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...

flag