There are bombshells.
And there are yellow bombshells.
And there are blonde bombshells.
And then there was Bombshell.
In my lifetime I've seen lots of things appear on the scene and fall by the wayside -- black-and-white television, twenty-five cent movies, go-go boots, cheap polyester pants, love beads, pet rocks and lava lamps (though they are making somewhat of a comeback, which I hope is not true for cheap polyester pants).
Things come and go, sometimes faster than we'd like, and this month marks the end of the Silhouette Bombshell line of books. Bombshell was introduced in the summer of 2004 as a new and different kind of series. The stories were to revolve around the heroine and she was supposed to be kick-ass and in control. Despite its short life, Bombshell garnered quite a few accolades including the 2005 RITA for Best Novel with Strong Romantic Elements and the 2006 RITA for Best First Book, numerous other contest wins, Waldenbook bestseller status and five books have been optioned for television.
Some blame Bombshell's demise on its lack of romance. The few I've read had heroines ranging from a Native American psychic to a woman who cleaned crime scenes to erase all evidence of a homicide or suicide to Whitney "Pink" Pearl, a CPA who blows the whistle on her company's creative accounting and has adventures that would make Stephanie Plum proud. Neither book had a happy-ever-after ending, but I enjoyed them all the same. Only the powers that be know all that went into the decision to cancel the line. But regardless, it's time to say bye-bye and wish all the authors well in their future endeavors.
What have you seen fall by the wayside in your lifetime? What were you glad to see go? What do you wish would come back?
One lucky commenter today will win an autographed copy of the very last Bombshell, ironically titled Staying Alive, by Debra Webb.
P.S. We're happy to see many of our regular commenters back with us after the holidays. We hope you'll continue to visit and comment cause we love having you!
25 comments:
When records albums disappeared and CDs replaced them it took my husband and myself a while to stop talking about records.
When I first learned of the launch of Bombshell, I was thrilled. All my life I have loved action/adventure stories, and now there was a home for such a book. I was honored when Silhouette bought my female Perry Mason concept and published COURTING DANGER, the first in the intended Legal Weapons series.
Then I got the opportunity to write book 4 in the Madonna Key continuity along with a group of fabulous authors. SHADOW LINES was a dream come true book.
While I mourn the loss of Bombshell, I am grateful for the opportunity to write books I loved, even if it was for such a short period of time. To all the fans and readers of Bombshell, thank you for your support!
Carol Stephenson
2004-2006: It doesn't really seem like Bombshell had time to really find its feet. The Bombshell readers I know are fanatics about it.
Since I thought CDs were a fad like 8-tracks and would never really catch on, I'm never the person to talk to abuout any kind of trend or new technology coming along...
I really wish the long, body conscious sweaters would go out of style. As someone with a medium top and an XL hind end, that doesn't work for me and everytime I pull a cute sweater from the rack lately, its about a foot longer than I want it.
I'm also not mourning the death of low ride jeans. It had really gotten ridiculous and there were far too many whale tails and back fat exposures for my taste. (Yes, I was guilty of it, but there wasn't a happy medium between that and jeans that buttoned up under your bra.)
Not sure what I'd like to come back into style...sure would be nice if size 12 with real breasts was considered the sexy standard again...keep dreaming, eh? Since I can't have that, I'll go with roller skates. I hate rollerblades.
SP
I still say singers have made a new album. Can't seem to kick the habit, although my kids and my husband are constantly reminding me they made a CD. Golly!
Fashion is a big one for bringing in trends. The mini skirt is back. Go-Go boots. Patterns and prints that yell 60's. Slang says it all. Even some music has gone retro. You see this a lot in the movies. Clint Eastwood's Pale Rider brought westerns back. The Mummy brought movies with archeology/adventure themes back, etc... Trends are a force of nature and we love to revisit the familiar. But some of these new gadgets that they've been advertising lately like the new phone/IPod/computer/TV boggle the mind. Beam me up, Scottie!
Q: Why don't they give a line more than 2 years to find it's feet?
Kathy
I forgot to mention plain sweatsuits. I looked all winter and finally found some at a major department store, but only after everything in my size was gone. Most of the sweats out there now would make me look like a hoochie mama.
Nancy Holder signing in to sign off. I was so happy to find Bombshell after BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER and ANGEL went off the air. I have written (and still write) novels, episode guides, and short stories for both shows, but the publishing program is much smaller than it was, and I feared I would never find anything as fun as exciting to work on again.
Then I found out about Bombshell from a friend of mine who wrote scripts for XENA, WARRIOR PRINCESS. I was thrilled. I couldn't believe what amazing books they were publishing! I sold four books to Bombshell. Two of them are on the shelves, one is awaiting reassignment, and one will be the last book in the fantastic ATHENA FORCE continuity.
DAUGHTER OF THE BLOOD is available right now, and I'm signing it tonight at the Mission Valley Borders in San Diego tonight. (January 10, 7 PM. 1072 Camino del Rio North. Tel is 619-295-2201.) If you live in San Diego, come on down!
I'm still with Silhouette/Harlequin, but I'm no longer with Bombshell. But the books are still there, and I've read so many wonderful new authors and made great friends. Props especially to my Circle Sisters--a couple of Bombshell authors with whom I share a spiritual bond.
It's been wonderful to watch the Bombshell authors find new homes and sign new contracts. We might have gotten knocked down, but we're up again!
Finally, may I say how grateful I am to have found supereditors Natashya Wilson and Tara Parsons, skilled and perceptive, witty and warm. They have always been supportive and generous, and they are two of the reasons I love writing for Silhouette/Harlequin so much. Charles Griemsman, their editorial assistant, is an author's true friend (and very funny!)
GO TEAM BOMBSHELL!
Nancy
www.nancyholder.com
I've seen the punk rock movement fall by the wayside. However, PUNK'S NOT DEAD! I wanna see it come back. (Dead Kennedy fans will recognize my statement)
It's a shame they're getting rid of the Bombshells. They're such good books. Typical to get rid of the good stuff....just like TV!
"Staying Alive" brings to mind the 70's. Lots of fun then too. Hee.
I'm still in figuratively speaking full mourning over the traditional Regency Zebra and Signet lines. Boy do I miss them! :)
Lois
I wouldn't mind seeing my waistline back! And smarty-pants, I didn't realize low-riders were on their way out! Woo hoo!
Believe it or not, I miss VCRs, this PVR thing just isn't as flexible. However, I love CDs/DVDs and how you can just skip to whatever part you want.
I love computers because they make my writing life a lot easier than the days of notebooks.
I like digital photography because now it's okay to take too many pictures.
I'll miss Bombshell... :(
I am sorry to see the Bombshell line ending. Great heroines.
I totally agree with smarty pants about the sweaters. I hate how they make the behind look even larger.
Have you ever noticed that everything that comes back usually has a new twist to it?
It doesn't do me any good at all to save something from twenty years ago because the fashion gods manage to thwart my best efforts to conserve, by adding some flair that makes my twenty year old "back in style" garb look dated anyway.
Lesson learned: Let go of what doesn't work and pick up what does.
Hmm, maybe I should work for Harlequin, lol.
I liked the Bombshell line. Hopefully we'll see it back with a twist in the future.
I've seen many styles come and go and come back again! lol
Showing my age, I have to say I miss the music of the late fifties and early sixties!
Personally I can never find the same bra two times in a row!!
I liked Bombshell. It is just like TV - they rarely give a show enough time to get a following, especially when they move it around.
Hmm...cassette tapes, records, VHS movies/tapes, stirrup pants, various tv shows, are all things that have faded or are slowly fading away.
My dad still misses his 8 track player...he has lots of 8 tracks, but nothing to play them on.
When I think back to when I was a kid there are so many things that I miss badly, only now that nostalgia has become popular. What I would love is to go back to the time when it was popular to have a cuntry cottage on the lake and stay there for the summer and just be allowed to read, swim and walk everyday and enjoy life.
Speaking of the book Staying Alive, the thing that I miss that is now long gone is disco music! This music was huge when I was growing up and I still love it to this day. The radio station I listen to at work plays this music everyday from 12 to 1. It's called the Way Back Lunch Hour. It's my favorite time at work.
I loved the Bombshell line, have almost every book. Very sad to see it go.
Sad to see Buffy, Angel and Xena end. Some of my favorite shows ever. Not sure there's a lot I was glad to see go, does my wip count? lol
I loved the Bombshell line, have almost every book. Very sad to see it go.
Sad to see Buffy, Angel and Xena end. Some of my favorite shows ever. Not sure there's a lot I was glad to see go, does my wip count? lol
oops sorry about the double post!
From what I hear, the low ride pant has been replaced (good or bad, depending on how you look at it) by the skinny legged pant. I guess its the very nearly leggins sort of pant you wear with those dumb long sweaters!
SP
I laugh now when I see the women wearing the skin tight narrow jeans with spike heels and pointy toes, because they did wear that in the 50's. I love the bomber jackets that really were worn during the for the fighter pilots and now everyone loves them. One thing though that I think is great is having digital photos immediately available either online or on your computer for everyone you would like to see, an occasion in an album. Great and nifty.
Every time I find the perfect bra for me and I go the next time to buy one it is not a style they sell anymore. Go figure.
Skinny legged pants...sigh. Child of the 80s that I am, my jeans narrowed to pipe cleaners at the ankles. We had zippers at the bottoms so we could get our feet in. Looking back, there's very little flattering about the skinny legged, peg legged pants. They just make your thighs look big and your feet look HUGE!
Hey, Marilyn!!!
Thank you so much for ushering Bombshell in to its last moments with such dignity. I loved writing my two Bombshell books, and I loved reading all the others. I've got a collection, myself, so I'm bemoaning its loss as a fan, too.
Even though I've got a Bombshell-esque vampire series starting next month, I'll still miss this particular line: its diversity, its heart-pounding plots, and its unexpected endings. To me, these books *were* romantic, even if they were traditionally so.
All the best to the line's supporters, and as the great Nancy Holder said, Go Team Bombshell!!!
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