Wonderful to hear that a book you enjoyed struck a chord with another reader! I sent my daughter-in-law Naomi’s mom, Helen, the first book in the Maisie Dobbs series. She loved it and passed it on, so now I’m looking forward to sending the second one. I know I’m onto something, because a while ago, Write Group founder and friend Carl read all 12 in the series after I told him about it. Maisie dazy, for sure!
Maisie is a World War I era detective. I learned about her debut on the crime scene years ago when a friend told me that a freelance marketer who once worked for her had just written a novel. Jacqueline Winspear, whose grandfather’s experience in World War I had sparked a keen interest, created Maisie. Compassionate, clever, and cerebral, Maisie quickly gained a devoted readership and Jacqueline had a blossoming new career. What a great story!
As a reader, there’s something so engaging about following a character like Maisie through adventure and adversity. You come to know and admire her strengths, but also see her faults. You enter a world that’s unfamiliar to you and begin to see it through her eyes.
As a writer, from a craft perspective, there are also many benefits to immersing yourself in a writer’s canon. You can watch how he or she handles world building and character development over time. You can begin to analyze writing style as it evolves and matures. You can see how a skilled novelist with a devoted audience uses description to deftly evoke a sense of place.
So often, we flit from one book to another, like bees searching for nectar. I know I do. And yet, there’s real value to staying with an author for a while and reading their work in sequence. I think I’m going to give this a go and see if it nets in some valuable ideas I can use to improve my own craft. Bravo, Jacqueline, write on!
