Christina here. 
The hero of my latest book The Runes of Destiny is a Viking merchant who trades in all kinds of goods – whatever will make him the most profit. However, when I researched the type of things he would be likely to bring on a trip to Miklagarðr (Byzantium), I became fascinated by one in particular – amber. The more I read about it, the more I came to appreciate it, and I could well imagine how pleased a Viking woman would have been to receive such a gift – who wouldn’t be? It also seemed like the ideal trade goods – it was easy to transport, didn’t take up much space, and was highly sought after everywhere, plus in some places you could actually pick it up for free! (If you knew where to look).
gemstones
Renee Huff on Tokens of Love
by Mary Jo I met jeweler and jewelry historian Renee Huff at last year's Romantic Times conference in New Orleans, where I fell in love with (and bought!) an unusual Victorian necklace from her. She's fascinating to talk to, so I prevailed on her to visit us last summer. (Renee's Etsy shop, Jeweled Legacy, can now ship internationally, if you'd like to browse the wide range of things she carries.) Now with Valentine's Day almost here, she's visiting again to talk about historic love tokens. Renee, tells us about Snakes of Love! Renee Huff: It's almost St Valentine's Day. What …