John L. Parker Jr.

John L. Parker Jr. (born 1947) is an American writer known for his cult classic novel Once a Runner and its sequels Again to Carthage and Racing the Rain. He is a graduate of the University of Florida's College of Journalism and Law, and has worked as an attorney, reporter, columnist, speechwriter, and editorial director of Running Times magazine. His novels chronicle the struggles of Quenton Cassidy, a middle-distance runner, and have a strong following in the running community.