Earlier in 2017, MW had spoken to Pete Bissonette about his then recently released Novel and Treasure Hunt entitled, Breakfast Tea & Bourbon.
The treasure hunt aspect of the book was expected to be solved within a relatively short amount of time. This proved to be the case! This past July, Pete announced the location to his hidden treasure was found and the $50,000 dollar prize claimed!
We all had to wait until August to find out more though! And so now, a big Congrats can be shouted to the Winners (Coy Lothrop and family), and a HUGE thank you given to Pete, for a thrilling and successful ending!
MW, of course, wanted to catch up with Pete and ask him another Six Questions, about not only the treasure hunt, but to also hear all that he enjoyed, or endured, during the Breakfast Tea & Bourbon adventures!
I appreciate so much Pete taking the time to answer the following Questions! Enjoy!
Six Questions:
- 1Q) Thanks for such an awesome hunt, Pete! It was a lot of fun. In MW’s previous interview, I had asked you if the hunt was going on as you expected? Your answer was, “I subscribe to the Ninth Beatitude: Blessed is he with no expectations for he cannot be disappointed. Only pleasantly surprised.” It was a great answer. Thank you. But now that it is over, can you share some of the things that made you ‘pleasantly surprised’?
How much fun folks had unraveling the book and actually out on the hunt.
I knew they would have fun. How can you not! It’s a treasure hunt! You think you know where it is! You know what you would do with the prize money!
And even those who came up empty handed told me how much fun it was, that it was worth their time and money. This was especially true with all of those who went hunting with family members and friends.
- 2Q) Since the treasure is found and the prize of $50,000 now claimed, can you tell us if many other searchers were close to finding the valuable hidden suling? Were many hunters hot on the trail to locate the prize or was it only the ultimate finder?
There were many dozen people tuned into Hot Springs. There were dozens of people just down the trail at Balanced Rock. There were at least a dozen who were not misled by Balanced Rock and took the “goat-footed” path. I know of seven people who followed the “nephews’ hunt” and were within one inch of the treasure. But only the Lothrop family actually followed through and did what the nephews actually did and found the treasure.
- 3Q) Although the ‘Suling’ relates perfectly to the story and makes for a wonderful find, you could have chosen other items relatable to the book to handcraft and hide. Why did you choose to create a suling? What do you like most about it?
I had listed a handful of items that could have been the treasure, but because so much of the story revolved around Quarry Girl and her beaded bamboo flute, how could that not be the treasure.
Once I had decided on a flute, I was going to have something cast in bronze until I saw one of Jessica Betzold’s beaded jewelry creations (https://jesbjewelry.com/). She works with us at Learning Strategies, and I knew she could create the perfect bamboo flute, with the “relationship turtle” and all.
- 4Q) You have mentioned there are other clues, to additional hunts, within your novel ‘Breakfast Tea & Bourbon’. What are your plans for activating these hunts, and do you feel they will be able to be solved within a year, like the first hunt, or do you feel they might take a bit longer? Do you have an idea what the prizes might be?
I released a riddle on Monday, August 14, as something fun to play until “The Missing Chapter” of Breakfast Tea & Bourbon is released. It is on www.BreakfastTeaAndBourbon.com.
For us to do another hunt, we need a sponsor to provide the prize and help with promotion. And while the sponsor won’t know where the next treasure will be hidden, I’ll listen to them to see whether they would like a six-month hunt or longer. I’d like to do something longer and a little more complex, but time will tell.
- 5Q) I’m curious. You had mentioned the location you hid the treasure was by random ‘point of the finger down on a map’- so not to be influenced or give unfair advantage to those who knew you. However, if you could have chosen, where would you have liked to have hidden it? Or, more so, I’m wondering, what is your favorite place to visit and why?
I have friends who buy vacation homes, so they can visit their favorite place every year. I’m not like that. I love many, many places and am not one to go back to a place again and again.
I am so happy with Hot Springs and all of the wonder experiences I had there when hiding the treasure. I’ll definitely be back…if only to live the adventure of The Butterscotch Five—without having to worry about being recognized by a client of Learning Strategies. I was continually looking over my shoulders.
- 6Q) Your passion for Learning Strategies shines through all that you do. For someone who is just hearing about this company, will you share a bit more about it and what it does. What is most favorite aspect of it? Which part do you find most fulfilling?
I love helping to create amazing programs that help folks get more from life. I love writing the promotional letters to help folks realize that they can indeed live their dreams and help them raise their hands to try something out. And I love the emails, letters, and calls from clients with all of their success stories and personal gains—big and small.
And I love how I’ve evolved working with our masters and mentors and applying what they teach to my own life.
Thank you Pete, once again, for providing such thoughtful answers to MW’s Six Questions. I love your positive energy and encouragement you give to myself and others!
I also have to agree how it is great to explore many different places and not have ‘one’ vacation home…….but unlimited places to venture off too! The world is there waiting! Thanks again being an inspiration to discover all that it can hold!
For those interested in learning about more Armchair Treasure Hunts, please check out the following links:
Top Ten Armchair Treasure Hunts
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