What a Year!

Have two years really passed since The Romance Dish began?? Well, they do say that time flies when you're having fun, and we have all kinds of fun around here with our guests and all of you. We Dishes have chosen some of our highlights of the past year---boy, have there been a lot! As the song says, "These are a few of my favorite things." *g*





Gannon -- It's been such an exciting and event-filled year here at The Romance Dish, so I had a hard time narrowing my favorite things down to just a few. I have to say that PJ's RWA week was one of my top choices, especially since Andrea, Buffie, and I could not attend this year. PJ's pictures (always fabulous) and her minute by minute coverage was almost like being there. Our blog wouldn't be complete without visits from some amazing authors, many of whom I have had the pleasure of meeting: Vanessa Kelly, Christina Brooke, the ladies of The Ballroom Blog, and Joanna Bourne. Fun, friendly, and incredibly talented, each and every one. Jo's recent blog about heroines and the gemstones that describe them was as unique and creative as she is. I know now when I read a book, I will look at characters in a whole new way! That's just a few favorites from me. And speaking of favorites, Andrea, Buffie, and PJ are three of the finest women I know. I am happy and blessed to call them friends and share this blogging adventure with them. Of course, our adventure wouldn't be complete without all of you stopping by and sharing in the fun. Thank you!

Andrea -- Wow, it’s hard to believe that another year has passed and here we are celebrating our second anniversary. We’ve had so many amazing authors dish with us and a lot of great reviews to help my TBR pile grow by leaps and bounds. Some of my favorite blogs from the past year are: It’s Beginning To Taste A Lot Like Christmas, which featured some really yummy recipes for holiday goodies that I’m already considering making this year, too; Fresh as a Daisy!, where Anna Campbell introduced us to her beloved Daisy Dalrymple Mysteries by Carola Dunn...one of these days I’m going to find them; PJ’s Second Chances or the First Day of the Rest of My Life, where she talked about the day she was shot and we all needed a tissue; Love at First Sight, where I gushed about my love of Harry Potter; Buffie’s Hot Dish for September featuring the oh so hot Jed Hill; and Gannon’s wonderful review of Joanna Bourne’s The Black Hawk...and there are so many more. Most importantly, I have to say how incredibly blessed I am to have Buffie, Gannon, and PJ as my friends and partners and to have so many lovely people visit our blog so regularly. Thank you so much for two wonderful years and here’s to many, many more!

Buffie -- I just can’t believe that The Romance Dish has been going strong for 2 years. I guess that old saying “time flies when you are having fun” is true. We have shared some wonderful times this year. As amazed that I am at all of the talented authors who visited with us, I am doubly amazed at all you wonderful followers and commenters. Thanks for sharing this journey with us! This year has been chocked full of highlights, which made it very difficult for me to choose from but here are a few that come to mind. Who could forget the Ellora’s Cave Showcase? I’m surprised the site didn’t melt with all those steamy stories - LOL!! I really enjoyed learning about illustrated romance novels from photographer and author Jenn LeBlanc. One of my personal highlights was interviewing a favorite author of mine, Nalini Singh. Talk about a fan girl moment for me! I readily admit that I’m an historical romance reader by heart, but this year author Cynthia Eden opened my eyes to the joys of romantic suspense and thus my TBR pile has grown. A personal thank you goes out to authors Lila DiPasqua, Vanessa Kelly and Ashley March for not only writing fabulous books this year, but for also becoming dear friends to me. Last, but most definitely not least, thanks to Andrea, Gannon and PJ for being the ones to share my love of books with, for always having my back and for getting out on the dance floor of life and making the best of it all!

PJ - - They may call it the "terrible two's" but here at The Romance Dish our second year on the web was exciting, exhilarating and more fun than I could have imagined when Andrea, Buffie, Gannon and I first conceived the idea at Moonlight & Magnolias in 2009. I could fill the entire page with favorite memories of the past year but I've done my best to pare it down to a few special highlights. Kaki Warner blew me away with her Blood Rose debut trilogy which made interviewing her in January a total fangirl moment for me. Her answer to my question of who she would take on a campout in the Old West still has me laughing. Another highlight was my blog, Second Chances or The First Day of the Rest of My Life, not because of the story I shared but because of the courage and resilience shown by many of you in the life stories you shared. I had a wonderful time representing The Romance Dish at the RWA National Conference in New York City in July and sharing the experience with you all through my blogs and photos. A very special highlight of that trip was meeting Dish regular, fsbuchler and her wonderful husband! Who wouldn't relate to Sarah MacLean's joy, excitement and pride at being asked to provide a cover quote for her writing inspiration in The book that started it all? Could there be any better group to celebrate a "zero" birthday with than all of you at The Romance Dish? I think not! Thank you to all the wonderful authors and readers who joined me for my three-day birthday bash and a very special thank-you to my Sept. 20th birthday pal, Julie Anne Long. Not only did I have a fantastic birthday party but I discovered that I share my birthday with one of my favorite authors. Can't get much better than that!

Tell us, friends, what are some of your favorite "Dish" moments from the past year?
 
**NOTE: We are giving away prizes all week and want everyone to be included. Please put U.S. (if your mailing address is in the United States) or INT  (if you live in a country other than the United States.) at the end of each of your comments, so we know which prize drawings to enter you in. The more comments you leave this week, the more chances you'll have to win!**