Danae Dracht asked Jonathan Stroud:

I read your books when I was 12 years old. 10 years later, I confess I still think of Bartimaeus whenever I see a hawk flying overhead. Your work impacted me as a young author. I have you to thank for instilling the urge to think and write creatively. This urge stays with me. What/who was your greatest inspiration for the trilogy? How did you approach the writing process?

Jonathan Stroud Thanks for your kind words! Delighted to have had an effect! Greatest inspiration? Hmmm.... Bartimaeus is definitely related to those trickster heroes of mythology, who do good almost despite themselves. How about Monkey from the Chinese tale? I read that 20 years ago and have never forgotten it. With Bart I just let his voice guide me - I wrote my way into the plot, following his lead.

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