I Don't Know What You Mean When

Gathering Blue' Was A Separate Book. I Wanted To Explore What A Society Might Become After A Catastrophic World Event. Only At The End Did I Realize I Could Make It Connect To 'the Giver.

"i Liked The Feeling Of Love," [jonas] Confessed. He Glanced Nervously At The Speaker On The Wall, Reassuring Himself That No One Was Listening. "i Wish We Still Had That," He Whispered. "of Course," He Added Quickly, "i Do Understand That It Wouldn't Work Very Well. And That It's Much Better To Be Organized The Way We Are Now. I Can See That It Was A Dangerous Way To Live." [...] "still," He Said Slowly, Almost To Himself, "i Did Like The Light They Made. And The Warmth."

There Was Just A Moment When Things Weren't Quite The Same, Weren't Quite As They Had Always Been Through The Long Friendship

If Everyting's The Same, Then There Aren't Any Choices! I Want To Wake Up In The Morning And Decide Things!" (jonas) "it's The Choosing That's Imortant, Isn't It?" The Giver Asked Him.

I Think When You've Had Success, Publishers And Reviewers And Readers Are Willing To Let You Try Something New If You've Already Proven Yourself. They're Excited About What You're Doing, You Have People Interested In It, And Actually Waiting For It. It's Empowering.