Historical fiction and high/epic fantasy. I love how historical fiction brings the past to life for readers and creates a world different than the one we experience every day. Fantasy is awesome because of the exciting feel of the fantastical creatures, the adventures, the possibilities, the other-worldness.

C.S. Lewis for his Narnia series, Catherine Marshall for Christy, and Louisa May Allcott for Eight Cousins, Rose in Bloom, and Little Women. All three authors have a way of pulling you in, making the story seem real. Their prose shines and flows, their characters live and breathe. Each author makes me cry, which, to me, is a sign of great writing. It takes great skill to tug someone's heart strings.

That really depends on the book itself. The shortest amount of time was four months, and the longest was thirteen. Characters, plot, theme, and research all contribute to the time spent.