Once upon a time, when I wanted to write a story, but wasn't overflowing with ideas, I would set my alarm for early in the morning, or stay up late at night, and just start typing. I'd type whatever came to mind, regardless of if it made sense or not, because I refused to go months without updating or posting a story. More often than not, I would not even go a few weeks without updating. I think once, in my prime during Garth's Story, I had a freak out because I went on vacation and could not post for a few days.

But here we are, 4 years, 6 months, 1 week, and 6 days later and when was the last time I posted? November 8, 2015. Wow. That's a new record for me.

To succeed in anything, you have to keep your momentum up. Running a business, getting in shape, maintaining your grades, anywhere you must progress you have got to have momentum. You have to keep moving. And I stopped moving. But why?

Well, after hours of thought while going throughout my days, I have concluded that I lost interest. I don't keep doing things I don't enjoy. That's my whole life. If I lose interest in something, I just can't make myself do it. That's how I am. I try to enjoy everything I do, and if I don't enjoy it or I decide I hate it, I quit. It's actually really efficient, and if you can get over the fear of being mislabeled a quitter, you should try it sometime. But I'm not a quitter. Quitters give up when things get a little tough. Please, I dealt with writer's block, being pressed for trying to find time to write, drama between fans, my personal life spontaneously imploding… If I was a quitter, half my stories would not exist and more of them would probably not be marked "complete." This was not easy. But it was fun. And now, for whatever reason, it's not. I wish it could be fun, throughout the past year and a few months I tried to make it fun, but I could not, as evidenced by a couple incomplete stories.

Circumstances change. People change, to some extent. (Side note: don't believe anyone that tells you people never change because it's not true. If people never changed, we'd all be like we were at 5 years old. Come on. Basic observation skills tell you otherwise.) Archives change. The general crowd around here is different than it was awhile back. Even when I started writing it was different than when the movie was first released and the archive first created.

(I'm gonna brag a little because I worked hard on this, and now that this is the end, I deserve it.)

Speaking of which, most people reading this know who I am, but for those newer writers and readers stumbling across this: HI! I'm Humphrey Loves Kate. I wrote some of the longer stories for this archive a few years ago, when it was younger and prior to the sequels being released. I have two stories in the top ten for most reviewed, one of them also in the top ten for most favorited and followed. I did that with help from my fans, but it was not (entirely) by luck. I studied the archive for awhile, reading stories and following authors to figure out what they did that people liked or didn't like, then I implemented my own unique style coupled with regular updates, to get people to realize I was serious about writing and had some good stuff that deserved at least a click, maybe a read, and hopefully a review. It worked because I worked. I treated this whole thing and ran it like a business, you might even go so far as to call it a brand. And that's why it's where it is today. Yep. I just gave out my secret, for those of you that have asked. That's a summary of it.

But I wanted to make an impact too. I wanted people to read my stories and feel something for characters that in our segment of reality do not exist. I wanted people to be comforted, inspired, and entertained. And I did that, probably even more than I realize. I once got reviews, messages, shoutouts and comments from people that loved my work and were able to enjoy it like I intended. But I think the most groundbreaking memory I have from that treasured list of people is when another reader once on here told me he had printed off a copy of my story… This guy lived thousands of miles away in another country and was reading something I wrote (over 100 pages by the way) late at night under the covers with the door locked because his mom was trying to limit his internet time and exposure to the world. That was just amazing to hear. That was when I knew I was making an impact.

(End brag)

I never told anyone in my family or group of friends about this. I never showed anyone that I actually knew my work. I only wanted people genuinely interested in the subject to be reading it. I didn't want anyone to read these because I was writing it and they wanted to because they wanted to make me happy. This is something secret, something close to my heart, something where people would see me hacking away at a keyboard and ask what I was so diligently working on, to which my response was "Nothing," or "Just some thoughts I have." And with my parents, I would have lost my "computer privileges" if they found out I was writing for strangers on the internet. Back when I first got my own computer and full on internet access, I had to trick my mom into allowing me on the website by showing her a fake story I wanted to post, something she would approve. It was for an archive no one would actually read on another account, but once I had that permission to access the site, I quickly made another account and launched Garth's Story, and the rest is... well, archived.

Hinting at that restrictive environment I was in, you guys really don't know how many other doors this opened for me during my mid and late adolescence. I was so damn sheltered and now watching my younger sisters go through those same years and remain sheltered, I'm so glad I had this to kind of kick start me exploring everything about myself and who I could be. In fact, I don't think I'd be where I am today if it hadn't been for these stories and you guys and your stories, especially my dear friends made here some of whom I remain in contact with, even as personal as over Skype and text messages. Writing here gave me a sense of empowerment that I needed in the environment I was stuck in. Because of these stories, I'm now sitting in Southern California, over two THOUSAND miles from my parents, free, independent, living on my own (well, with roommates), and even SELF EMPLOYED. This made that possible. This gave me the psychological freedom and motivation and power to realize and think I could do anything I worked hard enough to do. This is the reason I am free and though still occasionally depressed, overall more happy than I ever could have been following my parents' plan for me. I joined the furry fandom, realized I'm gay, had a boyfriend (didn't workout), started a few businesses/sources of income, got a part on a TV show, and have just had so many things happen that would not have happened if I had not decided to be me and do what I want and not what my parents wanted.

THANK YOU ALPHA AND OMEGA FANFICTION

I've got a few stories unfinished. I hate to leave them that way, but what are you supposed to do when it's no longer fun for you? It's sad, but it's the truth. I can't make myself finish something I've no longer got a driving passion for. If that passion comes back for whatever reason, you bet I'll be back. But for now, don't count on it.

If anyone wants, you can message me and I will be happy to let you know what my general plot was for the unfinished stories and you are welcome to write them out accordingly or you can put your own plot in there. I only ask that you do not change what I have already written. Just add on and finish it, because the original concept is mine. Copy and paste it to a new story on your account, chapter by chapter, then write out whatever you want next, as close to or as far off from my original plot plan. Who knows: I may swing by and see what you did?

Stories up for alternate completion:

Kate! 4-D (I'd LOVE to see someone finish that.)

Time Does Not Fly

Suppressed Love (Would LOVE to see someone grab this one too. It's got great potential, but I could also mark it as a one shot and it's fine that way too if there is no interest.)

Please message me prior to taking over a story. I won't say no just to say no, but if I have more than one person request to do a particular story, I'll give it to whoever I know more personally, if there is any relationship whatsoever. But who knows, maybe I'll only get requests from some of you new authors I have yet to meet? Once I give you permission to upload and finish the story on your account, I will update the summary on the story on my account to direct traffic over to your account to read the remainder of the story. I will also post a new chapter to said story which states the story is being completed by an alternate user, to direct those subscribed readers who may be anxiously awaiting for an email regarding an update.

If anyone needs to speak to me, go ahead and message. I will be in and out for sure over the next few days. After that, I probably won't come around very often. My stories aren't going anywhere. I want them left up for others to enjoy. I hope to leave legacies. I'm not one of those writers who will just take everything down when they're done and never be seen or heard from again. Enjoy them, share them with anyone you think might like them. Print them off and put them in a binder like that one guy if you love them enough to.

If it makes you feel better, you guys could've lost me to the My Little Pony fandom. (Shots fired.) I'm joking, I have nothing against the pony people and if you enjoy that that's fantastic, it's just interesting how a few of the writers I know said they were leaving and then came back and wrote for My Little Pony, leaving the Alpha and Omega stories untouched. For me, I think Alpha and Omega will be my only interaction with FanFictions. Nothing can top it or compare to it, as far as I'm concerned.

I can't think of and thank everyone personally, but I do want to give a special, public thank you to a dear friend who has helped me and with whom I relatively do keep regular contact with. That friend is AaOWaSaCD4ever. He was my first. My first reader, my first regular reader, and my very first reviewer. Thank you.

My big goal now is to one day have an archive on this website where people are writing thousands of stories about something I've created. Book, movie, TV show…

Something.

I guess I'm off to make an impact and open doors elsewhere.

-Humphrey Loves Kate