1. Describe a scenario leading to a manmade catastrophe that could result in the kind of destruction found in Gathering Blue. Is war the only possible cause?

Could the ruin have been brought about in an ecological disaster of some kind?

How about some form of accident?

2. What natural catastrophes could cause such complete and wide-spread destruction and ruin? Write a story about surviving such a catastrophe and what life might be like in the aftermath.

3. Compare Gathering Blue to other books or stories you may have read that present an unflattering, pessimistic view of the future. What do they have in common? What do you think is their purpose?

4. What role does color have in our lives?

Do certain colors have special meaning to us, symbolize certain things? Do some colors affect the way we think and feel?

5. How are...