I'm going to leave them up.  With the exception of two: "Love Bites" which has already been adapted and "The Ring"  Oh and I did two little read one shots as well ~ "The Punishing of Hermione Granger" and "Professor Snape Visits the Circus."

I think two adapted full length stories is enough.  And really, it's not fair I take the others down when so many enjoy them. AND . . . lol . . . it's really boring adapting the stories and not adding anything new to them. lololol  I mean, there's so much more I can write with my new characters, things I am free to explore that would have been too much for the limits of the HP universe.

So, the fanfics will stay.  I will have my initial adapted originals to shop, although I'm not sure how well they will do in the erotica genre, simply because there's not a lot of sex in either of them.  What there is is ok, but a lot of the publishers want a bit more.  I might end up taking out all of the smut details and imply it to put the stories in the realm of just fantasy.  But man, I like lemons. lol.  We'll see what happens.

Inversely, I won't be writing any new HG/SS stories.  I think I've gone as far as I can with them.  I've written over 70 in the past two years, and many of them were full length novels.  Loooooong ones.  The settings were becoming more and more different, and the window of creativity smaller and smaller the more I wrote.  I've had to introduce a major influx of original characters to keep the stories fresh.  And I think that shows that I was approaching my Swan Song.

I still love the pairing, but it's become constricted.  I tried moving to another more canon-based Snape in an effort to breathe some new life into my writing, something different and it worked for a short bit, and then I switched their roles, thinking that would give me a goose . . . and it was ok.  Then I started an HG/SS where they are at odds, Death Be Not Unkind."  And then I took the hiatus, and even that didn't really help me.  I finished Twice Bitten and In an Alternate Universe but it wasn't easy to do and at the first plot point that showed an out, I took it.  I did my best to make it satisfying but the old Ms_Figg would have explored them further.

Oh my friends . . . in retrospect, the writing on the wall was always there, wasn't it?  I've grown tired. 

I've reached the finish line and have a new race to run.  It's kind of sad really, because I had all of you running with me in the first race . . . panting together. lolol.  Now,  I only have a few at the starting line with me . . . but that's all right.   All in all it was a great run, wasn't it?

So there will be no new SS/HG fics from me.  It doesn't make sense to write to someone else's characters and not be able to take credit for anything about the story, no matter how far from HP I take it.  As you all know, I have money issues, and although I've appreciated the support of my private areas and animations and books and the site itself,, I've got to do more for myself.  I need a car, I need to be sure I can meet my monthly utilities . . . I have to make an income.  

With my issues, I make a lousy employee for any business.  It's sad, but it's true.  I wouldn't hire me, just because of the absences, those days when I can't get out the door.  Not fair to any employer and it sucks to be fired.  I've gone that route plenty of times.  I've hidden my employment record on so many job applications I can't even count them, but even then I have to tell potential employeers i was sick.  I smartened up though.  I went on an interview last week for Fred's, a little retail shop.  I would have had to stand all day though, and that's hard, and I hate cashier work . . .handling money and such but I was desperate.  It would have been from 8am to 4pm and I could have taken the bus during the week.  It doesn't run on the weekend, but I'm sure I could have come up with something.

I told the interviewer  I was the primary caregiver for three small children and that's why I wasn't working for so long.  That didn't sound as bad as getting sick all the time.  But she did ask me how I supported myself and I had to tell her about receiving SSI and sigh . . . why..  Her whole demeanor changed. I was planning on telling ya'll if I did get the job . . . but . . ::::shrug::::  She  didn't hire me.  There was nothing to tell, but I'm telling you now because that is what helped me come to this decision to start writing original stories.

Sooo. . .

Since the one thing I do with consistency is write,  it makes sense I go in this direction.  I'm now comfortable enough with my writing to think maybe . . . I could write something good and compelling on my own.  My original characters aren't too bad, at least in the HP universe.  Maybe these will be able to stand on their own.   It's nice to think that anyway.   It gives me some hope in a situation that looks hopeless a lot of the time..

I do plan to finish my ongoing stories.  But, and I know some of you are going to freak about this, but I think I'm going to put both "Dark Lady" and "A Turn for the Better" into the plot bunny arena for others to pick up if they want.  That way you may all get the story you want from them.  I don't think I can do it.  I really don't.  The fire's not there anymore. Although I will always love Severus and Hermione, I truly believe I've contributed all I can.  There's probably a million more stories that can be written about the ship, but no one can say I didn't add my share.  And I loved every minute of it.

So, that's all I have to say on the subject.  I hope ya'll can understand it.  Much love. ***  Ruth

Oh and here's the site I'm building my new fantasy world at: ruthrsolomon.com   Drop by :)

A/D: Since the posting of this, I've decided to just let go of the unfinished stories and focus on my original writing.  I've replaced the fanfic stories I took down and am moving forward.  The unfinished stories are now opened for continuance by anyone who likes them enough to want to continue.  They are as of this point, public domain stories.  You can check theburningpen.com to see which are discontinued.  Much love ***

Ruth