Black Focus Q&A: Marvellous Michael Anson

Could you tell us about your publishing journey and about Firstborn of the Sun?

At 21, I self-published His Dark Reflection, my first suspense thriller novel about a family grieving the death of their son while their daughter tries to figure out which parent that killed him. After that, I spent a few years exploring and writing poetry, the perfect training ground for my next project. The idea that birthed Firstborn of the Sun, my Yoruba-inspired epic fantasy novel, was first formed on a plane crossing the Sahara. Outside my window were snow-capped mountains with the snow creeping down on all sides and overlaying the red-hot sand dunes beneath. It felt fantastical, almost magical, and that image held in my mind long enough for me to create a world as intriguing as the sight I’d seen. It was the perfect balance of two extremes, hot and cold. My burning question was this: if humans could represent two sides of those extremes like two sides of the same coin, how, if ever, could they find such balance and harmony—knowing ourselves, as humans, to be so fickle? In May 2023, I signed with my agent, and in October, we sold the trilogy in a 48-hour pre-empt to Penguin Michael Joseph.

Why did you self-publish your first book? 

I self-published my first book because I didn’t have the right information, resources or skills to go through the steps required to get a traditional publishing deal. It was the only option available to me then. I’m grateful for the experience because even now, with a traditional publisher, I’ve acquired many skills that self-published authors must learn to succeed. You are the publisher and the author, the business and the creative, and this means wearing many hats and picking up the survival skills needed to stand out in an oversaturated market. While there is significantly more support in the traditional publishing world, my team is often impressed by the transferable skills I bring to my work and the series’ project management.

Your series is influenced by Yoruba culture—why did you decide to explore this? 

In Yoruba culture, it’s the responsibility of the oldest family member to share stories, traditions, and tales of all kinds that have been passed on from older generations. So I grew up listening to my grandmother as she shared many such stories about heroes and villains, gods and mythical creatures that make up the foundation of our culture. As I began laying the groundwork for what would be my first fantasy novel, it was only natural for me to work with what I knew best. Yoruba culture is as vibrant as it is dramatic. The language itself
is intricately built to be spoken in a balance of preciseness and subtlety: a perfect backdrop to the fantastical and mythical deserts of Oru, the kingdom where my characters come to life.

You have a great working relationship with your agent Kesia Lupo at The Bindery Agency—what has it been like working together? 

I’m always so grateful for Kesia. I recently realised that I’d queried her on her first day as an agent, and she was one of the last agents I queried, too. She requested to read my full manuscript within 24 hours and had an offer for me within two weeks. From our first call, she was brilliant, showing her expertise in the publishing industry, the care and passion with which she would support me and my books, and her ambition for us both. I wanted a partner that I could trust with my career and who understood that being part of what the world considers to be a minority group would come with its own unique challenges.

You have documented your writing and publishing journey extensively on your website—what would you like to highlight to fellow writers? 

At the start of my publishing journey, I had very little information about how the industry worked and how to get past the gatekeepers. I speak to many new writers with big dreams and have spent time writing a story but not following through on identifying the right next steps. The business of writing takes a lot of discipline, especially because organisations that push out our work are often full of non-creatives. So you often have to switch hats when navigating the world as a career author. My goal with the writer’s corner of my blog is to show how I navigate this, the ups and downs, and hopefully help as many writers avoid the same pitfalls.

Firstborn of the Sun will be published by Michael Joseph in 2025. It is the first in an ambitious fantasy trilogy set in a world inspired by Yoruba myths and histories. It was shortlisted for the 2022 Kit de Waal Bursary and was a finalist for the 2023 Future Worlds Prize.