FAQ
Where did you get the ideas for writing The Five Treasures?
This is the question that everyone wants answered, but it’s a challenge, because there wasn’t an isolated source for writing this book. The ideas in The Five Treasures came from my experiences as a musician and teacher, my imagination, my observations of people and circumstances, reading books, looking at life, and asking questions. Gathering the ideas for The Five Treasures probably took my entire lifetime.
Where did the title The Five Treasures come from?
I gave the book this title soon after I began working on the story line. One day, I was telling a friend about the five tests in a story I was working on. She thought that “five tests” wasn’t very interesting and suggested “five treasures” would be better. So I took her suggestion!
Why did you end The Five Treasures without an answer to the riddle?
I hid Rebekka’s solution to the riddle on purpose. I included the answer in my early drafts, but as the book became more developed, I realized that it was important for readers to do some thinking of their own, rather than simply relying on Rebekka to do all the work.
How long did it take to write The Five Treasures?
I made a one-page outline of The Five Treasures in late January 2006 and completed the manuscript in October 2006.