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The author, renowned for his popular cozy fantasy novels, recently launched his latest book in the collection. Called Brigands & Breadknives, this story follows the character Fern as she starts a typical fantasy adventure subsequent to leaving her successful bookshop.

A Change from Familiar Territory

Differing from the previous novels in the set, that centered on establishing a business, Brigands & Breadknives explores the theme of disappointing people you care about. The author explained that the novel is about learning to make tough choices who you value.

"This story is about understanding to disappoint people whom you love, and mastering to refuse," Baldree explained. "I am working on something different. Could fans end up upset? Should I care? Must I pursue what's most important to me, though it could disappoint others?"

Personal Struggles Shaping the Plot

The writer explained that his individual experiences have always influenced his books. Before, he worked in video game design, co-creating games like Torchlight and Rebel Galaxy game. The choice to abandon the gaming world to narrate audio stories inspired the character Viv's career change in the first book.

"I found with the initial novel that during writing a narrative, you can't help but infuse a personal elements in the story," Baldree commented. "And when other people react to that, there's a wonderful feeling of shared experience."

Increased Interest of Feel-Good Fantasy

As per Baldree, the rise of comfort fantasy has grown in recent years, in part due to a desire for relief and community following the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The world appears a little bit chaotic, and I believe in our entertainment, many people want an experience that actually just feels OK," Baldree explained. "I recall the pandemic, Game of Thrones premiered, and I was like, 'I'm a fan of Game of Thrones, but I do not want in watching my favorite characters beheaded.'"

Exploring Different Paths

Although Viv achieved her happy ending in Legends and Lattes, Baldree thought he couldn't remove that from her by sending her away from the cafe. Focusing on Fern offered him the chance to delve into an individual embarking on the different route—leaving a comfortable existence to embark on an adventure.

"I believe that the only way for issues are to stay put and open a small business," he remarked. "Each person is distinct, and additionally, we're each unique at distinct times in our lives. What worked for me previously doesn't work for me currently."

Expanding the World

In contrast to the earlier novels, which were located in small towns, Brigands and Breadknives features a travel narrative that allowed Baldree to flesh out his imaginary realm without relying on lengthy explanations. The quest accompanied by Astryx One-Ear and her talking sword the sword Nigel features violent fowl, terrible monsters, noble fighters, and a unexpectedly calm sanctuary devoted to worshiping a cosmic entity.

Next Endeavors

In terms of his future work, Travis Baldree is venturing even further afield with a literary RPG tale tentatively titled Four Bastards & a Baby.

"I've gone through hundreds of LitRPGs, and now I have developed opinions about my preferences in one," he said. "I prefer deeper characters. I prefer a conclusion. A lot of LitRPGs try to maintain the status quo, and I do not desire that."

Returning to the World

Followers of the setting of the original book, the author has authored a series of tales involving accounts about the ratkin baker Thimble the baker and Viv's companion Tandri, which will be released in an future anthology. Moreover, he expects he'll revisit to the universe to grapple with his experience writing his latest novel, which is considerably more extensive and more story-oriented than his prior books.

"I plan to write a book about developing a difficult project that was extremely difficult for me to accomplish," Baldree notes.