Set during a time when global alliances were shifting and secrets became weapons, Fantaisie by Michael Kenneth Smith follows a dangerous transcontinental mission and a covert intelligence operation that puts everything at risk. With Sophie Gordon imprisoned and Jan Orlinski racing against time, the novel explores what it takes to find freedom in an unstable world.
Michael Kenneth Smith has written six historical novels, including the acclaimed The Postwoman. His work blends historical depth with stories of survival and human connection.
Author 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.
