– Cecil B. DeMille –
You might be wondering, just who is Mica Manning? It’s a fair question, so let me answer it the best I can.
But first, let me answer the BIG question on everyone’s mind: It’s pronounced “Meeka.”
Now, if you call me a husband, father, brother, son, entrepreneur, business owner, consultant, public speaker, educator, musician, or athlete, you’d be right. I claim all of these roles with pride and enthusiasm, and I’ve known successes and failures with every one of them during my nearly sixty years on this celestial ball. But just after the first few roles listed above, my passions run their deepest when I’m a writer.
I’ve written for decades for the world of business, and I’m not bragging when I tell you that it’s always come easy for me; it still does. Writing articles on leadership or marketing or new legislation is a piece of cake, and although I still enjoy the assignments, there’s little challenge in them anymore.
For me, it’s not difficult to assimilate and restate what others have said or discovered. My finished product is nothing more than a fancy term paper. It’s regurgitating facts flavored with the occasional independent thought, but its essential elements—facts, insights, and opinions—have already been produced by another. In the end, I’ve created nothing new.
One definition of the word novel is ‘refreshingly new,’ and so it is for me when I’m writing one. I’m perpetually jazzed when I embrace the challenge of fashioning a refreshingly new story. I crave being the architect and builder of a work’s most basic elements—its characters, plots, themes, settings, tones, and points of view. And not only do I get the honor of weaving all of these components into a cohesive tale, if I do my job well, I’ll tell my readers an unpredictable story that’s not only entertaining but will stimulate their intellect and tug on their emotions.
Everyone knows a Kat Vaughn. Perhaps she’s your friend, daughter, spouse, neighbor, or teacher. It doesn’t matter. When you get to know this character, you’ll see the face of your Kat in your mind’s eye.
Why?
Though she’s the protagonist in all of my works, Kat’s also real, and in a world seemingly devoid of a true north these days, real is rare. She has feelings and struggles and flaws. She’s sarcastic, honest to a fault, and never rolls over for anyone, while also being compassionate, caring, and kind. She puts her foot in her mouth at times and pisses off people even more.
Yet, her greatest attribute? Integrity. Kat Vaughn has an insatiable determination to follow the truth wherever it takes her. She won’t stop until she hones in on that polar star.
Yes, we all know a Kat Vaughn, and who knows, maybe your Kat looks back at you in the mirror every morning.
In the end, I hope you enjoy Kat’s journeys and fall in love with her as much as I have.
Salud.
