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The author, known for his popular cozy fantasy books, recently published his third novel in the collection. Called Brigands & Breadknives, the narrative centers on the character Fern when she begins a typical quest after leaving her flourishing bookstore.

A Shift from Cozy Themes

Unlike the prior books in the series, which centered on settling down, Brigands & Breadknives explores the concept of disappointing friends and family. Baldree commented that this story is about grasping to make tough choices that you cherish.

"The novel is regarding mastering to disappoint people whom you love, and understanding to say no," Baldree noted. "I'm writing a distinct story. Are people end up upset? Is it important? Do I have to do my own path to me, although it might upset fans?"

Personal Struggles Shaping the Plot

Baldree noted that his personal challenges have always influenced his books. Before, he had a career in game development, co-creating projects like Torchlight game and the space combat game Rebel Galaxy. The move to leave the gaming world to create audio stories inspired the character Viv's career change in Legends & Lattes.

"I discovered while writing the initial novel that when you write a narrative, you inevitably include a lot of yourself within," the author commented. "Subsequently when the audience react to that, there's an incredible experience of understanding."

Increased Interest of Feel-Good Fantasy

According to Baldree, the popularity of cozy fantasy has grown in recent years, partly due to a longing for escape and personal bonds after the recent health crisis.

"Our world feels a little bit chaotic, and I believe in our entertainment, a lot of us desire something that actually just feels OK," he said. "During COVID, the show Game of Thrones was released, and I felt, 'I'm a fan of Game of Thrones, but I do not want in seeing my beloved characters beheaded.'"

Exploring Different Paths

Although Viv obtained her happy ending in the first book, Travis Baldree felt he would not rip that away from her by making her off from the business. Following Fern provided him the chance to delve into an individual choosing the different route—abandoning a safe life to go on an adventure.

"It's not true that all of your solutions for issues are to open a business and start a cafe," Baldree said. "People are distinct, and more than that, we're each unique at distinct times in our journey. The approach that succeeded for me 10 years ago is not effective for me currently."

Expanding the World

Differing from the prior novels, which were set in cozy communities, Brigands & Breadknives features a road trip that enabled Travis Baldree to develop his imaginary realm without relying on exposition. The quest alongside Astryx and her talking sword Nigel contains deadly poultry, terrible monsters, noble fighters, and a unexpectedly calm temple focused on revering a Cthulhu-like deity.

Future Projects

For his next project, Baldree is stepping into new territory with a literary RPG story currently called Four Bastards & a Baby.

"I've gone through numerous game-lit stories, and currently I have developed views about what I desire in one," Baldree said. "I desire better development. I want an end. Many such stories aim to maintain the status quo, and I reject that."

Returning to the World

Followers of the setting of Legends and Lattes, the author has created a collection of short stories featuring accounts about the baker character the ratkin and Viv's succubus partner the succubus, which will be released in an future collection. He also believes he'll revisit to the setting to explore his journey authoring his latest novel, which is considerably longer and more narrative-focused than his previous novels.

"I plan to write a book about developing a difficult project that was extremely difficult for me to achieve," he says.