why i love nicholas sparks

People who know me know that there are four things I love: anything to do with Harry Potter (especially Sirius Black), Dave Grohl and the rest of the Foo Fighters, Mia Freedman and Nicholas Sparks.

On Friday 4th November this year, I was lucky enough to meet Nicholas Sparks (cue the ‘OMGs’). This was possibly the best day of my life. It’s been nearly a month and I still smile when I think about the fact that I met my writing idol.

For those who don’t know me, my life long dream is to be a novelist and has been for the past ten years. I just finished a degree in Journalism from CSU Bathurst because I know that I can’t just decide to be an author as a way of earning income, unless I came up with the next Harry Potter, which I, unfortunately, haven’t.

Because of this dream, I tend to look published authors as a way of deciding the kind of style and genre I want to write. Like everything else about me, I’m scattered when it comes to this and I think I could write in multiple different genres, but for now, I feel romance calling my name seductively from the pages. It is almost entirely for this reason that I am drawn to Nicholas Sparks.

I am a fan in every sense of the word. I own all 17 of his published books (includingThree Weeks With My Brother), I own the SparksNotes for The Notebook and A Walk To Remember and I own all six DVDs of the books that have so far been made into movies, including two copies of The Notebook. I know the inspiration behind all of his novels, as I read any information he puts on his website. I am a fan.

So imagine my delight when Nicholas FINALLY decided to come to Australia on his book tour for The Best Of Me. I don’t remember the last time I’ve ever been so excited about something. And so starts the list, of reasons I love Nicholas Sparks

1. He’s so lovely

When Nicholas Sparks walked into Dymocks in Sydney (on time), I thought I was going to have a heart attack. I couldn’t believe that he was there, let alone there on time. He didn’t keep us waiting. He also came along and shook people’s hands and said hello before he sat down to start signing books and taking photos. I watched as he signed the books of those ahead of me and he was chatting to them the entire time.

The couple in front of me had gotten married five days earlier and the wife had seven books to get signed and I noticed that he wrote a different little message on each book with things like “enjoy your honeymoon”, which I thought was really nice.

Was literally shaking as he was speaking to me

Then it was my turn, and for someone who talks a lot, I was uncharacteristically at a loss for words. I had no idea what to say to him and I’m pretty sure I was shaking the whole time I was talking to him. But he was so lovely. He called my sweetie and not in the creepy way, but the nice way and happily signed the three books I had brought along while telling me that he wrote The Notebook based on his wife’s grandparents (which I already knew). He then said “let’s have a picture” and my Dad took a photo of me looking happier than I possibly ever had.

I don't think I've ever had a smile this big

The few minutes I had his undivided attention just showed me how humble and unaffected by fame he was. He was just lovely.

2. He gave us Noah (and Ryan Gosling)

The Notebook is my favourite book and movie, hands down. It’s so beautiful and romantic and most importantly, it gave the world Noah. For those who have been hiding under a rock and have missed the amazingness that is The Notebook, Noah is the sweetest and most romantic man that ever lived (except, of course, Nicholas Sparks). And if that wasn’t already good enough, Noah is attractive. Like crazy attractive. Women all over the world fell in love when The Notebook was released in theatres, because how often is a man who is that amazingly good looking as sweet as Noah? Not very often. Ryan Gosling was born to play that role and after appearing as Noah, has gone on to do many incredible movie roles. So if nothing else, we must all thank Nicholas Sparks for giving us Noah in the form of Ryan Gosling.

3. He gave me my favourite piece of writing

There are so many passages of writing that I love, but my favourite comes from Nicholas Sparks and is found, unsurprisingly, in The Notebook.

“Dusk, I realised then, is just an illusion, because the sun is either above the horizon or below it. And that means the day and night are linked in a way that few things are; there cannot be one without the other, yet they cannot exist at the same time. How would it feel, I remember wondering, to be always together, yet forever apart? 

Looking back, I find it ironic that she chose to read the letter at the exact moment that question popped into my head. It is ironic, of course, because I know the answer now. I know what it’s like to be day and night now; always together, forever apart.”

Signed copy of my favourite book

4. He is the most romantic man alive

You only need to read one of his books to realise how romantic Nicholas Sparks is and having read all 17, it’s just further enshrined, that he is, in fact, the most romantic man alive. His wife is a lucky woman, just as I am sure that he is a lucky man. He has a way with words that can only be described as a gift, and I told him so myself when I met him. To be able to convey feelings and emotions as eloquently as he does makes me fall more in love with his writing.

There are a million reasons why I love Nicholas Sparks and I sincerely hope that he continues publishing books for many years to come. I will never grow tired of reading them. 

And to Nicholas Sparks, if you by some weird twist of fate end up reading this, I just want to say thank you for writing and for being romantic and a man and showing people everywhere that it’s OK to be a man and talk about your feelings. And thanks for Noah. Don’t ever stop writing.