This is our new Otalia community! Go and be amazed!

http://community.livejournal.com/burn_ingcity/

And sign up! Really!

Love you!

Twoodles!

DiNovia

Hello from DiNovia and Fewthistle!

Many of you know either or both of us, through reputation or actual contact, and so we do hope that you will forgive the intrusion and grace us with a moment of your time to consider a proposition (for those of you familiar with DiNovia, not that kind of proposition ;) Given the spoilers and discussion that began several weeks ago about the path that the writers of Guiding Light would take to write in Jessica Leccia’s maternity leave, DiNovia and I began to be concerned that there was the potential for the entire fandom to implode around the whole supposition about the pregnancy storyline and all the repercussions. Those fears seem to have been more than realized in the past week, with the writers choosing the most trite, cliché and hackneyed of plots in order to explain Natalia’s absence. It is, as DiNovia commented, as if they simply got out the “Guide to Crappy Writing and Cheap Plotlines” hat and starting pulling out random slips of paper: thus the uninspired, overused, insulting drivel with which we are now faced in canon.

Given the amazing time and energy, and let’s face it, love, that has been poured into the creation of this love story over the past 18 months, and the immense devotion and affection with which it has been received, it is almost inconceivable that the writers of the show would choose to go down the path upon which they have begun, but there seems little doubt that they have. Because, in the end, it is truly not about whether or not Natalia is pregnant, (although I know all of us would prefer she is NOT), but about the disregard for the character(s) that is being displayed, the suspension of disbelief that seems to be required to watch a woman 9 ½ months pregnant in real life being told she’s a few weeks/month s along, not to mention the time we all seem to have unknowingly lost, and the utter disdain that is being shown to a community that has offered up its heart and soul to this couple and this show. To have reduced this amazing tale of love and redemption to “Two Lesbians and a Penis” by the unnecessary and constant inclusion of Frank in their lives, by relying on a pedestrian, hack plot device in order to explain JL’s absence, is nothing short of criminal.

So, in order to set right that which we perceive to have been made horribly wrong, DiNovia and I are starting a new community, an Otalia 2.0 so to speak, called Burning City (name to be explained, I promise). It will be a site devoted to Otalia in all its glory, with one major exception. All storylines must either predate the debacle (i.e. pre-WoD fics) that then carry on in their own timeline, or they must stop with canon at June 22, 2009, the gazebo scene where Natalia and Olivia decide they are through waiting. No canon after that point (with the exception of other character storylines, i.e. Phillip’s illness or even Olivia’s telling of Phillip) may be used. To be perfectly blunt, no mention of a stupid pregnancy storyline to explain the absence, no Frankenbaby, no trite, worn-out clichés of a plot. Life begins, and ends, on June 22, if that makes sense.

We would like to invite you to join us in this undertaking. We know the love and affection in which Otalia are held and we are determined that this pairing and this storyline continue on long after September has come and gone. We need writers, readers, and artists of all varieties to make this a success. Both of us are extremely excited about starting this community (which will include an archived website with all stories that the authors wish to have included, separate from Live Journal. Should you not wish to participate in LJ but still want your stories included in the archive, that would be wonderful as well.) We will send out an email listing the LJ address and the address of the archive, once both are up and running and we will be making a public announcement on Passion Perfect (thanks Rachel!) about the comm.

We do so hope that you will join us, that you will post the amazing, wonderful fic for which many of you are known and loved, and that this project will help to insure that Olivia and Natalia live on in fanfiction, and in our hearts, for at least as long as Xena and Gabrielle. Thank you so much for your time and for slogging your way through this really long email! ;) What can we say, we’re both a little verbose.

Cheers,

DiNovia and Fewthistle

Okay,

This really doesn't happen too often. But last night I had not one, but two Otalia dreams.

In the first one, I played the part of Natalia--that is, I was seeing out of Natalia's eyes. Luckily, I looked like Jessica Leccia. Anyway, Buzz and Natalia (me) were searching for Olivia, who had disappeared from Springfield under suspicious circumstances. We found her running a tiny bed & breakfast somewhere in South Carolina where the trees were dripping with Spanish moss and the air hummed with cicada-song and humidity. Olivia had no idea who she was--she had amnesia. And Buzz and Natalia arrived just ahead of a threatened tornado. Olivia bundled all of us into what looked like a large, freestanding ballroom--and by all of us, I mean Buzz, Natalia (me), two kids who had been walking down the dusty road, and the few guests who had been staying at the B&B. We covered windows with mattresses and set other mattresses on the floor to make us comfortable. Olivia kept catching me staring at her and she confronted me. I told her a story about my life--the whole storyline up to and including a wedding. The entire time I spoke, I pulled her closer to me until she was sitting on the mattress in front of me. I was teary as I spoke, watching her beautiful green eyes for any hint of recognition and seeing none. Then I said, "So you see, I'm searching for my wife."

She reached out her hand. "What's your wife's name?" she asked, looking confused.

"Olivia," I whispered. And it was the most AMAZING thing. I watched her eyes go from a stranger's eyes to Olivia Spencer's eyes in one second. It was as if she'd blinked and her whole world, her whole memory came flooding back and it all showed in her freakin' eyes!

"It's me," she whispered and she lowered herself on top of me and was about to kiss me when....

ALARM.

Goddamn alarm. I never, ever get the kiss.

Ever.

So I hit snooze and got this second dream instead.

In this dream, I was myself and I was holding a very pregnant Natalia in my arms, carrying as if I was carrying her over the threshold of a home. Olivia was with us. We were in a gigantic antiques store, looking for a bed because we were afraid Natalia was going to give birth soon. As we were searching for the bed section, we stumbled across my grandmother (who passed away over a year ago) sitting in a rocking chair. She asked me where I was going and I told her that I was looking for a bed for my wife, Natalia, so that she could have our baby.

My grandmother asked, "You're married? To a woman?"

I replied, "Yes, I'm married. To two women. This is my wife, Natalia." I leaned down with Natalia and let her kiss my grandmother's cheek. "And this," I said, indicating Olivia next to me, "is my wife, Olivia."

"And Natalia is having a baby?" my grandmother asked.

"Yep. Hopefully today."

My grandmother looked vaguely shocked but said "Well, it sounds like a real family."

"It is," I said, and I kissed her cheek and told her we'd be back later with the baby.

Then we moved on, getting lost in glassware, until the ALARM went off again.

I love dreams like that....

;)

I was married to Olivia Freakin' Spencer twice last night! ::squee!::

Twoodles!

DiNovia

Title: Hide Beside Me (Chapter 25)
Author: DiNovia
Fandom: Guiding Light
Pairing: Olivia/Natalia
Rating:  Chapter=PG-13/Overall=NC-17
Archival:  P&P, Kimly, and AUSXIP of course.  Everyone else, please ask.
Spoilers:  None
Summary:  Phillip Spaulding has returned to Springfield with a vengeance.  Olivia Spencer, afraid that Phillip will take their daughter Emma from her again, flees Springfield with the help of her assistant, Natalia Rivera.  Can they stay one step ahead of Phillip?  Will they ever be safe again?
Content Disclaimer:  This is an AU story--based on a drabble I posted in February--that splits off from the "I can trust you with my life!" scene on 2/16/09.  All canon after that does not exist in this story.  Also, the Phillip Spaulding that returns in this story is still bat-shit crazy and evil. Graphic depictions of love between two consenting adult women are contained within, obviously, but not for a while.  
Source Disclaimer:  I do not own Guiding Light or the characters therein depicted.  I do not seek to profit from this story. 
A/N:  I tried to remain as close to character as humanly possible but as I have only seen YouTube clips of Otalia and no full episodes, I cannot guarantee the results.
Style Note:  As some of you have noticed, I am switching POVs for every chapter.  Natalia, Olivia and Emma will tell their stories in their own words, first-person present tense.  Any other exposition needed will happen in third-person past-tense.  This will cover the urgency I need and will also allow for omniscience for exposition with multiple characters.  I am very interested in knowing whether this style works how I have intended it, so let me know.
Thank You:  To mightbefound and bldy_destini and fewthistle for beta-ing this story.  Thank you also to Tiff for helping me to figure out the major plot problems I'd been having and for being on call when I forget them and need to review.  ;)  Thank you to djshiva for your comments and general enthusiasm for this story. 

( I'm ever swiftly moving, Trying to escape this desire, The yearning to be near you.... )

Comments are love!

DiNovia

My little Bumblebee came through her surgery with flying colors.

Hopefully, she'll even get to go home tomorrow. They have to make sure her kidney and bladder both are working again.

Apparently they gave her a lime Popsicle when she was in recovery and she said "Auntie Erin would love this!"

My little cutie!

Thanks to everyone who sent good wishes and prayers for her! You all rock!

*huggles*

Twoodles!

DiNovia

So, you've probably noticed that there hasn't been an update to HBM this week. Yeah, about that....

So, my five year old niece, my little Bumblebee, is having kidney surgery today and I am, understandably, distracted.

So if you all could continue to be patient with me, I promise to have chapter 25 out sometime soon. Thank you.

In other news, I had a dream last night that I was a DOT agent, specifically assigned to the Secret Service, and that I was part of a detail assigned to protect Queen Elizabeth II while she was visiting, for some odd reason, a Detroit neighborhood. An assassin had tracked her there, of course, and her guards and the detail that I was on all surrounded HRH (who was wearing a lovely ensemble in robin's egg blue) to protect her with, basically, a fort made of human beings. There were easily 75 people or more surrounding HRH and we were all completely dedicated to taking a bullet or bullets to protect her.

For our detail, HRH's code name was "The List" (yes, AD Skype people, I am aware of what that implies...), and someone from HRH's guards made a slightly amazed comment regarding the fact that we "Yanks" would place such importance on a visiting monarch, so much so that we would not only die for her but that we had stationed ourselves as the first line of defense--the outer "wall" of the fort. I smirked and broke into a rousing rendition of My Country, 'Tis of Thee, which then became God Save the Queen. I woke up before the assassin and his team attacked.

It was the most bizarrely patriotic dream (and detailed! I haven't thought of the fact that My Country, 'Tis of Thee and God Save the Queen are one in the same tune for years!) I have ever had. When I woke up, I was still singing and I knew I was imminently going to die but I was prepared for that. I was filled with such a feeling of pride and joy that laying down my life for HRH seemed negligible by comparison.

So...what does that dream mean?

Twoodles!

DiNovia

Title: Hide Beside Me (Chapter 24)
Author: DiNovia
Fandom: Guiding Light
Pairing: Olivia/Natalia
Rating:  Chapter=PG-13/Overall=NC-17
Archival:  P&P, Kimly, and AUSXIP of course.  Everyone else, please ask.
Spoilers:  None
Summary:  Phillip Spaulding has returned to Springfield with a vengeance.  Olivia Spencer, afraid that Phillip will take their daughter Emma from her again, flees Springfield with the help of her assistant, Natalia Rivera.  Can they stay one step ahead of Phillip?  Will they ever be safe again?
Content Disclaimer:  This is an AU story--based on a drabble I posted in February--that splits off from the "I can trust you with my life!" scene on 2/16/09.  All canon after that does not exist in this story.  Also, the Phillip Spaulding that returns in this story is still bat-shit crazy and evil. Graphic depictions of love between two consenting adult women are contained within, obviously, but not for a while.  
Source Disclaimer:  I do not own Guiding Light or the characters therein depicted.  I do not seek to profit from this story. 
A/N:  I tried to remain as close to character as humanly possible but as I have only seen YouTube clips of Otalia and no full episodes, I cannot guarantee the results.
Style Note:  As some of you have noticed, I am switching POVs for every chapter.  Natalia, Olivia and Emma will tell their stories in their own words, first-person present tense.  Any other exposition needed will happen in third-person past-tense.  This will cover the urgency I need and will also allow for omniscience for exposition with multiple characters.  I am very interested in knowing whether this style works how I have intended it, so let me know.
Thank You:  To mightbefound and bldy_destini and fewthistle for beta-ing this story.  Thank you also to Tiff for helping me to figure out the major plot problems I'd been having and for being on call when I forget them and need to review.  ;)  Thank you to djshiva for your comments and general enthusiasm for this story.

( (Soon, love, soon)...We will hold a broken circle and begin to pray.... )
TBC

Comments are love!

DiNovia

Title: Hide Beside Me (Chapter 23)
Author: DiNovia
Fandom: Guiding Light
Pairing: Olivia/Natalia
Rating:  Chapter=G/Overall=NC-17
Archival:  P&P, Kimly, and AUSXIP of course.  Everyone else, please ask.
Spoilers:  None
Summary:  Phillip Spaulding has returned to Springfield with a vengeance.  Olivia Spencer, afraid that Phillip will take their daughter Emma from her again, flees Springfield with the help of her assistant, Natalia Rivera.  Can they stay one step ahead of Phillip?  Will they ever be safe again?
Content Disclaimer:  This is an AU story--based on a drabble I posted in February--that splits off from the "I can trust you with my life!" scene on 2/16/09.  All canon after that does not exist in this story.  Also, the Phillip Spaulding that returns in this story is still bat-shit crazy and evil. Graphic depictions of love between two consenting adult women are contained within, obviously, but not for a while.  
Source Disclaimer:  I do not own Guiding Light or the characters therein depicted.  I do not seek to profit from this story. 
A/N:  I tried to remain as close to character as humanly possible but as I have only seen YouTube clips of Otalia and no full episodes, I cannot guarantee the results.
Style Note:  As some of you have noticed, I am switching POVs for every chapter.  Natalia, Olivia and Emma will tell their stories in their own words, first-person present tense.  Any other exposition needed will happen in third-person past-tense.  This will cover the urgency I need and will also allow for omniscience for exposition with multiple characters.  I am very interested in knowing whether this style works how I have intended it, so let me know.
Thank You:  To mightbefound and bldy_destini for beta-ing this story.  Thank you also to Tiff for helping me to figure out the major plot problems I'd been having and for being on call when I forget them and need to review.  ;)  Thank you to djshiva for your comments and general enthusiasm for this story. 

( Why don't they let me go home...This is the worst trip I've ever been on.... )

Comments are love!

DiNovia

Title: Hide Beside Me (Chapter 22)
Author: DiNovia
Fandom: Guiding Light
Pairing: Olivia/Natalia
Rating:  Chapter=PG-13/Overall=NC-17
Archival:  P&P, Kimly, and AUSXIP of course.  Everyone else, please ask.
Spoilers:  None
Summary:  Phillip Spaulding has returned to Springfield with a vengeance.  Olivia Spencer, afraid that Phillip will take their daughter Emma from her again, flees Springfield with the help of her assistant, Natalia Rivera.  Can they stay one step ahead of Phillip?  Will they ever be safe again?
Content Disclaimer:  This is an AU story--based on a drabble I posted in February--that splits off from the "I can trust you with my life!" scene on 2/16/09.  All canon after that does not exist in this story.  Also, the Phillip Spaulding that returns in this story is still bat-shit crazy and evil. Graphic depictions of love between two consenting adult women are contained within, obviously, but not for a while.  
Source Disclaimer:  I do not own Guiding Light or the characters therein depicted.  I do not seek to profit from this story. 
A/N:  I tried to remain as close to character as humanly possible but as I have only seen YouTube clips of Otalia and no full episodes, I cannot guarantee the results.
Style Note:  As some of you have noticed, I am switching POVs for every chapter.  Natalia, Olivia and Emma will tell their stories in their own words, first-person present tense.  Any other exposition needed will happen in third-person past-tense.  This will cover the urgency I need and will also allow for omniscience for the longer bits of exposition.  I am very interested in knowing whether this style works how I have intended it, so let me know.
A/N*:  I should have mentioned this before.  I know that this is not canon, but I have chosen to place Springfield in Ohio, mostly to make my research life that much easier.  Yes, I am obsessive about my research, which is why Natalia was able to make it to Overland Park, KS in one night to be present for it's sunrise at 6:54am (7:54am Springfield time) on 2/23 (roughly when chapter 2 took place).  No, really.  I looked all that up.  And more.  I'm that much of a fact geek.  Sad, but true.
Thank You:  To mightbefound and bldy_destini for beta-ing this story.  Thank you also to Tiff for helping me to figure out the major plot problems I'd been having and for being on call when I forget them and need to review.  ;)  Thank you to djshiva for your comments and general enthusiasm for this story.   

( No one can convince me we aren't gluttons for our doom.... )

Comments are love!

DiNovia

Title: Hide Beside Me (Chapter 21)
Author: DiNovia
Fandom: Guiding Light
Pairing: Olivia/Natalia
Rating:  Chapter=PG-13/Overall=NC-17
Archival:  P&P, Kimly, and AUSXIP of course.  Everyone else, please ask.
Spoilers:  None
Summary:  Phillip Spaulding has returned to Springfield with a vengeance.  Olivia Spencer, afraid that Phillip will take their daughter Emma from her again, flees Springfield with the help of her assistant, Natalia Rivera.  Can they stay one step ahead of Phillip?  Will they ever be safe again?
Content Disclaimer:  This is an AU story--based on a drabble I posted in February--that splits off from the "I can trust you with my life!" scene on 2/16/09.  All canon after that does not exist in this story.  Also, the Phillip Spaulding that returns in this story is still bat-shit crazy and evil. Graphic depictions of love between two consenting adult women are contained within, obviously, but not for a while.  
Source Disclaimer:  I do not own Guiding Light or the characters therein depicted.  I do not seek to profit from this story. 
A/N:  I tried to remain as close to character as humanly possible but as I have only seen YouTube clips of Otalia and no full episodes, I cannot guarantee the results.
Style Note:  As some of you have noticed, I am switching POVs for every chapter.  Natalia, Olivia and Emma will tell their stories in their own words, first-person present tense.  Any other exposition needed will happen in third-person past-tense.  This will cover the urgency I need and will also allow for omniscience for exposition with multiple characters.  I am very interested in knowing whether this style works how I have intended it, so let me know.
Thank You:  To mightbefound and bldy_destini for beta-ing this story.  Thank you also to Tiff for helping me to figure out the major plot problems I'd been having and for being on call when I forget them and need to review.  ;)  Thank you to djshiva for your comments and general enthusiasm for this story. 

( All that I wanted has been right in front of me.... )

Comments are love!  (Told you I'd fix it.)

DiNovia</p></div>