grant waiting for them.
“When did you get out of the hospital?” Michele wondered.
Grant glared up at Donna from the couch. “You were supposed to tell them.”
She shrugged blithely. “I decided to let you surprise them. Aren’t surprises lovely, girls?”
Bridget and Michele didn’t seem too sure about that.
“Are you feeling better?” Bridget asked.
“Much,” Marley swore, needing to all but sit on her hands to keep from stretching them out, desperate for a hug. But, her nieces looked so cautious, she didn’t want to pressure them. “You have no idea how much I missed you both.”
“We missed you, too,” Michele conceded.
“Go on, darlings,” Donna urged the pair forward. “Give your aunt Marley a welcome home hug!”
From the expression on Donna’s face, Marley couldn’t tell if her mother was genuinely eager to make her feel welcome, or if she was pushing the girls in order to make the moment feel even more uncomfortable. Grant, for his part, knew exactly where he fell on the issue.
****
As news of Marley and Grant's marriage spreads, the couple receives a variety of responses from Bridget, Michele, Kirkland, Lorna - and Sarah. Meanwhile, Jeanne surprises an uneasy Matt, Jen gets life-changing news, and Donna resolves to be honest with John.
All at: http://www.anotherworldtoday.com/2012/2012_145p2.html
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!In addition to all the classic clips we've been posting, Soap Opera 451 has another special gift for you this Valentine's Day.
The second As the World Turns Tie-In novel, The Man From Oakdale (winner of the 2010 SCRIBE Award), was originally supposed to be a Christmas book. Then, the publisher changed her mind, and it became a Valentine's Day book, leading Henry to pen the following dedication:
For My Beloved Vienna,
A modest Valentine's Day trifle I whipped up the summer of 2008 to illustrate what our lives could have been like - if certain now-living people had stayed dead. And vice versa.
Well, we all know how that relationship ended.
But, you can still have your Happily Ever After with The Man From Oakdale!
Simply buy a copy of Soap Opera 451: A Time Capsule of Daytime Drama's Greatest Moments on either Amazon or BN.com, e-mail me your receipt at AlinaAdams@gmail.com along with your mailing address, and I will send you a copy of The Man From Oakdale absolutely free as a thank you gift. (Offer only good for US residents and while supplies last.)
Have a wonderful holiday!
Monday, February 13, 2012
ANOTHER WORLD TODAY EPISODE #145-1On Valentine's Day in Bay City, everybody has sex.
It goes better for some than for others.
Get the details at: http://www.anotherworldtoday.com/2012/2012_145p1.html
Friday, February 10, 2012
Thursday, February 09, 2012
WHAT IN THE WORLD?
Valentine's Day 2008 in Oakdale was a study in What If?
What if Lily had died and Holden was left to carry on alone?
What if Noah had joined the Navy instead of becoming a filmmaker?
What if Tom and Margo, and Carly and Jack, and Brad and Katie lived in a classic movie?
In the winter of 2008, As The World Turns (along with the rest of the television industry), was in the middle of a writer's strike. That meant that stories already in progress were left spinning their wheels. This was bad. On the other hand, being unable to continue a story did lead to creative, stand alone episodes like the Valentine's Day fantasy. This was good.
Click on the clip below then follow the subsequent links on YouTube and see for yourself what life might have been like in Oakdale, if matters had gone a little differently....
Valentine's Day 2008 in Oakdale was a study in What If?
What if Lily had died and Holden was left to carry on alone?
What if Noah had joined the Navy instead of becoming a filmmaker?
What if Tom and Margo, and Carly and Jack, and Brad and Katie lived in a classic movie?
In the winter of 2008, As The World Turns (along with the rest of the television industry), was in the middle of a writer's strike. That meant that stories already in progress were left spinning their wheels. This was bad. On the other hand, being unable to continue a story did lead to creative, stand alone episodes like the Valentine's Day fantasy. This was good.
Click on the clip below then follow the subsequent links on YouTube and see for yourself what life might have been like in Oakdale, if matters had gone a little differently....
ANOTHER WORLD TODAY EPISODE #144-2“You have no right to be stringing John along,” Sharlene calmly told Donna, without a trace of hysteria tainting her voice. “While you are secretly married to Matt.”
Donna blinked, frozen in place, frantically thinking of a way to deny it, when Sharlene showed Donna a copy of her own marriage license. Any thought of denial promptly went out the window.
Donna stared down at the document, then back up at Sharlene. “Where – “
“It doesn’t matter.”
“You don’t understand. If this were to come out, Matthew – “
“I’ve got no bone to pick with Matt. I don’t understand what he’s done or why, but he’s no concern of mine.”
“I take it I shouldn’t anticipate a similar exemption?”
***
Sharlene confronts Donna over John, Marley fills Jamie and Lorna in on her latest news, Amanda goes to Frankie for advice, Carl - and Elizabeth - adjust to life without Rachel, and Kirkland learns that his troubles are just beginning.
All at: http://www.anotherworldtoday.com/2012/2012_144p2.html
Wednesday, February 08, 2012
LIFE'S VALENTINE
In 1994, One Life to Live did a special Valentine's Day episode, framed by a radio show hosted by Luna and Max.
Linda Gottleib was the Executive Producer then, and, having come from the world of feature films - most notably Dirty Dancing - she understood the power of cross-marketing her product, putting out a CD of OLTL love songs, as well.
The episode itself focused on couples like Tina and Cain, Blair and Cord (we all know what the end game was there, don't we?), Hank and Sheila, Rachel and Ben, and Bo and Nora.
When I interviewed Hillary B. Smith, who played Nora, for my book, Soap Opera 451: A Time Capsule of Daytime Drama's Greatest Moments, she told 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. Fans watched Bo and Nora date and fall in love."
Read more from Hillary, as well as dozens of other actors, writers and producers who created the scenes fans voted their favorite of all time at Soap Opera 451: A Time Capsule of Daytime Drama's Greatest Moments on Amazon and BN.com.
In 1994, One Life to Live did a special Valentine's Day episode, framed by a radio show hosted by Luna and Max.
Linda Gottleib was the Executive Producer then, and, having come from the world of feature films - most notably Dirty Dancing - she understood the power of cross-marketing her product, putting out a CD of OLTL love songs, as well.
The episode itself focused on couples like Tina and Cain, Blair and Cord (we all know what the end game was there, don't we?), Hank and Sheila, Rachel and Ben, and Bo and Nora.
When I interviewed Hillary B. Smith, who played Nora, for my book, Soap Opera 451: A Time Capsule of Daytime Drama's Greatest Moments, she told 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. Fans watched Bo and Nora date and fall in love."
Read more from Hillary, as well as dozens of other actors, writers and producers who created the scenes fans voted their favorite of all time at Soap Opera 451: A Time Capsule of Daytime Drama's Greatest Moments on Amazon and BN.com.
Tuesday, February 07, 2012
LOVE, SOAP OPERA STYLE
With one week to go before Valentine's Day, Soap Opera 451 is getting into the spirit of things with a look back to 1983, and a Family Feud Daytime Valentine's special, featuring the cast of AMC versus GH, with:
All My Children
Darnell Williams (Jesse)
Louis Edmonds (Langley)
Richard Van Vleet (Chuck)
Mark LaMura (Mark)
Laurence Lau (Greg)
Ruth Warrick (Phoebe)
Marcy Walker (Liza)
Debbie Morgan (Angie)
Dorothy Lyman (Opal)
Julia Barr (Brooke)
General Hospital
Robin Mattson (Heather)
Loanne Bishop (Rose)
Emma Samms (Holly)
Bianca Ferguson (Claudia)
Jaclyn Zeman (Bobbie)
Stuart Damon (Alan)
Kin Shriner (Scotty)
John Stamos (Blackie)
Steve Bond (Jimmy Lee)
Brian Patrick Clarke (Grant)
Enjoy the memories. And the hairstyles. And the fashions...
(Please forgive any spelling errors. The actors' names were only announced, not written, so I had to go from (thirty year old) memory for both that and the character names - how did I do?)
With one week to go before Valentine's Day, Soap Opera 451 is getting into the spirit of things with a look back to 1983, and a Family Feud Daytime Valentine's special, featuring the cast of AMC versus GH, with:
All My Children
Darnell Williams (Jesse)
Louis Edmonds (Langley)
Richard Van Vleet (Chuck)
Mark LaMura (Mark)
Laurence Lau (Greg)
Ruth Warrick (Phoebe)
Marcy Walker (Liza)
Debbie Morgan (Angie)
Dorothy Lyman (Opal)
Julia Barr (Brooke)
General Hospital
Robin Mattson (Heather)
Loanne Bishop (Rose)
Emma Samms (Holly)
Bianca Ferguson (Claudia)
Jaclyn Zeman (Bobbie)
Stuart Damon (Alan)
Kin Shriner (Scotty)
John Stamos (Blackie)
Steve Bond (Jimmy Lee)
Brian Patrick Clarke (Grant)
Enjoy the memories. And the hairstyles. And the fashions...
(Please forgive any spelling errors. The actors' names were only announced, not written, so I had to go from (thirty year old) memory for both that and the character names - how did I do?)
Monday, February 06, 2012
NAME SAKE
On January 17, 2012, I explained how Mindy's Twitter account would now be a place for all GL fans to continue the stories of Springfield. (Read the entire post, here.)
Now, to commemorate the change, comes a new name. From now on, it will be known as Fans_Write_GL. Follow it at: https://twitter.com/#!/Fans_Write_GL
And make sure you let us know what you think!
On January 17, 2012, I explained how Mindy's Twitter account would now be a place for all GL fans to continue the stories of Springfield. (Read the entire post, here.)
Now, to commemorate the change, comes a new name. From now on, it will be known as Fans_Write_GL. Follow it at: https://twitter.com/#!/Fans_Write_GL
And make sure you let us know what you think!
ANOTHER WORLD TODAY EPISODE #144-1Grant had to admit, despite everything that led up to it, most crushingly the scene with Sarah earlier, he was, without a doubt, enjoying bringing Donna up to speed regarding Grant and Marley’s whirlwind nuptials.
“You’re…” Donna appeared unable to complete the sentence, swallowing hard as if struck by a sudden bout of nausea. Followed by aphasia. Followed by amnesia.
“Married,” Grant took particular glee in prompting. “Your daughter and I are married. May I start calling you Mom?”
She gagged on the possibility. “How the hell did you manage to maneuver that?”
“Actually, it was Marley’s idea,” Grant told her the God’s honest truth. “She missed me while at the hospital. She wanted to make sure we were never separated again. Isn’t that sweet?”
“I don’t believe you.”
“Ask her yourself.”
“Why isn’t she here?” Donna demanded. “What have you done with her? What kind of game is this? This is exactly like Victoria all over again, isn’t it? You’ve taken advantage of Marley’s weakened state to sequester her somewhere against her will – “
“Marley isn’t here,” the more hysterical Donna became, the calmer Grant grew. “Because she wasn’t in the mood to face your histrionics. And she didn’t want to startle the girls. She asked me to break the news to you first, give you some time to get used to the idea, then, once you’ve stopped reaching for the smelling salts, we’ll tell Michele and Bridget. The last thing Marley needs her first day out of the hospital – “
“Marley’s been released?”
***
Grant breaks news of his and Marley's marriage to Donna, while Frankie plans to expose Donna's own marriage to Matt. Lorna and Jamie sift through their respective parents' levels of guilt, Amanda does her best to give Kevin what he wants, Zeno inadvertently makes Charlie feel inadequate, and Sarah ponders her next move.
All at: http://www.anotherworldtoday.com/2012/2012_144p1.html
Thursday, February 02, 2012
LAUGH ON!
Alice Barrett-Mitchell played Mary Frances "Frankie" Frame on Another World from 1989-1996, and returned briefly at the end of the show's run as her lookalike, Anne.
She also appeared a few times on One Life to Live as Dr. Morrison.
When we interviewed Alice in the Fall of 2009, she reported:
I’m still a working actor, which is entirely due to my manager who has stuck by me through so many years. For a while after Another World, I was kind of stuck in an age range where I was too mature to play the younger cool moms, and too young to play a mother of older kids. I literally had one line on my resume that represented seven years of hard work, which, in many ways, left me in the position of having to start over. I’ve just started getting jobs playing the mom of kids that are my own kids’ ages, in no small part due to my manager banging down doors and never giving up on me.
Read the entire interview at: http://anotherworldtoday.blogspot.com/2009/10/interview-with-alice-barrett-mitchell.html
One of those Mom of a Teen roles that Alice played recently came on the Onion News Network, as a mother looking to euthanize her brain dead daughter, now tragically only capable of rolling her eyes and texting.
Check it out below (and imagine Frankie and Cass in the exact same situation with Charlie)!
Brain-Dead Teen, Only Capable Of Rolling Eyes And Texting, To Be Euthanized
Alice Barrett-Mitchell played Mary Frances "Frankie" Frame on Another World from 1989-1996, and returned briefly at the end of the show's run as her lookalike, Anne.
She also appeared a few times on One Life to Live as Dr. Morrison.
When we interviewed Alice in the Fall of 2009, she reported:
I’m still a working actor, which is entirely due to my manager who has stuck by me through so many years. For a while after Another World, I was kind of stuck in an age range where I was too mature to play the younger cool moms, and too young to play a mother of older kids. I literally had one line on my resume that represented seven years of hard work, which, in many ways, left me in the position of having to start over. I’ve just started getting jobs playing the mom of kids that are my own kids’ ages, in no small part due to my manager banging down doors and never giving up on me.
Read the entire interview at: http://anotherworldtoday.blogspot.com/2009/10/interview-with-alice-barrett-mitchell.html
One of those Mom of a Teen roles that Alice played recently came on the Onion News Network, as a mother looking to euthanize her brain dead daughter, now tragically only capable of rolling her eyes and texting.
Check it out below (and imagine Frankie and Cass in the exact same situation with Charlie)!
Brain-Dead Teen, Only Capable Of Rolling Eyes And Texting, To Be Euthanized
ANOTHER WORLD TODAY EPISODE #143-2“What about me?” Sarah asked, stunned, lost, and searing Grant’s heart all the while.
“That’s why I’m here now. I wanted to break the news to you before… Before you heard it from Michele or Bridget.”
“I don’t believe you,” Sarah repeated defiantly.
“Would you like me to show you the marriage license?” Grant attempted to play the whole thing off as a joke, reaching into the inside pocket of his jacket.
“I don’t believe you love her instead of me,” Sarah said with as much dignity as she could muster.
“I’m sorry, Sarah,” Grant sighed. “I realize I bear some of the responsibility for this. You are still so young. It’s only natural you’d misinterpret – “
“I haven’t misinterpreted anything.” She refused to so much as waver. “I know what we had. I know how you looked at me and how you held me and how you reacted when I – “
“You’re a beautiful girl. I’m a man. I’m not going to claim I didn’t find you attractive.”
“You love me.”
“I love Marley.”
“Why?” Sarah challenged. “What can she do for you that I can’t?”
****
Sarah refuses to let Grant cast her aside, Rachel berates her children over Carl's departure, Steven explains himself, Cass confronts Jamie, Alice offers her opinion on Felicia, and Frankie makes a discovery that could change everything. The question is: What should she do about it?
You decide! All at: http://www.anotherworldtoday.com/2012/2012_143p2.html
Wednesday, February 01, 2012
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.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)