Greetings, everyone! Amanda, reporting from hot and sunny Virginia. I’m here until Monday, but Diane and I have already been having loads of fun touring everything historical we can find–and hitting every gift shop (the most important part, of course!)

Yesterday, it was Jamestown, touring the ships Susan Constant, Godspeed, and Discovery (trying to figure out how Balthazar and Bianca, the hero and heroine of my “Caribbean” romance, are going to get it on in that tiny berth), wandering the fort, and exploring the huge new museum where I got to ooh and aah over things like Elizabethan lutes and a recreated 17th century London street. I wanted to get one of the tour guides to let the ship slip its berth and head out for a cruise, but no one seemed willing to take that chance…

In the evening, we met Harlequin Historical author Michelle Willingham for an “authentic colonial dinner” at the King’s Arms Tavern in Williamsburg, where we closed the place down drinking apple cider and listening to lute music. It’s going to just be a “Harlequin festival” all week here, since Deb Marlowe is coming in this evening (and I hope she is also prepared for gift shop mania! Maybe I should say “gifte shoppe,” since every sign seems to add e’s to the end of every word here!).

We’re off to Williamsburg now! I need to get a tricorn hat and maybe some tankards. I’m sure Diane will share more of our historical fun Monday…