Lawrence Spann is the author of A Parable of Lies. He founded the Literature, Arts, and Medicine Program (LAMP) at Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento. LAMP was the first hospital-based writing program to appear on "Literary Row" at the prestigious Geraldine R. Dodge Poetry Festival. He completed physician assistant training, a Master's Degree in Medicine at Duke University Medical Center, and a Ph.D. in creative writing, emphasizing the medical humanities at the Union Insitute and University. He served as program director of DUPAC (Duke University's Preventive Approach to Cardiology), Duke's Rice Diet Program, and Preventive Medicine Research Institute.