Toby Michael Younis and Shelley Carney announce the release of their fictionalized memoir, based on a true story, “A Gypsy’s Kiss: A Treasure Hunt Adventure.” Written and narrated by Toby, with the help of his writing partner and Magical Treasure Princess, Shelley, the story is an action-packed adventure and coming-of-age tale that dovetails with a real-life treasure hunt. Readers work to correctly interpret literary clues throughout the story, piecing them together and revealing a map to the grand-prize treasure proxy placed by Toby and Shelley. The proxy is hidden somewhere between Abiquiu, N.M. and New Orleans, and can be traded in for a stash of cash and other valuables estimated to be worth over $10,000, provided by a Go Fund Me campaign. “A Gypsy’s Kiss” is available for purchase now on Amazon.com.
Synopsis: The year is 1964. Fifteen-year-old Mike longs to leave his boarding school in Santa Fe, N.M. for an exciting trip to New Orleans – just in time for Mardi Gras. Using the alias “Miguel,” Mike takes his uncle’s BSA motorcycle and speeds down the mysterious and sometimes perilous Route 66. Along the way, Mike collides with a gritty biker gang, an angry Texas sheriff, and savage black bears. As he arrives in New Orleans just in time for the yearly festival, Miguel meets Mariah – a Cajun beauty who will become his guide through the dangerous and often passionate streets of The Big Easy.
“A Gypsy’s Kiss” is a multi-tiered, interactive treasure hunt that starts by reading the book. Readers begin to find hints hidden within the pages, uncovering clues as they follow along with Miguel during his bike journey. Other treasure-location signposts are embedded in words scrawled in enigmatic verse by a Cajun gangster, a character from the story. The first reader to correctly gather and interpret all the clues, then find and claim the proxy, will win the prize. The treasure will be officially awarded in a filmed event scheduled for the authors’ thriving YouTube channel.