I started off reading only literary fiction but then grew tired of it. One day I discovered chick lit and women's fiction and realized that this was what I loved reading and wanted to write.
Every year I try my hand at Nanowrimo. I've come close to finishing--the first time I finished my 50000 words on the day after the deadline--but the last few years work has got in the way. Still planning on doing it this year.
I usually end up writing about mixed race couples. I think this is because I am part of a mixed race marriage and the experiences I've had because of being a part of it need to be shared in some way.
Most of my short stories and unpublished novels are set in Philadelphia. However, I have ventured away from Philly with stories set in Vermont, Edinburgh, Richmond and Stockholm.