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The author, renowned for his popular feel-good fantasy books, just published his latest novel in the series. Called Brigands and Breadknives, the tale focuses on Fern the ratkin as she begins a traditional adventure story after abandoning her flourishing bookstore.

A Shift from Cozy Themes

Unlike the previous books in the series, which highlighted establishing a business, Brigands & Breadknives explores the theme of disappointing friends and family. Baldree commented that this book is concerned with learning to make tough choices who you cherish.

"The novel is concerning learning to let people down that you love, and mastering to say no," the author said. "I am writing a distinct story. Could fans end up disappointed? Is it important? Should I pursue my true passion personally, although it might disappoint others?"

Personal Struggles Influencing the Narrative

The writer mentioned that his own experiences have repeatedly influenced his writing. Previously, he had a career in video game design, developing projects like Torchlight and Rebel Galaxy game. His decision to leave that career to narrate audiobooks inspired the character Viv's life shift in the first book.

"I discovered during the debut story that during writing a story, you inevitably infuse a much of your own experience in the story," Baldree stated. "Subsequently when the audience respond to that, there's this really amazing feeling of connection."

The Rise of Cozy Fantasy

In the words of Travis Baldree, the appeal of cozy fantasy has surged in recent years, to some extent due to a desire for escape and community after the global pandemic.

"Our world appears a somewhat chaotic, and I believe with the media we consume, most of us desire an experience that actually just feels OK," the author noted. "I remember lockdown, the show Game of Thrones came out, and I thought, 'I love it, but I do not want in viewing my beloved characters meet grim fates.'"

Delving Into Different Paths

Although Viv achieved her satisfying conclusion in the first book, the author thought he would not rip that away from her by having her off from the business. Focusing on Fern gave him the opportunity to examine an individual taking the different route—walking away from a safe situation to begin an quest.

"I believe that the only way for issues are to open a business and open a small business," the author stated. "People are different, and furthermore, we're individual at different points in our journey. The approach that succeeded for me 10 years ago fails for me today."

Expanding the World

Unlike the earlier novels, which were set in quiet villages, Brigands & Breadknives features a journey that enabled the author to expand his imaginary realm avoiding lengthy explanations. The adventure alongside Astryx One-Ear and her sentient blade Nigel the sword includes deadly poultry, fearsome creatures, ethical soldiers, and a remarkably peaceful monastery devoted to worshiping a Cthulhu-like god.

Next Endeavors

For his future work, Baldree is moving into new territory with a game-lit story working-titled Four Bastards and a Baby.

"I have read many LitRPGs, and currently I have developed views about my preferences in one," the author explained. "I prefer more characterization. I want an end. A lot of such stories try to avoid change, and I reject that."

Revisiting the Setting

Followers of the universe of Legends & Lattes, the author has written a series of narratives involving tales about the ratkin baker Thimble and Viv's love interest the succubus, which will be issued in an forthcoming anthology. Additionally, he anticipates he'll revisit to the universe to explore his experience authoring his recent story, which is significantly longer and more narrative-focused than his earlier books.

"I'll have a novel about squeezing something into being that was extremely difficult for me to accomplish," he says.