🔗 Share this article

Travis Baldree, known for his popular cozy fantasy novels, recently published his latest book in the set. Titled Brigands & Breadknives, the narrative focuses on Fern as she begins a typical fantasy adventure subsequent to walking away from her flourishing bookstore.

A Shift from Familiar Territory

Unlike the prior novels in the set, that centered on building a life, Brigands & Breadknives delves into the idea of letting down people you care about. The author stated that this book is about learning to make tough choices that you care about.

"The novel is regarding learning to disappoint people that you value, and learning to decline," he noted. "I am working on a distinct story. Will readers be let down? Is it important? Must I follow my true passion for myself, though it could alienate someone?"

Life Challenges Shaping the Narrative

Travis Baldree noted that his personal experiences have repeatedly influenced his writing. Before, he worked in video game design, developing projects like the game Torchlight and Rebel Galaxy game. His decision to leave the gaming world to produce audio stories led to the character Viv's career change in Legends and Lattes.

"I discovered with the first book that during writing a narrative, you unavoidably put a much of your own experience in the story," Baldree commented. "Then when readers react to that, there's an incredible moment of connection."

Increased Interest of Feel-Good Fantasy

According to Baldree, the appeal of comfort fantasy has grown in the past few years, to some extent due to a desire for relief and personal bonds in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Society seems a slightly in turmoil, and I feel with the media we consume, a lot of us want an experience that actually just feels OK," he said. "I recall lockdown, Game of Thrones premiered, and I was like, 'I love the show, but I do not want in viewing my favorite characters killed off.'"

Delving Into Different Paths

While Viv achieved her happy ending in the first book, the author thought he would not remove that from her by having her off from the cafe. Focusing on Fern provided him the possibility to examine someone taking the reverse journey—walking away from a comfortable existence to embark on an quest.

"I believe that the only way for life's problems are to open a business and open a small business," he stated. "Everybody's different, and furthermore, we're each unique at distinct times in our life. The approach that succeeded for me 10 years ago is not effective for me currently."

Expanding the World

In contrast to the earlier books, which were located in small towns, Brigands and Breadknives involves a travel narrative that enabled Travis Baldree to expand his fantasy world eschewing lengthy explanations. The adventure accompanied by Astryx and her talking sword the sword Nigel includes killer chickens, fearsome creatures, honorable mercenaries, and a surprisingly chill monastery dedicated to honoring a cosmic entity.

Future Projects

Regarding his next project, Travis Baldree is stepping beyond familiar ground with a game-lit tale currently called Four Bastards and a Baby.

"I have read numerous LitRPGs, and currently I have developed thoughts about what I want in one," the author commented. "I prefer more characterization. I prefer a conclusion. A lot of these books try to maintain the status quo, and I don't want that."

Future Stories

Followers of the setting of the original book, Travis Baldree has created a series of narratives involving stories about the ratkin baker Thimble the baker and Viv's succubus partner Tandri the character, which will be released in an forthcoming compilation. Moreover, he expects he'll return to the setting to explore his process authoring his recent story, which is significantly longer and more story-oriented than his earlier books.

"I plan to write a book about developing a difficult project that was incredibly tough for me to achieve," Baldree notes.