My next book, The Driftcap Inn, is coming soon. It’s book one in the Innkeepers of Itharos series of standalones. The book is a cozy fantasy, albeit one with a little more danger than some other books in the genre. I of course have loved the genre’s growing popularity. I love the whimsy cozy fantasy allows for and the stories of those who tend to be overlooked in fantasy. As the great wizard Gandalf once said, “It’s the act of everyday people that keeps the darkness at bay.” Cozy fantasy lets us read about those people and how they fight the darkness, reminding us that even small acts can make a big difference. I can’t wait to see how the genre evolves and what future sub genres might emerge from it. However, there are a few features that really drew me to this genre as both a reader and a writer. And with a series of standalones about innkeepers ahead of me, I’ve been thinking hard about what I want to explore in the genre.
First up, let’s talk about what cozy fantasy is. The genre tends to be categorized as books with low stakes, and character-driven stories that often focus on community. The genre can also be whimsical with slice-of-life vibes. The genre is comforting, warm, and healing. Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree brought the genre into the mainstream. What exactly counts as cozy I feel can vary from reader to reader, making the genre a little hard to define at times. So from here on out, I’m discussing what is cozy to me personally about the genre.
I admit I gravitate more toward books with personal stakes over purely low stakes. I think sometimes personal stakes can be mistaken as low stakes because they don’t involve saving a whole kingdom. I also enjoy a little bit of danger and being up against something that isn’t your typical fantasy villain. For example there is no single human villain in The Driftcap Inn for Eino to thwart, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t danger to overcome. Despite that danger, there are still cozy moments that let us breathe and explore the characters.
The funny thing about the genre is that in other genres I tend to prefer plot driven books. Cozy fantasy is more character driven, and I think what draws me to that is the focus more on the everyday people or retired heroes. The fantasy genre tired me out on nobility and royalty. So why not read about commoners or anyone below noble status? After all I’m a commoner. That makes cozy fantasy easy to relate to for me and gives me a chance to explore the people who would be unimportant side characters in other fantasy genres.
It’s not just about people with commoner status either. The genre tends to have a focus on cozy things like food or the quiet, peaceful moments in life. Aspects that can get overlooked in other books when the high stakes don’t let you slow down and enjoy those descriptions. A cozy cafe may not be important in the grand scheme of a world, but for people like me those places help us get through the week just like the characters in the books. Plus as a foodie I love the food descriptions and including recipes in the back of my books. I can’t travel to Mount Doom with Frodo, but I can enjoy the same sorts of food as him.
A few tropes that are popular in the genre greatly appeal to me, especially found family and retired adventurers. When I was in college I had major wanderlust. Some days I still do, but I appreciate the perks of staying home more now. While I used to want to read about young heroes setting out into the world for the first time, I sometimes find those looking to return home or find somewhere to settle into a quieter life more relatable. Found family is a comforting reminder that community can be found even if you aren’t born into it. The sense of belonging that comes with the genre can be very healing.
Overall, cozy fantasy means the same thing as a hobbit hole to me: comfort. That comfort comes in a wide variety of stories, but they all leave me feeling content and optimistic. That makes the genre the perfect choice for when I need a pick-me-up or an escape from my troubles. It also has me excited at all the story possibilities ahead of me when it comes to writing about innkeepers who inhabit the world of Itharos.