Granted this is last month’s news, but I’m finding out formally today so hey, it’s hot off my press. Or something.
Anyway, from Silhouette the following news release came out mid-August:
As a company, Harlequin is committed to the success of our series publishing business. We believe it is our responsibility to develop, evolve and enrich our various programs in order to bring new opportunities to our authors and fresh and relevant reading experiences to our readers. The complex side of keeping our publishing programs healthy is that every so often, we must evaluate a series that has not consistently been a strong performer and make difficult decisions about its future. Unfortunately, Silhouette Bombshell has not been able find a broad-based readership, and after reviewing the past, present and projected performance of the series, we’re sorry to announce that January 2007 will be the final publication month for Bombshell.
So, what went wrong? (Has this been discussed to death on other sites and I missed that boat?) Was it publicity? Was it that some of the books didn’t have a primary romance, and the reader expected that, didn’t get it, and was pissed off? The series guidelines recommended “[a] compelling romantic subplot that ends in a satisfying way,” so what went wrong?
Is this a bad sign for the age of the Asskicking Heroine? Are heroines who take charge of their own lives in danger of low sales? Is there an underlying message that, as one wise woman said to Candy and I recently, the reader wants the heroine to be rescued by the hero? What say you, oh wise Bitchery?
And seriously – bummer for RITA-winning books involving Pink Pearl. Hey Stef! Which man would Pink have ended up with?
I gave up on the Bombshell line because the heroines WEREN’T kick ass enough.
I read one of the early stories about a vampire-nighclub owner, and was completely turned off because the fight scenes were (to me) written by someone who’d never read an action/adventure story before. And the heroine had gone through all these adventures in her vampiric life, but is still scared of her ex? PLEASE!
Harlequin does much better with its Intrique line, as far as action oriented stories go. And the romnance is definitely better written.
As for Luna, I’m not impressed there either. I read Catherine Asaro’s first book about Chime – I think the short story that appeared in the “Charmed Destinies” anthology was better.