For Michael Stadther, it is all about the treasure--and the thrill of the hunt. "I don't write the way I think a typical writer would write, starting with chapter one," he told TFK. "These stories are so complex they sort of swirl around in my head for a while." Treasure was the first thing he thought of when he created his new book, Secrets of the Alchemist Dar. "I wrote the story to match my treasure hunt," he says.
A Treasure's Trove, his first book, launched a nationwide search for jewels. Challenging clues hidden in the pages of the fairy tales, which Stadther wrote and illustrated, led readers to 12 jewels concealed in easy-to-reach locations around the United States.
Secrets takes the search for treasure worldwide. The hunt kicks off on September 26 and will last for up to three years. Clever readers will be able to claim one of 100 diamond rings, made specially for the hunt. The rings are worth more than $2 million total. The tougher clues lead to more valuable rings.
Stadther believes that anyone can solve the book's riddles. Several young readers, including Allie Pultorak, found the prizes in A Treasure's Trove. He got the idea to create the tales, in part, from his own childhood adventures. "As kids, we were constantly looking for (things) to play with," he says. "A lot of times it was just on the ground."
Only Stadther knows the solutions to Secrets. "I work under the firm belief that two people can't keep a secret," he explains. The only thing he is revealing is this promise: "Everyone, no matter where they are in the world, has exactly the same chance of getting a ring." As for his own reward, Stadther says: "People are doing it as a family and kids want to read. It's wonderful."