Living The Next Chapter – E683: Anson Joaquin – Author of Post-Apocalyptic Science Fiction and Epic Fantasy (The Infernal Age series)

Podcast Host: Dave Campbell
Guest: Anson Joaquin
Air Date: March 6, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode of Living The Next Chapter delves into the creative journey of Anson Joaquin, author of the post-apocalyptic epic fantasy series, The Infernal Age. Host Dave Campbell invites Anson to share his path from inspired dream to accomplished author, his approach to blending genres, the intricacies of character construction, and practical insights for aspiring writers.

The conversation touches on Anson’s inspirations, writing process, the challenging aspects of crafting dark yet engaging fiction, practical advice on feedback and revision, and behind-the-scenes glimpses into the publishing and marketing journeys. Listeners will also learn about Anson’s vision for the future—both for the Infernal Age series and for himself beyond writing.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Anson’s Path to Authorship and Early Inspirations

• Childhood Immersion in Genre Fiction

  • Anson's love for science fiction and fantasy began with his mother reading The Lord of the Rings, Chronicles of Narnia, and The Sword of Shannara during childhood.
  • Writing was always “the plan,” but the true spark originated from a vivid dream as an adult.

    “...one night I had a particularly vivid dream of a guy on fire with an axe fighting demons in sort of the real world... the next morning when I woke up, I just started writing things down about the dream...”
    —Anson (04:19)

• Developing the Idea into a Book

  • He initially jotted world-building concepts and quickly amassed ten pages that set the groundwork for his universe.

• Process vs. Inspiration: Pantser to Plotter

  • Anson initially considered himself a “pantser” (writing by the seat of his pants) but realized, through trial and error and craft education, that he thrived as an outliner and plotter.
  • He emphasizes the need for structure, especially when balancing family and a day job.

    “For me, outlining and sort of thinking about the plot arc, and then slowly building in elements... That’s really a key element for me.”
    —Anson (06:38)

[05:00 – Early creative journey]

2. Daily Writing Ritual and Creative Habits

• Writing Routine

  • Writes early in the mornings, setting deliberate targets for each session.

  • Finds value in ruminating on scenes during his commute, allowing the story to develop in his mind.

    “Usually it's actually helpful to go away on the drive to work... That's where you come up with the elements that actually, that readers get excited about.”
    —Anson (08:48)

[08:34 – On writing in the mornings and letting ideas simmer]

3. The Genesis and Mood of The Infernal Age Series

• Genre Blending and Tone

  • The series is a blend of science fiction, fantasy, and horror—distinctly adult, dark in tone, but with intentional moments of levity and deep character interaction.
  • Primarily post-apocalyptic, featuring massive societal changes, demon invasions, and altered physical laws.

    “It’s post apocalyptic… it is truly apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic. It contemplates, and it shows, massive loss of human life and change of the physical laws in the world…”
    —Anson (13:36)

• Comparative Touchstones

  • Readers can look for echoes of The Mist by Stephen King and Dies the Fire by S.M. Stirling.

    “I think the closest comps are The Mist by Stephen King and Dies of the Fire by Stirling.”
    —Anson (18:08)

• Aiming for Balance

  • Strives to avoid “darkness for the sake of darkness.” Character-driven dialogue, pop culture, and philosophical themes offer variety and relatability.

[13:36 – Explaining the world and genre]
[18:08 – Comparable stories/authors]

4. Craft and Narrative Style

• Third Person Limited Point of View
  • Prefers third person limited over omniscient or first person, allowing the reader to see the world through a specific character’s eyes while not being fully “inside” their heads.

    “From third person limited, you have that third person viewpoint, but you're limited to the experiences of one of the characters...”
    —Anson (19:42)

[19:35 – POV discussion]

5. Character Deep Dive

• Main Characters

  • Gabriel: Ex-military, works as a “fixer” for a secretive government agency.
  • Tam Sinclair: Scientist-ombudsman; a skeptical observer tasked with managing risk and consequences.
  • Sarah: Civilian from the afflicted town, brings a personal, ground-level perspective to the chaos.
  • Hackrix: A demon whose perspective, initially limited to a single chapter, became a fan favorite and more significant via beta reader feedback.

    “Setting Hackrix loose on Earth and showing the reader how this creature was experiencing Earth… was a lot of fun to write… chilling and scary…”
    —Anson (01:00, repeated at 26:40)

• Beta Reader Impact

  • Anson expanded Hackrix’s role after majority beta reader requests—a turning point in his openness to reader feedback.

    “At first, every time I got feedback, my initial reaction was, oh, but that changes my voice… Eventually it stuck that… if you're bothering to write a book, it's to other people. It's not just to yourself.”
    —Anson (28:06, 29:23)

[21:31 – 29:23 Character introductions and beta feedback]

6. Feedback, Editing, and Growth as an Author

• Learning from Critique

  • Initially resistant, Anson learned to embrace critique as essential to writing for an audience, not just himself.
  • The editing process and reader insight now form a cornerstone of his approach.

    “Now I consider [feedback] perhaps the most important part of the book creation process…”
    —Anson (29:23)

• Process Evolution

  • Book two benefited from lessons learned: streamlined outlining, more dynamic arcs, and improved pacing and character development.

    “Book two is better. Certainly a lot more. There's more action, there's more doubt, there's more, you know, self doubt. And there's more, you know, fighting, and there's more romance and there's more everything.”
    —Anson (33:03)

[31:03 – On learning and evolving]

7. Series Planning and Writing Strategy

• Endgame in Mind
  • Plans for The Infernal Age involve 5–6 books, with major plot and character arcs mapped to their conclusions.
  • Avoids writing aimlessly by ensuring each installment contributes to the eventual ending.

    “Yeah, I have the final book in mind, sort of the main thing that happens in it at least... those things of course have to be set up in previous books and then the character arcs also have to…”
    —Anson (34:28)

[33:56 – 37:38 Series structure and the importance of having an end goal]

8. Marketing, Publishing, and Author Platform

• The Reality Beyond Writing

  • Initially envisioned the traditional publishing route but soon realized the necessity of learning self-publishing and marketing.
  • Found guidance in author Travis Baldree’s blog; created his own spreadsheet tracking 60 publication and marketing tasks.

    “There's so much on there that I had not thought about before and was interested to learn about myself.”
    —Anson (39:08)

• Website and Outreach

  • Anson’s website offers blogs, book info, and series updates—a hub for readers and fellow writers.
  • He’s now expanding distribution beyond Amazon to platforms like Apple Books via Draft2Digital.

[39:08 – 43:11 Building an author platform and business awareness]

9. Hopes for the Future

• Media Adaptation Dreams
  • Hopes for either a graphic novel adaptation or a prestige television series in the future.

    “Of course, I definitely see it as a prestige television show. But the first thing that really came to me was this would be a kickass graphic novel.”
    —Anson (42:00)

[42:00 – Anson discusses his aspirations for adaptations]

10. Living His Next Chapter – Life Outside Writing

• Balancing Act

  • Anson juggles parenting four young children with his writing and day job, finding equilibrium between creative pursuits and family life.

    “My kids are 11, 9, 6, and 4… Soccer and lacrosse, and basketball season is just starting… Back away, four [kids] is enough for me.”
    —Anson (43:11)

• Audiobook Success

  • Audiobooks, narrated by John Perala (an Audie Award nominee), have become the series' best-selling format.

    “The audiobook version is by far my best seller. And I think John's a big reason for that…”
    —Anson (43:11)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Taking Feedback (28:06):

  "...my initial reaction was, oh, but that changes my voice. I don't... you're not getting it. And I... would fight back against, or at least silently to myself, against this feedback... Eventually it stuck that... there are a lot of ways to tell stories and if you're bothering to write a book, it's to other people... so you should listen to other people and... take their experiences into account."

• On Series Planning (34:28):

  "Yeah, I have the final book in mind, sort of the main thing that happens in it at least. And then actually some other things that I want to happen during the series that I'm very excited about getting to. And so those things, of course, have to be set up in previous books ..."

• On Balancing Darkness and Realism (13:36):

  "I don't like darkness for the sake of darkness. But, you know, the darkness, for me, anyway, lends an air of believability…"

• On Dreaming Big (42:00):

  "Of course, yeah, I definitely see it as a prestige television show. But the first thing that really came to me was this would be a kickass graphic novel..."

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 04:19 – The dream that sparked the series
• 06:38 – Discovering the right writing process
• 08:34 – Balancing daily writing with family and work
• 13:36 – Introducing the series’ setting, tone, and genre
• 18:08 – Comparable books and influences
• 19:35 – On narrative point of view (third person limited)
• 21:31 – Main character introductions
• 26:40 – Hackrix the demon: from one chapter to fan favorite
• 28:06 – Learning to accept and implement feedback
• 31:03 – How book one lessons shaped book two
• 33:56 – Thinking in series: having an endgame
• 39:08 – Building the author platform and marketing
• 42:00 – TV and graphic novel aspirations
• 43:11 – Living the next chapter: balancing writing and family

Conclusion

Anson Joaquin’s episode offers an authentic and insightful look at the realities of writing, revising, and publishing in today’s evolving literary landscape. He candidly shares the importance of process, feedback, and perseverance, while illustrating the joy of bringing dark, thoughtful fiction to readers and always keeping an eye on the next chapter—both in his books and in his life.

Find more on Anson Joaquin at: [Anson's website – see show notes]
Follow Living The Next Chapter: Podcast Website