Leaving the Light By: Christine Schnell

FAQ

Beware, there be spoilers ahead.

The Known Universe:

How many vampires/slaves? Approximately 70 vampires to 200 slaves, the number fluctuates now and then. (as of the writing of this FAQ)

Why do some only have one name? Mostly they don't need surnames since they live in a small community, but also because some come from places where they didn't have them.

Who's such and such? Checkout the profile list.

Why don't you talk about such and such that often? Um...well... There's lots of people and I can't keep track of them all.

What's in the box? No, I haven't forgotten about it. That will be revealed later. In fact it's revealed in Book 2, Chapter 9. Yeah, I know your next question and I don't have an answer quite yet.

Why is Toni brought into the elite circle of vampires? Something's are meant to remain a mystery.

Who killed Lowell for real? That's revealed in Book 1, Chapter 29 .

Why? Now that's a good question, I'll let you know once I find out. Why does any vampire do anything? I'm sure there was a reason they're just not letting me in on the secret.

Why won't Bram bite Toni? For the most part that answer is in Book 1, Chapter 33 , yet I feel there is something more.
Update: as of Book 1, Chapter 50 there certainly is more.

Why does Bram and Keir not get along? They go way back. Hmm... I should have said there's bad blood between them. :)
Update; Book 1, Chapter 46 shows a different side of them, but that doesn't mean there still isn't something for them to fight over.

Why does Keir not like Al? Al probably did something to him in a previous life. Actually Al told Toni why in Book 1, Chapter 34 . Although I'm wondering if there isn't more to it.

Who put the knife/gun in the closet? Why do you keep asking me questions which I can not answer? But I can say they did show up mysteriously. Who do we know that would do something mysteriously?

Why don't they just kill her? Toni asks this question often and gets the same answer as you. Don't know other than they want to torture her. Or it could be because of the next question...

What is the prophecy? Well if I told you I'd have to kill you. No actually it's in Book 1, Chapter 38 .

Yeah, but that's not all of it, what's the rest? Again, this will be revealed at the proper time. What do you want? Me to be punished like Kama for trying to reveal it too soon?

What does it mean? Well the short answer, Toni's supposed to kill the King. The long answer is that it is only one interpretation that everyone has accepted. It may or may not be the true interpretation.

What's the importance of the pipes/computer/journal/etc.? Some things you'll note do have importance the others are just to show the normal life here. If something does have importance it will be revealed eventually if it hasn't already. (see question about the box/prophecy). For the most part these things just give Toni something to think about.

What's with the dreams and hallucinations? The subconscious often knows things our conscious mind doesn't. perhaps they're trying to tell her something? Or it's just her overactive imagination having a let out.

You use strange words care to tell me what they mean? These vampires are old and don't like to change everything they know, so they speak Latin from time to time. Take a look below at my Glossary. If I've missed anything e-mail me and let me know.

Why did my favorite character (fill in many names here) die? Well they are vampires after all, people tend to die around them. Most of the time the person has served their purpose. It's hard to accept

I'm lost, what does the floor plan of the complex look like? Click here and find out (new and improved!). If I get really ambitious I might do other areas, but don't hold your breath.

Why won't you give me a straight answer? Because most of these things will be revealed in their own time.

The World Outside:

Is there ever going to be a light side? Well, it isn't called Leaving the Light for nothing. Actually it's named that for several different reasons, but I'll leave it up to you to figure that out. Honestly Toni's life is tough, but yes, she will not always be miserable.

Why is this so long? How long will it be? Until it ends. Yes I do have an ending. It's just not going to be anytime soon. Like life, it is not easy to tell this all at once, and since Toni's life will be a bit longer than most, well... Okay a straight answer, it's a series, we are currently towards the beginning of the second book of the series, there will be approximately 5 books.

Can I start reading Book 2 (or any episode) without first reading Book 1? - Yes, but do so at your own risk. If you are I'd suggest to start at the beginning of a book. Starting at episodes is more confusing as some have overlapping story elements. Books are easier to step into as these are major changes in her life. Just be warned I refer back to people and events from previous books sometimes without much explanation. Characters also have preexisting relationships and move forward with them without pity. Use this FAQ and Character Reference to fill in the gaps.

When will you add another chapter? My goal is to add a chapter a month normally around the 15th. Sometimes I miss by a few days, weeks or more depending on what's going on in the real world.

How come you only update one chapter a month? It takes me that long, if not longer to write a single chapter.

Why don't you publish this? To be honest I would love to, but publishing (and editing) takes time. I am working on publishing another shorter novel. So unless someone walks up to me and hands me a contract and pay advance, it probably won't happen anytime soon.

Who are you? Well you can find a little about me here.

Hey, my question is not here! Okay, then don't be shy, send me an e-mail.

Say What? (Glossary)

The King has tried to keep some of the older words, most vampires don't use them and the slaves don't even know about most of them. These are the ones Toni currently knows.

Algolagnia - (greek) a disorder of deriving sexual pleasure and stimulation from physical pain.
Amanuensis - (latin) secretary
Conventus - (latin) gathering
Cliens - "clients" of patronus, in the case of the vampires, those that the vampires are responsible for, mostly slaves.
Cognatio - (latin) relationship by blood
Depleo - (latin) Kill by drinking too much
Dearg-dul - (gaelic) red blood sucker of Irish lore.
Domus - (latin) household
Familie - (latin) gens members
Foedus - (latin) to make contact or act of touching. I.e. The connection between vampires who have created a friendship. E.g. Toni and dwayne.
Gens - (latin) clan, race, nation, people, tribe.
Genitor - (latin) sire
Genere - (latin) give birth to
Lamia - (latin) witch, vampire.
Lex non scripta - (latin) the unwritten (common) law
Neophyte - (latin) newbie
Nutrio - (latin) nourish/feed/fuel
Oraculum - (latin) prophecy
Patronus - One who supports and is responsible for a cliens
Pietas - that which is owed to a patronus
Progeniei - (latin) child, offspring
Raptum - (latin) prey
Rex - (latin) king
Sanguen - (latin) blood
Servus - (latin) servant
Sextarii - (latin) pints
Sicarius - (latin) assassin
Stammbaum - (german) family tree
Suboriri - (latin) to come into being, used here as the process of becoming a vampire.
Tripudium Aequitatis - (latin) Dance of Equanimity - Literally the dance of right disposition. This is a dance performed by the vampires with a single slave where the one who is dancing with the slave when the music stops bites them. This is done primarily to "balance" the slave's mind and make them accustomed to being bitten.
Veneficus - (latin) wizard
Venatus - (latin) hunting

By any other name.
Here's a little insight into my mind and why I name certain episodes as I do.

Book 1, Leaving the Light:
The title more or less appeared out of thin air when brainstorming for a title that wasn't associated with other vampires. There are several meanings to the title some hidden some obvious.

Episode 1: Life as We Know It - This title is based off of the saying that as far as I know originated in Star Trek, "It's life but not as we know it." This is the introduction to Toni's life as she became accustomed to her new surroundings.
Episode 2: Taken From Hope - I know I've heard the phrase somewhere but don't ask me where. The episode concentrates on how Toni has lost hope for the future and herself.
Episode 3: Cure for the Sleeping Death - This is one of my favorite titles. It is taken directly from Disney's Snow White, the Sleeping Death is the potion the Wicked Queen used to poison Snow White and the only cure was True Love's First Kiss. Obviously this episode gives Toni just that, as well as her adjustment to and giving in to the vampires.
Episode 4: Trust - Okay, this isn't a phrase but it is very important. In this episode Toni learns who she can trust and who she can't. She also learns how not to solve a mystery.
Episode 5: The Escape - Again not really a phrase but catchy. While the actual event doesn't happen until close to the end of the episode, Toni finds other meanings of the word.
Episode 6: Slavery is Freedom - This is taken directly from George Orwell's 1984. Unsurprisingly references to this book can be found all over this story and others as this is the book solely responsible for my love of writing. Back to how it affects Toni, well she finds that by obeying and giving herself freely to the vampires she can be allowed small amounts of freedom and responsibility herself. For careful readers you might note that Bram told her just this in Episode 2.
Episode 7: Pet Peeve - Do you know what Toni's pet peeve is? She mentions it quite a few times. Especially at the end of this episode. The anticipation of waiting to become a vampire disturbs her to a great degree.

Book 2, Season of Darkness:
Again I was brainstorming and was the finalist over many, it fell into place when I was looking up an unrelated quote in Charles Dickens's "A Tale of Two Cities." There's also double meaning to the title which I'll leave up to you to figure out.

Episode 1: Entering the Darkness - I think this one's pretty obvious. These are Toni's first days as a vampire and the nights to follow.

Episode 2: Hunting Ground - This one has a couple meanings. The obvious one being she learns how to hunt as a vampire. There are also other things she's trying to find the answers to, thus hunting

Episode 3: Trial and Error -This one is probably pretty obvious too, it's a learning period for Toni. She will try things and of course will fail at times, so she will learn.

Episode 4: Rest and Relaxation at Last - If you're a fan of Looney Tunes you'd probably recognize the line from an episode where Elmer goes to a park to get some rest and relaxation. Of course after running into Bugs and a bear, he's far from relaxed. At the end he's in jail and thinks he'll finally get some "west and wewaxation at wast." Toni goes through quite a lot while she thinks she'll be able to finally rest.

Episode 5: For Promised Joy - "For promised joy" is the lesser known quote of a famous stanza in the poem For a Mouse by Robert Burns. You'd probably recognize the more famous quote that reads; "The best-laid schemes o' mice an' men." And just like in his poem, while Toni has good intentions, her plans go awry. For promised joy was chosen because it is the ends to which she is aiming and is promised by others. Will she ever have that ending?