In addition, Barker's grandfather was a WWI survivor. He had been bayonetted by a German soldier whom he managed to shoot before the German soldier had a chance to twist the bayonet and cause severe internal damage and almost certain death. Barker's grandfather did not reveal the extent of his Great War memories until near his death because he could not cope with the emotions which resurfaced when he thought about the battlefields and being in action.

When Barker first began to write, she attended an Avron Foundation course taught by Angela Carter. (Carter is best known for her use of magic realism in her writing.) Carter encouraged Barker to write about the subjects she knew best but Carter's influence can also be seen in Regeneration in the use of black humour, quasi-vaudevillian vignettes and earthy physicality. Regeneration was Barker's 'breakthrough' novel and proved that she could draw finely balanced male characters and appeal to her readers across the board.