COLOUR Dice is creeping forward. I have the cubes, I have the ink stamps. But that surface doesn't like ink. The lady at Michaels suggested using fine sandpaper, which worked for her paint. But ink is not paint .. I looked around at glues, Tacky glue with a little sponge applicator. This is all about giving the ink a surface to go on, with a white or clear look. Everything would be sealed up nicely with a shape of scotch tape, plus nail polish. I came home and saw Glue Stick. I'm kind of concerned getting a glop of glue over the size of the letter but not more than the the shape of scotch tape. There might be masking. This is kind of like surgery.
 
 
 
 

Tried Glue Stick, then ink stamp. Inconclusive. Improvement. Fussy things to work on, including pressure (messy too). Fussy things learned. The washable ink is not as good as the non-washable (above). The non-washable ink is washable. Allignment is still a question mark. What about dry glue?
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

You've got your classic grid, say 7 x 7. There's a piece A. On the same row, some spaces across, there is piece B. On that column is piece C. On the same row as piece C is piece D. But what to do with that? Some kind of war game, with a disappearing board?
 
 
 
 

Narrative hunts include autobiography (the famous big hunts do this), history, story Dyscordia, mystery, I propose a ghost story. A long-winded narrative treasure hunt is not just desired but needed, even in a relaxed TC light. That's because it would fill out page count.
 
 
 
 

Here is an early look at what to do about money. Designers would get paid a percentage of sales as a fellow member of the team. The person who places the treasure should be compensated; it's more work than it sounds. A designer would be paid twice for two treasure hunts. Tasks like website work or translation would not be compensated. Would treasure hunt art would be paid for by the designer? The person who puts together the book, arranging this and that, would get .. Money would have to go toward, oh, a cover artist.

Money going toward treasure would be .. a mess, if you think it through. I have decided that each designer must provide the treasure for his own hunt. Potential designers might recoil from this, but here are some things to consider. This would mean cleaner lines. Responsibility and decisions would be decentralised. It's actually normal for designers to fund the treasure for their hunts. What should we do if John has a big $12,000 treasure, or Veronica is impoverished?
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

I've been checking out publishing.

Self publishing would have its ups and downs. One advantage of self publishing is you would have control over timing. Self publishing is apparently good for niche books. A book series works well. This self publishing business makes it feel more doable.

Traditional publishing would have advantages. A bigger publishing house would offer an advance, which would come in handy. There would be an editor for the narrative treasure hunt. Cover art and layout would be taken care of. They would work on the accounting.
 
 
 
 

Should TC treasure hunts be explicit about their region/province/city? That's complicated.

Treasure hunts are fun games where you try to get a treasure. But the location of the treasure is secret; you have to figure it out.

It's up to the treasure hunt creator.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

"Gold coins" and a crystal skull. French involvement. The treasure is located in the Caribbean, classic pirate treasure, worth half a million. Although you get it while sitting at home .. (scratches head ..) Don't expect this to be solved in the next year or two.
 
 
 
 

I would like to see a Canadian treasure hunt scene. I would like to see meetups, like they have in the states. Meetups are unlikely. Canada has the population of California, but the width of a continent, different scenes, and limited treasure hunts.