🔗 Share this article

The author, known for his bestselling cozy fantasy stories, recently launched his latest installment in the series. Named Brigands and Breadknives, this story focuses on Fern as she begins a classic adventure story following leaving her thriving bookshop.

A Shift from Familiar Territory

Unlike the earlier books in the series, which highlighted establishing a business, Brigands and Breadknives delves into the concept of letting down loved ones. The author commented that the novel is focused on grasping to disappoint people that you value.

"The novel is about understanding to say no that you care about, and learning to decline," Baldree explained. "I am working on a distinct story. Are people end up disappointed? Does it matter? Must I follow what's most important to me, though it may upset fans?"

Personal Struggles Shaping the Narrative

Baldree noted that his personal challenges have consistently influenced his books. Earlier, he was involved in video game design, designing projects like the game Torchlight and the space combat game Rebel Galaxy. The move to step away from game design to produce audiobooks led to the character Viv's career change in Legends & Lattes.

"I discovered during the debut story that as you write a story, you can't help but put a personal elements within," Baldree said. "Subsequently when the audience react to that, there's an incredible feeling of shared experience."

The Rise of Comfort Fantasy

According to Baldree, the rise of cozy fantasy has grown in the past few years, in part due to a wish for escape and personal bonds in the wake of the recent health crisis.

"The world seems a slightly chaotic, and I believe in our entertainment, most of us desire a story that actually just feels OK," he said. "I remember lockdown, the show Game of Thrones was released, and I thought, 'I'm a fan of it, but I do not want in seeing my preferred characters killed off.'"

Exploring Alternative Routes

Whereas Viv obtained her happy ending in Legends & Lattes, Travis Baldree believed he should not remove that from her by having her out from the business. Centering on Fern offered him the opportunity to delve into someone choosing the opposite path—leaving a safe situation to embark on an journey.

"It's not true that every answer for challenges are to open a business and start a cafe," Baldree said. "Everybody's unique, and additionally, we're individual at different points in our journey. The approach that succeeded for me a decade ago fails for me currently."

Building the Universe

In contrast to the earlier stories, which were set in cozy communities, Brigands & Breadknives involves a road trip that permitted Travis Baldree to develop his imaginary realm eschewing lengthy explanations. Fern's journey with the elf warrior and her sentient blade Nigel the sword contains violent fowl, fearsome creatures, honorable mercenaries, and a surprisingly chill sanctuary dedicated to revering a eldritch god.

Upcoming Works

For his future work, the author is stepping even further afield with a literary RPG tale tentatively titled Four Bastards & a Baby.

"I have read numerous LitRPG books, and now I have formed opinions about what I desire in such a book," Baldree explained. "I prefer better development. I prefer a conclusion. A lot of these books want to maintain the status quo, and I don't want that."

Returning to the World

Enthusiasts of the setting of Legends and Lattes, Travis Baldree has created a collection of tales featuring accounts about the ratkin baker the ratkin and Viv's love interest the succubus, which will be published in an upcoming anthology. Moreover, he expects he'll come back to the setting to grapple with his process authoring his recent story, which is much longer and more story-oriented than his prior novels.

"There will be a story about squeezing something into being that was incredibly tough for you to accomplish," he says.