The Man from Mars

The Man from Mars (I Never Wanted to Be a Salesman)

By Mikey Harmon

Set against the gritty charm of 1970s and '80s Britain, The Man from Mars is a sharply funny and deeply human coming-of-age story about rebellion, resilience, and the unexpected roads life can take.

Mikey Harmon, a rule-bound "Army brat," is destined for military greatness—until he outsmarts a career-assessment system and finds himself thrust into the unfamiliar world of sales. Enter Suzie: sharp-tongued, working-class, and desperate to escape her past. Their brief, chaotic romance leads to an unplanned pregnancy, forcing both teenagers to grow up fast.

As Suzie returns home, Mikey is left homeless and hustling in London, cleaning factory floors to support a child he's never met. From these gritty beginnings, he reinvents himself—eventually landing a job at Mars Confectionery, where he rises through the ranks of a company on the cutting edge of marketing.

Told with warmth, wit, and the swagger of its time, The Man from Mars is more than a memoir—it's a tribute to the power of grit, unexpected love, and finding purpose in unlikely places. Mikey never wanted to sell—but life had other plans.

Coming soon: Parallel Lives, a powerful prequel exploring the starkly different childhoods that shaped Mikey and Suzie before fate collided their worlds.

The Man from Mars is now available from Amazon Books in e-book and paperback. 

If you have ever enjoyed a Mars Bar you will love this book!