I'm Not a Murderer!

I've been reading a lot lately on how many books is best to release a year. This is my debut year and I released five. It was exhausting. I already have two contracted for 2014 (Feudlings in Smoke and the prequel, Spark of a Feudling). I have two I'm writing right now and another beating down my brain for space.
One of the biggest things I've noticed is that many people say that authors release so many books a year for the money, or to keep their fan base, or for a gazillion other reasons. And I was thinking, "hmmm. Self? Why do we (yes, I refer to myself as we. I also have a nickname for myself that isn't 'self', but it's a secret) release so many books a year?" At first, I thought it was because I was trying to keep my fan base.
But no, that wasn't it. I have a pretty small fan base but they are very loyal. So...why? WHY must I write until three am every night?
It's the stories. I write because I have so many stories in my head and I want to get them out. But NOT for the reason most people do. See, I'm very forgetful. VERY forgetful. I blame lupus. Or children. Or...something else.
Ahem.
Anyway, even when I write stories down, I'm afraid I'll forget them. If I forget them, I can't tell the character's story and I don't bring the characters to life. If I don't bring the characters to life, then I'm killing them. And I am NOT A MURDERER!
So, I write. Like the wind. Because there are a gazillion characters in my head that are begging to be spared.