After fans began speculating on her possibly joining a soap following a January 8 posting on her website, which said, “Good things are ahead this year and I hope to have more to report very soon,” NBC’s “Days of our Lives” made it official: Soap veteran actress Kassie DePaiva is joining the series in the contract role of Eve Donovan (originated by Charlotte Ross).

While he may no longer be portraying the role of Steve Webber on ABC’s “General Hospital” that doesn’t mean fans of the daytime drama series can’t join in the fun with actor Scott Reeves during the upcoming General Hospital Fan Club Weekend taking place from Thursday, July 31 through Monday, August 4 at the Sportmen’s Lodge Hotel and Events Center in Studio City, CA.

Deadline Hollywood is reporting that Oscar nominated director David O. Russell (“American Hustle” and “Silver Linings Playbook”) has received a straight to series 13-episode order from ABC for his newest drama project, “an upstairs/downstairs soap set at a private country club,” which will be co-produced by ABC Studios and CBS Television Studios.

While it doesn’t come as much of a surprise, Deadline Hollywood is reporting that ABC is renewing its commitment to “General Hospital” for the upcoming 2014-15 television season. The “GH” renewal follows the recent two-year “Days of our Lives” renewal by NBC, which was announced today, and last week’s renewal of “The Bold and the Beautiful” and “The Young and the Restless” by CBS. Historically, as the network owns “GH” outright, ABC won’t necessarily make an “official” announcement as CBS and NBC have for their daytime soaps.

As previously reported, CBS’ “The Bold and the Beautiful” announced a new partnership with Pan Macmillan and its digital-first imprint, Momentum, in which the publishing company will release a series of novellas surrounding several characters from the daytime soap opera. Today, it was announced that the first two of eight novellas will go on sale on Tuesday, January 28. An e-book version of each will be released worldwide. In Australia, paperback print copies will be available at the same time as the digital release.

After much anticipation, NBC announced today that it has renewed “Days of our Lives” through the 2015-16 television season. The renewal ensures the soap will celebrate its 50th year on television. The series debuted on November 8, 1965.

Best known for his portrayal of Joey Buchanan on ABC’s “One Life to Live” in the 1990’s, actor Chris L. McKenna is heading to CBS’ “The Young and the Restless.” The actor first noted his joining the series in a tweet to his followers on Friday, January 17, which said, “It appears I’ll be making a bit of a return to soaps. At least for a few episodes.”

According to Deadline Hollywood, former “Days of our Lives” star Mark Hapka (ex-Nathan Horton) has joined the cast of the FOX Digital Studio original sci-fi series, “Parallels.”

“Days of our Lives” star Alison Sweeney will announce on the Tuesday, January 21 edition of “The Ellen Show” that she will be departing the NBC Daytime drama series after portraying the role of Samantha “Sami” Brady for 21 consecutive years. Sweeney’s contract is set to expire in December 2014, according to published reports.

As previously reported, the annual “General Hospital” Fan Club weekend will take place from Thursday, July 31 through Monday, August 4 at the Sportmen’s Lodge Hotel and Events Center in Studio City, CA. Tickets for the Kick Off Cocktail Party, Main Cast and Blast from the Past – Part II events went on sale last week Monday.