I'm an American, have been married for "a long time", and have a son and a daughter, so to me the characters are like sons and daughters. I like to study history and science, and I usually don't write (or talk) unless I have something to say, so I tend to be serious. Rather than seeking plot ideas, I wait until I am moved to address a particular topic. That makes it harder to produce something on demand for contests and challenges. Oh well!