🔗 Share this article

The author, known for his acclaimed comfort fantasy stories, recently launched his latest book in the series. Named Brigands & Breadknives, the narrative centers on the character Fern while she embarks on a traditional adventure story subsequent to walking away from her successful bookshop.

A Departure from Cozy Themes

In contrast to the earlier books in the series, that highlighted settling down, Brigands and Breadknives explores the concept of disappointing friends and family. Baldree stated that this book is focused on learning to disappoint people that you care about.

"This book is concerning understanding to let people down who you love, and learning to decline," he noted. "I'm creating something different. Could fans be let down? Does it matter? Should I pursue what's most important for myself, even if it may upset fans?"

Life Challenges Informing the Plot

The writer noted that his personal challenges have repeatedly shaped his stories. Before, he worked in game development, designing titles like Torchlight game and the space combat game Rebel Galaxy. The move to leave that career to create audiobooks resulted in the character Viv's career change in Legends and Lattes.

"I realized while writing the initial novel that as you write a story, you unavoidably put a much of your own experience within," the author said. "Subsequently when readers react to that, there's this really amazing experience of shared experience."

Increased Interest of Cozy Fantasy

According to Baldree, the appeal of feel-good stories has surged in the past few years, to some extent due to a wish for escapism and community in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Society seems a somewhat on fire, and I feel in our entertainment, most of us want an experience that actually just feels OK," Baldree explained. "I remember lockdown, the show Game of Thrones premiered, and I was like, 'I'm a fan of it, but I have no interest in viewing my beloved characters killed off.'"

Examining Alternative Routes

While Viv obtained her happy ending in Legends and Lattes, Baldree felt he would not rip that away from her by sending her out from the coffee shop. Centering on Fern provided him the opportunity to delve into a character embarking on the reverse journey—leaving a comfortable situation to embark on an quest.

"I believe that the only way for challenges are to stay put and open a small business," Baldree remarked. "Everybody's unique, and furthermore, we're all different at various stages in our lives. The solution that worked for me 10 years ago fails for me now."

Building the Universe

Unlike the previous stories, which were set in cozy communities, Brigands & Breadknives involves a travel narrative that allowed Baldree to flesh out his fictional universe eschewing exposition. Fern's journey with Astryx and her chatty weapon Nigel the sword contains violent fowl, terrible monsters, ethical soldiers, and a surprisingly chill sanctuary dedicated to honoring a Cthulhu-like entity.

Upcoming Works

In terms of his upcoming book, Travis Baldree is venturing beyond familiar ground with a LitRPG tale currently called Four Bastards and a Baby.

"I've gone through hundreds of LitRPG books, and at this point I have established views about what I want in such a book," the author said. "I want more characterization. I like resolution. A lot of LitRPGs want to stay on the treadmill, and I do not desire that."

Future Stories

Enthusiasts of the world of Legends and Lattes, the author has authored a set of narratives including accounts about the ratkin baker Thimble the baker and Viv's succubus partner Tandri, which will be published in an forthcoming collection. He also anticipates he'll come back to the world to address his process creating his recent story, which is much lengthier and more story-oriented than his earlier works.

"There will be a book about developing a difficult project that was extremely difficult for you to do," he says.