Nicholas Charles Sparks was born on December 31, 1965. He is an American writer, filmmaker, and movie maker. He has written and released 24 books, 16 of which are bestselling books. He has also written two nonfiction books. His books have sold more than 130 million copies worldwide, with 92 million sold in the United States alone. His books are translated into more than 50 languages. Some of his well-known books include The Notebook, A Walk to Remember, and Message in a Bottle. These books, along with eight others, have been made into movies.
Early life and education
Nicholas Sparks was born on December 31, 1965, in Omaha, Nebraska. His father, Patrick Michael Sparks, was a business professor, and his mother, Jill Emma Marie Sparks (née Thoene), worked as a homemaker and an assistant to an optometrist. Patrick Sparks had English and Irish ancestors, and Jill Sparks had German and Czech ancestors. Nicholas was the middle child of three, with an older brother named Michael Earl "Micah" Sparks (born in 1964) and a younger sister named Danielle "Dana" Sparks Lewis (born in 1966 and died in 2000 at age 33 from a brain tumor). This event inspired his novel A Walk to Remember. As a child, Nicholas lived in Watertown, Minnesota; Inglewood, California; Playa Del Rey, California; and Grand Island, Nebraska, before his family moved to Fair Oaks, California, in 1974.
In 1984, Nicholas graduated as valedictorian of Bella Vista High School. While attending the University of Notre Dame on a track and field scholarship, he studied business finance and graduated with high honors. He wrote his first novel, The Passing, in 1985 and a second novel, The Royal Murders, in 1989, neither of which was published. In 1989, Nicholas married Cathy Cote and moved to New Bern, North Carolina. Before becoming a successful novelist, he worked in pharmaceutical sales and held other jobs, including roles in real estate and manufacturing orthopedic products.
Literary career
Sparks' first published book was Wokini: A Lakota Journey to Happiness and Self-Understanding, a nonfiction book written with Billy Mills about Lakota spiritual beliefs and practices. Feather Publishing released the book, and it sold 50,000 copies in its first year after release.
In 1995, literary agent Theresa Park helped Sparks get a $1 million advance for The Notebook from Time Warner Book Group. This book became Sparks' most successful novel. Published in October 1996, the novel reached the New York Times bestseller list in its first week and stayed there for fifty-six weeks.
In 1998, after publishing The Notebook, Sparks wrote Message in a Bottle, which was made into a movie in 1999. In total, eleven of Sparks' novels have been adapted into films: Message in a Bottle (1999), A Walk to Remember (2002), The Notebook (2004), Nights in Rodanthe (2008), Dear John (2010), The Last Song (2010), The Lucky One (2012), Safe Haven (2013), The Best of Me (2014), The Longest Ride (2015), and The Choice (2016). He also sold the movie rights for True Believer and At First Sight.
Including The Notebook, fifteen of Sparks' novels have been No. 1 on the New York Times Best Seller list. All of his novels have been bestsellers in the United States and other countries. Sparks has also been on Forbes' annual list of the highest-paid authors.
In September 2020, Sparks published his 21st novel, The Return. He followed this with The Wish in 2021 and Dreamland in 2022. Each of these books has been considered for movie adaptations.
Personal life
Sparks lives in New Bern, North Carolina. He has three sons and twin daughters. In 2015, he divorced Cathy Cote, his wife of 25 years.
In 2008, Sparks donated nearly $900,000 to build a track that works in all weather at New Bern High School. He also volunteered to coach there. The same year, he donated nearly $10 million to start a private school called The Epiphany School of Global Studies. Sparks also helped pay for scholarships, internships, and yearly fellowships at the University of Notre Dame Creative Writing Program. In 2012, he founded The Nicholas Sparks Foundation, a nonprofit organization that helps students around the world with education. The foundation has given more than $15 million to charities, scholarship programs, and other projects.
Adaptations
Eleven of Nicholas Sparks's books have been made into films, and he produced four of them. These films include The Choice, The Longest Ride, The Best of Me, and Safe Haven. Seven other books have also been adapted into films: The Lucky One, Message in a Bottle, A Walk to Remember, Nights in Rodanthe, Dear John, The Last Song, and The Notebook. Films based on his novels have earned $889,615,166 worldwide. The Rotten Tomatoes scores for these films range from 11% for The Choice to 53% for The Notebook, which is the most highly praised film based on his work.
In April 2021, it was announced that a film version of The Return was in development. Tom Dean became the director, and the project was developed by Bisous Pictures and MRC Films. MRC Films will distribute the film. Nicholas Sparks will serve as a producer with Elizabeth Cantillon and Theresa Park. In May 2021, it was announced that three additional films based on Sparks's books were being developed for Universal Pictures. Universal signed a first-look deal with Sparks, aiming to build a long-term partnership. The three films will be produced jointly by Universal Pictures and Anonymous Content. The Wish will be the first book adapted, followed by Dreamland and a third, unnamed book. Sparks will serve as a producer for The Wish alongside Theresa Park and Zack Hayden.
In February 2024, Sparks said four of his books were being developed for film adaptations. He expressed interest in adapting The Guardian and See Me, with See Me possibly becoming a miniseries. In October 2024, it was announced that a film version of Counting Miracles was in development. Alan Ritchson will star in the lead role and also serve as a producer. The project will be produced jointly by Amazon MGM Studios, AllyCat Entertainment, Industry Entertainment, and Di Novi Pictures. Denise Di Novi, Margaret French Isaac, and Theresa Park will also be producers.
In January 2025, it was announced that Sparks and M. Night Shyamalan collaborated on an original story. The story is described as a supernatural romantic thriller. Sparks wrote the novel, and Shyamalan will write and direct the film. Jake Gyllenhaal will star in the film, and Shyamalan will produce it with Ashwin Rajan, Theresa Park, and Marc Bienstock. Blinding Edge Pictures will produce the film, and Warner Bros. will distribute it. In April 2025, the film was named Remain. Sparks said his manager asked him to develop a story that would appeal to both his audience and Shyamalan's audience. After their first meeting, Shyamalan chose Sparks's story. The film is scheduled to be released on February 5, 2027.
In February 2025, it was announced that a new film version of A Walk to Remember was being developed. The project will be produced jointly by Monarch Media, Di Novi Pictures, and Roserock Films. The film will be produced by Steve Barnett, Alan Powell, Vicky Patel, Denise Di Novi, Margaret French-Isaac, Hunt Lowry, and Patty Reed.