As you are aware, I decided to take a hiatus from writing Otalia posts. I realized early on that there wasn’t going to be much to write about until Jessica Leccia (Natalia Rivera) returned from maternity leave. I also had a deep suspicion that the Guiding Light writing team wouldn’t have a good story line for Crystal Chappell (Olivia Spencer) while Leccia was away. Unfortunately, I was right about that, too. I realized fans were going to see nothing but “broken Olivia,” which was downright unbearable. It was just far too depressing to watch “broken Olivia,” so I actually stopped watching shortly after I wrote this post. I decided to catch back up on the Otalia story once I knew Jessica Leccia would reappear on Guiding Light (August 17, 2009 episode).

For me, the week of August 17 on Guiding Light was a critical week. It would help me make my final decision on if I would continue to write about Otalia or quit. As I wrote in my July 26, 2009 post, I was leaning towards quitting. Nonetheless, I wanted to be sure because I was torn between continuing and quitting the Otalia posts. During my hiatus, I had time to figure things out (just like Natalia). I knew I wanted to quit as the weeks passed and I didn’t miss writing the posts. That internal tug of war I experienced went away, and I felt at peace with my decision to quit writing the Otalia posts. I also didn’t miss Otalia that much when I quit watching for a few weeks either. It helped that I managed to start de-investing myself from Otalia around the time I wrote this June 23, 2009 post. Despite my acceptance that I was quitting the Otalia posts, I wanted to be 100% sure I was doing the right thing. I would say I was 99% sure I wanted to quit for weeks; however, I wanted to wait for Jessica Leccia to return and see if I felt a spark of something. I wanted to know if there was something there…if there was something that would make me change my mind. I wanted know if I would magically get my Otalia writing mojo back; nothing is impossible. As a result, I watched Otalia closely, and I watched the week of August 17 very carefully. Did I feel a spark? To put it simply, yes…but there is a “but.”

So What’s the Deal?

I see the chemistry between Jessica Leccia and Crystal Chappell is still there. A blind person could see that; however, there are issues with the Otalia story line that troubles me. Allow me to explain.

Issue #1 – The “Frankenbaby”

There is no doubt that the “Frankenbaby” is real at this point. At the time, I wrote that I didn’t think Natalia was pregnant. Well, I was wrong. I just didn’t think the writers were honestly and truly going to make Natalia pregnant…you know, for real, for real. This whole “Frankenbaby” angle still makes no sense to me. I have issues about it that I will detail later, but I want to discuss one thing in particular.

There was an unspoken agreement between the show and fans. We were “asked” to ignore that Jessica Leccia was pregnant on screen when Guiding Light didn’t hide her pregnancy. As a fan, I did what the show “asked” of me because I stopped writing about how they weren’t hiding Leccia’s pregnancy (at times). However, the reality is that you couldn’t help but notice it because the show didn’t always succeed at hiding her pregnancy. I am mentioning Guiding Light not hiding Leccia’s pregnancy for a reason. That reason is simple: I was asked to ignore the pregnancy of obviously pregnant actress for months. However, Ellen Wheeler and Jill Lorie Hurst made Leccia’s character pregnant on Guiding Light right before she had a baby in real life. I just have to laugh at the ridiculous irony because it wasn’t worth getting angry over. Once I knew for sure that Natalia was carrying “Dr. FrankenCooper’s” baby, I knew that all logic had been tossed out the window.

Issue #2 – “Fembot Natalia” is Still Activated & Online

No one was happier than I was to see Natalia back on Guiding Light. However, my excitement at seeing Natalia was dampened by the fact that “fembot Natalia” is still present in the Otalia story. For me, it wasn’t so much what Natalia said on the August 18, 2009 and August 19, 2009 episodes. Yes, she said some dialog that didn’t make sense. Primarily, it’s what she didn’t say that bothered me the most. When “Dr. FrankenCooper” started talking about marriage, “my Natalia” should have disposed him of that notion immediately. Obviously, “fembot Natalia” was suppressing “my Natalia’s” vocal chords. When “fembot Natalia” did speak, she did say some things that puzzle me, mainly to Olivia. For the most part, I’m referring to Natalia’s explanations to Olivia on why she left. I was waiting to see if Natalia would have a good and reasonable explanation for going into “fembot Natalia” mode. I didn’t get that. I pretty much got the same dialog she said to Father Ray (the week of June 29, 2009). I’m sorry, but that just wasn’t good enough. Natalia should have had one helluva, logical explanation for not calling/texting/tweeting Olivia and taking off without a word. There wasn’t a deeper, hidden reason in her past that explained why Natalia ran off the way she did. Instead, I got recycled dialog from the week of June 29, 2009. Again, that wasn’t good enough for this Otalia fan, and that wasn’t a good enough explanation for Olivia either. I connect issue #2 with issue #1 – the “Frankenbaby” angle.

Issue #3 – Natalia’s Character Was Sacrificed on the “Altar of Bullshit”

I am still bothered how Natalia Rivera was sacrificed on the “altar of bullshit.” What is the “altar of bullshit” you ask? It refers to damaging (or destroying) a character – one that many loved, which includes me – and making them do or say illogical things for the sake of plot. That is what happened to Natalia’s character with this “Frankenbaby” angle. It was also the day “fembot Natalia” was activated and “my Natalia” went offline. I was hoping there would be a damn good reason why the Natalia character was damaged for this “Frankenbaby” angle. I don’t see one. I have my suspicions why the Natalia character was damaged. Ironically enough, many of those suspicions that I have, I wrote about in my special edition May 6, 2009 post.

Ultimately, I feel like Ellen Wheeler and Jill Lorie Hurst had no plan for writing Jessica Leccia off the show for her maternity leave. They had months to plan something far better (and more logical) than the “Frankenbaby” angle. In writing this pregnancy into the Otalia story, Wheeler and Hurst did major harm to a beloved character…for no logical reason. And let’s be honest here. The “Frankenbaby” is 100% illogical because I still do not see how Natalia wouldn’t have known she was pregnant a helluva lot sooner. She slept with Frank in February 2009, but she didn’t find out she was pregnant until the end of June 2009 (damn near into July). Ummm…do they think fans can’t count? Do they think we are not paying attention? Well, here is a breaking news alert. Many of us learned to count as pre-schoolers watching Sesame Street or The Electric Company. I mean, I distinctly remember Maria on Sesame Street teaching me to count to 10 in Spanish. I also distinctly remember the 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12 song (see this video) that helped me learn to count in The Electric Company. Therefore, since the fans did learn to count, we know the numbers just don’t add up. Nevertheless, it seems like Wheeler and Hurst wanted to torture the Otalia fans, unnecessarily, with more angst that is pointless. Once again, I connect issue #3 with issue #1 – the “Frankenbaby” angle.

Issue #4 – Otalia is Clearly Getting the “Nuke Treatment”

I know that many fans have been clamoring for the first mutual kiss between Olivia and Natalia. The lack of a kiss didn’t bother me much because I enjoyed the slow build up and increasing affectionate touches. You just don’t get many affectionate gestures between soap couples anymore. Otalia made me enjoy the affection, as they seemed to build up to a mutual kiss. I felt like Olivia and Natalia were heading to their first mutual kiss the week of June 8, 2009. I thought we were going to get a kiss soon, until the story deviated into the valley of depression and stayed there. The introduction of the “Frankenbaby” and the resulting angst has put a kiss so far out of orbit that it’s probably never going to happen. The “Frankenbaby” angle has also made me realize something else. Otalia is definitely getting the “Nuke treatment.” Let me explain what that is first.

• “Nuke treatment” – This is the unnecessary torture of gay or lesbian characters, particularly if fans like the couple. This also refers to unequal treatment of gay and lesbian characters that cannot kiss and experience the same level of intimacy (aka on screen sex scenes) as heterosexual characters. The Nuke treatment originated with the Luke and Noah characters (squish name is Nuke) on fellow Proctor & Gamble soap, As the World Turns. Despite Nuke’s popularity (early on), there seemed to be a ban on a kiss (after the first one) and a real (not implied) sex scene with the couple.

In the beginning, I was hoping that Otalia wasn’t going to get the “Nuke treatment.” Unlike Nuke, Otalia was written carefully and with realism for many, many months. Because Otalia’s story was told so beautifully (until “Frankenbaby”), I actually had some hope for intimacy just like any other soap couple. I felt like since this was 2009, Otalia would have equality like heterosexual couples. Unfortunately, even Otalia couldn’t escape the clutches of the “Nuke treatment.”

I see what’s going on here, and it honestly pisses me off. I don’t know who is responsible – The Powers That Be, CBS, etc. – for giving Otalia the “Nuke treatment,” but it is blatantly unfair. In my eyes, Otalia is just like any other soap couple, so they should be allowed be intimate…just like any other soap couple. Nevertheless, I have accepted that Otalia won’t be given equal treatment, and that is truly sad. Otalia was a story that pulled in heterosexual and homosexual fans. It opened many people’s eyes and made them see that love is love, no matter whom that person is. I view Otalia as a groundbreaking story because it did open minds and hearts on all forms of love. Unfortunately, it didn’t open some people’s minds and hearts enough to allow Otalia to rise above the “Nuke treatment.” I connect issue #4 with closed-minded people.

Issue #5 – Otalia was Rebooted to March/April 2009

When I watched the week of August 17, I realized that in many ways, Otalia was rebooted to March and April 2009. I heard similar dialog and saw similar actions that occurred when Natalia was going to marry Frank. In a couple of instances, Olivia’s dialog and actions was rebooted prior to April 2009. A perfect example of what I’m talking about is when Olivia said she was going to help Frank marry Natalia in the August 19, 2009 episode. This was oddly similar to what I’ve seen before when Frank and Natalia were together. Essentially, I am seeing recycled dialog and actions with Otalia. The story has been rebooted to certain points in Otalia’s earlier timeline, which is a shame and just plain distressing. When I saw the recycled material in Otalia the week of August 17, I actually started laughing. I laughed because it’s better than getting angry and annoyed. If anything, I saw the irony at play here; it was as clear as sunshine on a hot Florida day.

Otalia was refreshingly free and clear of recycled material. Many soaps recycle material from prior story lines to “tell new stories” that we’ve seen a hundred times with couples. Since Guiding Light is ending, I truly didn’t think Otalia would fall into the recycled material trap. The recycling of dialog and actions has spread like swine flu on other soaps. To see it affect Otalia just made me laugh and laugh heartily at that. Once again, I’m a long time soap fan who is very jaded. I get it. I understand what’s going on when it comes to soap writing, especially for super couples. I just can’t believe this is happening to a story line that’s ending in a few weeks. I connect issue #5 with the condition known as recycling rather than writing that infects the soap opera industry like the plague.

I see other issues with the Otalia story line that I won’t detail. Yet, I see enough issues that boggle my mind – all of which are problematic. It isn’t very inspiring for me, and it makes me glad that I de-invested myself from Otalia. I can watch this story line without raising my blood pressure and getting angered. It is what it is, and I have accepted that whatever happens just frakin happens. It’s sad, but that’s the way it is when I view Otalia right now.

Is There Any Good to Otalia Now?

I would be remiss to point out the good to Otalia now that Jessica Leccia is back, which leads me to my first good point.

The Good #1 – Jessica Leccia Back on My Screen

My love affair with Jessica Leccia’s facial expressions is well documented in my Otalia posts. I also grew to appreciate Leccia as an actress who blossomed in the role of Natalia Rivera. I knew I was going to miss her when she went on maternity leave. I just didn’t realize how much I missed her.

To be blunt, there was no Otalia without Jessica Leccia. That was “crystal” clear when I grew a bit disinterested in Otalia without having both Leccia and Chappell on my screen. Something was off whenever I saw Chappell as Olivia. Other than the story line for the Olivia character (99% of it that I didn’t like), I realized what was wrong. There was no Jessica Leccia. As the weeks passed, I found that absence definitely made my heart grow fonder for Leccia’s work as Natalia. Watching Chappell without Leccia was like being on a fast for a month. I couldn’t wait to stop fasting and eat some food!

When Leccia returned to Guiding Light on the August 17, 2009 episode, I smiled the entire time she was on my screen. Seriously, I think my face was frozen in a smile when I got my first fresh Leccia fix since July 2009. Sadly, I confess I resorted to watching old Otalia clips because I missed “my Natalia” so much. When I resorted to watching clips to see Leccia and reminisce over “my Natalia” to forget “fembot Natalia,” I knew what was going on. I knew beyond any doubt that I was closeted Team Dimples fan who’d finally come out of the closet.

Ever since the April 22, 2009 episode, I truly believe I was a closeted Team Dimples fan for many months. When I re-read a sample of my Otalia posts, I realized that I sometimes focused on Natalia’s growth after the love confession. Yes, I also discussed Olivia as well, but I feel like I was walking the path towards Team Dimples from the way I wrote about Natalia.

In all honesty, I love Jessica Leccia and Crystal Chappell as actresses equally. They have both been essential to this story line. Otalia does not work with either one of them, and Leccia and Chappell have been very dedicated in their roles. However, I have felt that Leccia has not received enough kudos and attention for her work in the role of Natalia Rivera. I noticed it and found that I didn’t like Leccia being overlooked by others. Therefore, to Jessica Leccia, I have the following to say to you.

Special Message to Jessica Leccia

You are great, and you are wonderful. I truly appreciate your work in the role of Natalia Rivera. I didn’t know how much I appreciated you until I couldn’t see you for a month on Guiding Light. If Crystal Chappell is the light bulb to the Otalia story, you are the filament. Without the filament, there is no light. That was completely evident to me without you. I missed you while you were on maternity leave. I sincerely appreciate you for coming back early and completing the Otalia story. I have to say that you did not deserve to have your character sacrificed on the “altar of bullshit” for the sake of plot. You deserved far better than that. I am angered on your behalf for the damage that was done to Natalia because of illogical plot. Nevertheless, now that you are back, the Otalia light bulb is shining its light again. Thank you for being so dedicated in the Natalia Rivera role. Know that I appreciate you, and you have a fan in me for life. Good luck on Venice, motherhood, and any endeavor that you do. If you can conceive it, you can achieve it. I will be watching and waiting for your star to rise and shine brighter than ever.

The Good #2 – Natalia is Chasing Olivia

Despite seeing traces of “fembot Natalia” with Leccia’s return, I finally saw an episode of Guiding Light where I got nothing but “my Natalia.” That episode was the August 21, 2009. Was this encouraging? Yes, it was encouraging. As of August 21, it appears that Natalia is going to do the chasing that I needed her to do (see my July 12, 2009 post). I loved seeing the only version of Natalia that matters and makes sense – “my Natalia” – for an entire episode. I am seeing the Natalia that refused to give up on Olivia back in the April 22, 2009 and April 23, 2009 episodes. Not only am I seeing old school Natalia, but she is doing something new that I found very interesting.

In the August 21, 2009 episode, I noticed Natalia seems to be on a path of expressing her love for Olivia in words and actions. If you’ve been reading my previous posts, I have discussed how Olivia and Natalia express their love for each other. To recap, Olivia doesn’t express her love for Natalia verbally (as much), but she shows it in her actions. Natalia expresses her love for Olivia verbally, but she doesn’t always show it in her actions. It seems like Natalia could be showing her love in actions and words to fix the rift with Olivia. This is something that I love seeing; however, I am concerned this won’t sustain.

I’m going to be honest here. I do not trust the writing for the Natalia character (or the Olivia character for that matter). I am watching this story on a day-to-day basis with the idea that what I see one day will not apply the next day. Believe me, it helps that I watch Otalia this way and with this mindset. I know that I am no longer watching a story that had a logical route down the freeway of love. I am now watching a story that detoured down the illogical dirt road back in July. As a result, I am fully prepared for another illogical schism in this story because I do not know if “fembot Natalia” is truly deactivated and offline. I cannot even say that I have hope that “my Natalia” is back for good. Of course, I want “my Natalia” on my screen from this point forward, but I learned long ago, it doesn’t matter what the fans want in the soap industry. Again, I watch it on a day-to-day basis with the idea that what I’m seeing today will change tomorrow.

The Good #3 – The Otalia Magic is Still There

Despite the unequal treatment and issues with the Otalia story, the magic is still there. When Natalia called out Olivia’s name and got her attention on the August 17, 2009 episode, I said, “good God!” aloud. Jessica Leccia’s first scenes with Crystal Chappell were like seeing Las Vegas lit up against the Nevada sky. The intensity and chemistry between these actresses is as strong as ever. Even when Natalia and Olivia argued, nothing could extinguish the fire. To this day, I feel like there is no other soap couple that radiates the kind of chemistry like Otalia. It is unfortunate Otalia will not get to express that chemistry through normal intimacy. I have a feeling a mutual kiss and a sex scene between Olivia and Natalia would make the fans reach for a cigarette. Even those of us who don’t smoke would need one.

The Good #4 – Olivia Isn’t Making it Easy for Natalia

I always hoped that Olivia wouldn’t make things easy for Natalia when she returned. Considering the circumstances of how Natalia left, Olivia should be difficult with Natalia. I want Olivia to make Natalia “beg for it” and keep Natalia coming after her. I see that Olivia is doing exactly what she should be doing. Yes, it’s a bit hard watching Olivia taking the hard line with someone as lovable as “my Natalia.” However, as Olivia said, “fembot Natalia” left her without a word. Olivia is hurt, and she is in “hard boiled egg” mode right now, which is completely understandable. I think Olivia will forgive Natalia, but for now, she is making Natalia go through hoops, as she should. Natalia didn’t trust in their love, so she’s going to have to work hard to repair the damage.

The Good #5 – Crystal Chappell is Putting Actors to Shame That “Phone it In”

Crystal Chappell has been signed to Days of Our Lives since June 2009. Unlike some actors who shall remain nameless, she isn’t “phoning it in” for the remainder of her time on Guiding Light. She is putting other actors to shame that leave for another show and “phone it in” while they wait to be written off. I’ll even take it one step further. Chappell is putting any soap actor that “phones it in” (for any reason) to shame. Her work on Guiding Light remains extraordinary. Chappell is showing me that she is an absolute professional by continuing to pull out performances that make you pay attention to everything she does. For any soap actor who thinks it’s okay to “phone it in,” look at Crystal Chappell and rethink what you’re doing. Chappell exemplifies professionalism and commitment as an actress. If Jessica Leccia is the filament, then Crystal Chappell is the light bulb in the Otalia story. To Crystal Chappell, I have to say the following:

Special Message to Crystal Chappell

Watching you act is like having Christmas every day. It is unbelievable what you can convey as the Olivia character with or without words. You have impressed me so much as Olivia that I think I will have a hard time watching you in another role. You endeared Olivia Spencer to me with your dedication to bringing this character to life. I appreciate you for putting your all into the Olivia character. Believe me, it is evident that you are committed as an actress, and I admire that kind of commitment. That said, you didn’t deserve the “broken Olivia” story line while Jessica Leccia was on maternity leave. You deserved better. However, despite the “broken Olivia” story line, I could see that you were committed to doing your job and doing it extraordinarily well. Just like “your Jessie,” you are one of my favorite actresses in daytime and primetime, period. Good luck in all that you do, and know that this fan for life is appreciative to the beauty you deliver on screen.

With All that Said, Do I Quit or Continue the Otalia Posts?

As I said earlier in this post, I felt a spark of something when Jessica Leccia returned, mostly because of the August 21, 2009 episode. However, it isn’t enough for me. I feel 100% certain that I will quit writing the Otalia posts. I am in jaded soap fan mode because of how the Otalia story has deviated into…whatever this is. If I continue to write about Otalia, I have a feeling most of my posts would pick apart why the dialog or story is illogical. I don’t want waste my time doing that cause it would essentially be the same post every week. Remember, the Otalia story is on an illogical path thanks to the “Frankenbaby” angle.

Additionally, as I stated earlier, I have de-invested myself from Otalia. I do not have the same love in my heart for Otalia that I had in June 2009 (and prior). Therefore, my commitment level to suffering pain (no sleep) to write these posts is not the same as it once was. I love Otalia pre-“Frankenbaby,” but I dislike nearly everything post-“Frankenbaby.” This post-“Frankenbaby” era of Otalia has been hard for me to watch, let alone analyze. I cannot commit myself to analyzing stuff that doesn’t make sense for Otalia posts.

I have to say that post-“Frankenbaby” era is painful to watch. I am tired of seeing strong female characters – Olivia and Natalia – crumble into weak and pathetic women. Again, they are getting the “Nuke treatment,” and that is a damn shame. At this point, I am only watching Otalia because of the respect I have for Crystal Chappell and Jessica Leccia. On a serious note, if it weren’t for the show going off the air in a few weeks, I would have quit Otalia. The writing for this couple has become disappointing, which is sad. Yes, it is possible to love a couple, but if the writing for them sucks, I will walk away. This jaded soap fan doesn’t accept just anything that soap writers throw at them. I will quit your show in a heartbeat if it’s bad. I am sticking with Otalia only for Leccia and Chappell. Despite my feelings for the writing, those two lovely actresses have never disappointed me. I am only still paying attention to Otalia because I love Leccia and Chappell’s work, so I can watch for a few more weeks.

Now that you know how I feel about Otalia, I think you can see why I am quitting the posts. In addition to all of that, I just don’t have much time right now. The 9-5 has me on a grueling schedule of 12-hour days, nearly every day for the next month. I do not have much time for myself, let alone time to write about a couple that has uninspiring writing. If the writing were good, I would try to make some time, somewhere to write an occasional Otalia post. Unfortunately, the writing for Otalia is not good. As of today, I am officially resigned from writing Otalia posts. It will take something absolutely extraordinary to bring me out of retirement. When I say extraordinary, it’s going to have to be something similar to what drove me to write about Otalia in the first place. In the past, that catalyst was the wedding and Otalia love confession back in April 2009. I seriously doubt something like that is on the horizon for Otalia, so I feel sure that I am retired for good.

But there is another “but” that I will explain shortly.

So What’s Next?

I have a few projects in the pipe, but I also wanted to address some other things that people have been asking me. I felt this was the perfect opportunity to address those questions.

Venice the Series

Some of you have asked me if I will write about Venice on Twitter. Venice is the web series that will star Crystal Chappell and Jessica Leccia. I have to say that right now, I am inclined to say I probably won’t. I do not know that much about Venice other than the bits of information that I see on Twitter. It’s hard to say you will write about something when you haven’t seen it. I am doubtful that I will write about Venice, but never say never. I will have to wait and see how I feel when the show airs.

Days of Our Lives

I have received a few tweets on Twitter asking me if I will write about Crystal Chappell’s story line on Days of Our Lives. I haven’t seen Chappell’s scenes as Dr. Carly Manning and won’t until September. Nevertheless, I seriously doubt I will write about her story line. I have concerns that the writing on Days of Our Lives isn’t going to be good enough for Chappell’s talent.

I was watching Days of Our Lives (January 2009) before Chappell announced she was returning. The writing on that show was mostly disastrous other than the writing for Safe (Sami and Rafe). Granted, I am behind on my Safe scenes on Days of Our Lives, but I am aware of what’s going on. My youngest brother is still watching, and he says the show’s writing is still good for Safe; the other stuff is not good. I trust my brother’s instincts since he knows what’s good and bad writing on soap operas, just like me. For Crystal Chappell’s sake, I hope the writing comes up to her level as an actress. She deserves better than what I have seen on Days of Our Lives. I would feel better if I knew whoever is writing for Safe is writing for Chappell.

Personal Projects – Novels & TV Series

I am mostly focusing my attention on personal projects. Writing about Otalia in addition to the necessary prep time (analysis of the footage) took up a lot of time. I was having a hard time trying to work on my own projects and write about Otalia. I have a neglected trilogy that I am itching to get back to writing. I also have another trilogy that I am outlining ideas for in my spare time. On top of that, I have a sequel for a finished novel to write. I also need to start pursuing a publishing deal again. I am a writer, and I love writing novels. If you think my Otalia posts are enjoyable, I feel like I really shine as a writer through my novels. It’s time I share my work with the rest of the world. To do that, I have to get back on the grind of pursuing a publishing deal. I know I am good at what I do. I just need to get someone to believe in me and take a chance. It will happen. It’s only a matter of time.

Other than my novels, I am working on developing a TV series of my own with my youngest brother. This project was totally accidental. It came out of the frustration that we see in soap operas and our desire to fix the craptastic writing if we had the chance. My youngest brother and I would always bounce ideas for story lines to fix the soaps we love. However, we know we’ll never be hired to write for daytime TV. As a result, we’re going to take our ideas and develop our own primetime series with soap opera elements. This format works for shows like True Blood. It will work for our show as well. This is an exciting project for both of us, and we are actively working on developing the series every week. Having to write a series is a new challenge for me, and I am enjoying it. We shall see what happens. We are working to recruit our film-making brother into the team; he writes scripts and wrote his own soap (and a very impressive one) when he was 11 years old. Obviously, this kind of thing is in our blood as siblings.

Otalia

As I stated earlier, I’m not quite done with Otalia. I have three more Otalia-related projects in the pipe. I am definitely going to finish my Otalia Jessica Leccia Edition. I will also write the Otalia Crystal Chappell Edition. Those would be my final Otalia posts. As for when they are coming, that’s a good question. As I said earlier, the 9-5 has me working 12 hour days (as a norm) for the next month. With everything that’s going on, it’s hard to find time to write about Otalia, let alone get enough sleep each night. I consider it low priority in comparison to all of my other writing projects. Nonetheless, I will work on those posts when I find the time.

I mentioned a third Otalia-related project. I don’t want to say anything much about it right now, but I am developing something that you will appreciate. I’m still working out the details, but you will know about it here. So, subscribe to my site’s RSS feed to stay informed.

Final Thoughts

Writing these posts has allowed me to grow as a writer. On a serious note, I didn’t know that I could analyze and write like this until I started writing about Otalia. I have my moments where even I am surprised about what comes out. Discovering that I had the ability to write this way was a pleasant surprise. I’m a person who loves to learn new things, and I definitely learned a lot writing about Otalia.

Just because I’m not writing about Otalia anymore doesn’t mean that I won’t talk about it. Since I am free from the constraints of my Otalia writing method, I can talk about Otalia on Twitter; however, I will remain spoiler free. If you want to, you can follow me on Twitter or subscribe to my FriendFeed account.

I want to say thank you to everyone who has read my Otalia posts. I keep saying that I appreciate your support, and I really do mean that. I hope you stick with me here on WriteTilt.com. You never know what else I am cooking up my sleeve. Thank you so much for your love and support!

Note: If you comment and choose to leave a spoiler, please identify it in advance with the word “spoiler,” or even separate it out to alert me that a spoiler is coming. I read everyone’s comments, but if I see the word “spoiler,” I stop reading at that point.

Tags: crystal chappell, entertainment, guiding light, jessica leccia, lesbian, natalia, olivia, otalia, review, tv

This entry was posted on Sunday, August 23rd, 2009 at 3:05 pm and is filed under Commentary, Life, Play, Reviews. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.