July 2011 in Plymouth, England

When I visited Plymouth in 2004, I had no idea that a scallop shell and acorns would play such a big role in the book. For those who have read Dark Enough to See the Stars in a Jamestown Sky, you know that both of these were important to Joan and to the storyline.

Leaving Plymouth in 2011, we suddenly spied something most unusual. On one of the walls was a huge scallop shell with a plaque and acorn underneath. What were the odds?

The plaque was too high for me to read, but Sarah snapped a picture. Only when I returned home did I read the plaque and see that it talked about St. James, Santiago de Compostela, and pilgrimage! While writing all about the pilgrimage to St. James and Joan’s wearing a scallop shell relic from her great-grandfather’s pilgrimage, I had no clue that Plymouth was a port of embarkation. Like Joan, sometimes I wonder if I’m on the right path, and other times, I’m sure of it!