Barbara H.

Barbara H. asked Jacqueline Winspear:

What inspired you to write the Maisie Dobbs series? Is Maisie modeled after somebody that you have known? The way in which your characters continue to develop in each new book is really what makes them so compelling. Are they representative of people that you know are simply characters that you have created out of thin air?!

Jacqueline Winspear Hello Barbara, As quite a few people are asking the same question, I thought it would be best if I gave you a link to my website, to a page where I talk about the genesis of Maisie Dobbs. Frankly, she is not modeled on any given person, but was inspired by an extraordinary generation of women in Britain - the first generation of women to go to war in great numbers in modern times. Here are a couple of links - I hope you enjoy them, as I've included an article I wrote about the women of Britain in WW1:

http://jacquelinewinspear.com/A%20Con...

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles...

More Answered Questions

Carolinecarver

Carolinecarver asked Jacqueline Winspear:

How did you decide to choose WWI as your setting and time? It's lovely to watch Maisie's transition from young, tentative child to confident investigator. Did you have this in mind from the beginning or has she evolved as you started writing? The crime map is important to the cases; do you use a story map to plot your books?

Colleen Baker

Colleen Baker asked Jacqueline Winspear:

Hi Jacqueline..First I want to thank you for the many hours of pleasurable reading I have had with your books. Love them all. My question is simple. When will you travel to the Boise, Idaho area on a book tour? Ok, I lied. One more question. How many people at any given time are researching the clothing, the attitudes and morals of the different time periods in your books? Thank you for your time. And never

Sharon Robinson

Sharon Robinson asked Jacqueline Winspear:

I appreciate the historical background of your works. Does your historical research inform the direction you go with Maisie? Or does her growth determine the history you choose?

All answers from Jacqueline Winspear…

Jacqueline Winspear

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