Thank you to Travis for the interview. Legends & Lattes hooked me into the sub genre of cosy fantasy that I’m loving exploring.

Interview

What was your inspiration for Legends and Lattes?
Originally it was a joke! I read a lot of high intensity fantasy/sci-fi action adventure, and I said to myself that what I’d like to read is a Hallmark movie set in the Forgotten Realms – and then when it came time to write it, I ended up writing in earnest.

What was your process for writing Legends and Lattes and Bookshops and Bonedust?
I write an outline in plain english that tells the basic story, chapter by chapter – and then I write a chapter a day until it’s done (if everything goes well!)

What drew you to writing a cosy fantasy?
I really enjoy sweet romance and a wide variety of other genres, and as a narrator, my reading tends to become fairly confined. I wanted to write what I wanted to read at the time – being in the dark heart of COVID made the idea of a coffee shop populated with people I wanted to hang out with VERY escapist fantasy for me.

How did you choose which character to focus for the points of view? 
I tend to favor a single, strong point of view – and I knew what the story was about. Someone in their 40’s, deciding to change the course of their life and career when it seems especially difficult to do so, and moving to a new city and discovering a new community. Those are very relatable to me!

How do you go about creating a new world to explore and share with readers?
With these books, the job is to bring the fantasy world to you – there are a lot of well worn traditions and elements that the stories trade upon so that they can be comfortable to slip into, like well-loved clothes. I have my own specific, unique worldbuilding, but it tends to be around the edges, although the more I write the more I’ll allow it to come to the fore. This has already begun with Bookshops & Bonedust.
I’m also a big fan of standalone series, like Terry Pratchett’s work. You can read them in any order, but your view of the world and its people fills in over time all the same.

What is your approach to world and character building?
I think character comes first for me. I like to think that every character could be the main character. If there’s not enough raw material there for one, then maybe they shouldn’t be a character at all.

How would you describe Legends and Lattes in five words?
You can change your path.

Did you have a favourite moment to write?
I’m perversely a big fan of writing action scenes – the fire was easily the highlight.

What was your favourite book growing up?
This is hard! When I was very young… Nicobobinus by Terry Jones

Do you have a favourite genre to read?
I tend toward speculative fiction, but I like almost EVERYTHING.