Fantaisie
Welcome to the Fantaisie by Michael Kenneth Smith Book Tour hosted by Author Marketing Experts.
In Fantaisie, author Michael Kenneth Smith takes readers deep into post-war Europe, where former allies become spies and trust is a dangerous gamble. Jan Orlinski, a pilot trying to rebuild his life, and Sophie Gordon, a British exile working undercover, become separated by shifting political forces—and must each navigate perilous terrain to reunite.
Review for Fantaisie
Check out the author’s guest post (below), which reflects his meticulous research to bring out the authentic flavor of the book. I’m a World War II historical fiction lover, and until last week, I hadn’t read a post-war story. I found a new addiction!
After the devastation of the war, reading about the hope for the future is inspirational. In this story, a POW attempts to reintegrate into life as he knew it. Now, everything is changed. Again. Intense suspense and amazing characters make the pages fly as I was so immersed in the story. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical fiction.
About the Author
Smith is the author of six historical novels, including the bestselling The Postwoman, which was inspired by the life of a real WWII resistance fighter.
Author’s Guest Post
While researching for Fantaisie, I hit a roadblock trying to accurately portray the mechanics of the two-seater Messerschmitt Bf-109G-12 that plays such a crucial role in Jan and Sophie’s escape. Aviation forums and history books offered conflicting information, and I was struggling to visualize how a fighter pilot accustomed to a Hurricane would adapt to German controls.
My breakthrough came at a small aviation museum outside Paris where they had a partially restored cockpit section. The curator, noticing my intense interest, introduced me to an elderly aviation engineer who had worked on restoring various WWII aircraft. Though he’d never flown them in combat, he understood their mechanical differences intimately.
He spent an afternoon explaining the quirks of the Bf-109’s control systems, even sketching diagrams of the cockpit layout and explaining how the handling would differ from Allied planes. His technical knowledge paired with his storyteller’s ability to convey the sensory experience of these machines transformed what would have been generic flying scenes into something much more authentic.
When the book was nearly finished, I sent him the chapter featuring Jan’s escape flight. His note back simply said, “I could feel the wind through those bullet holes in the wing fabric.” That validation from someone who truly understood these machines meant everything.
Fantaisie Book Tour
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