Fiction. In this modern-day Robin Hood tale, a teenager is chosen to be a part of the annual Christmas tradition of thievery and charity by the young mafioso of the local neighborhood. Thus begins the sorting out of friendships, the pursuit of American dreams, and the deep understanding of a father's sorrow and love.

Ross Talarico is the author of several books, including Spreading The Word: Poetry and the Survival of Community in America (Duke University Press, 1995), winner of the Shaughnessy Prize from the Modern Language Association for outstanding book of the year on literature and writing; Hearts and Times: The Literature of Memory (Chicago Academy Publishers, 1992); THE REPTILIAN INTERLUDES (Bordighera Press, 2008); and SLED RUN (Bordighera Press, 2012). Mr Talarico's writings have appeared in hundreds of publications, including The Atlantic, Poetryv, The Nation, The North American Review, Arts and Letters, and The American Poetry Review.