On this edition of ST, we meet poet and novelist Alan Michael Parker. Parker is a Professor of English at Davidson College and his latest novel, "Christmas in July" (published by Dzanc Books) tells the story of ten very quirky and eccentric characters who encounter a thirteen-year girl with cancer in her final days. Far from being cloying, the novel is at times, hilarious, poignant, and at times, mysterious, as the self-named "Christmas" Danzig meets only some of the characters in a profound way, other meetings are ephemeral, or virtual, when she writes the Hollywood author of "Dear Dorothy", a Wizard of Oz tribute blog. Parker was a guest of the University of Tulsa's Creative Writing program.