Nicholas Sparks' books are based on true stories, author says at Bradenton talk

BRADENTON — "The Notebook." "Message in a Bottle." "A Walk To Remember."

Each of Nicholas Sparks’ first three books have become well-known romantic classics in their own right.

But Sparks, now the author of 18 novels, revealed at a Bradenton speech Tuesday evening that all three novels have one surprising detail in common: they are based on the true stories of his family.

Sparks’ first book came from the tale of his wife’s grandparents, who met as teenagers during a summer romance. Although her parents took their daughter away from the boy at summer’s end, he continued to write her letters every day. Time went on, she got engaged to another man, but eventually she realized that her first love was the one she wanted to be with all along. Sound familiar?

“As I’m trying to figure out what story to write, I got this one story but I didn’t know if anyone was going to like it,” Sparks said. “I thought it was kind of sweet and it was a story that I thought I could write ... that story eventually became 'The Notebook.’”

The author spoke to more than 450 people at the Neel Performing Arts Center on the State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota campus. The event was hosted by the Manatee Library Foundation to benefit the Manatee County Public Library System’s “I Am a Lifelong Learner” program.

Nearly two hours before the event, Sparks’ fans were out in force for a private meet-and-greet with the author and the chance to purchase his latest book, “Two by Two.” Longtime Sparks fan Diana Davis was almost breathless as she recounted her meeting and photograph with Sparks.

“I’ve read everything he’s written,” Davis said. “I cried and cried during ‘The Notebook.’”

Honorary event chairs Larry and Edie Bustle, who introduced Sparks at the event, said Sparks’ personal dedication to encouraging children to read made him a good choice for the foundation’s annual lecture. Both Bustles had read Sparks’ books, but Larry Bustle said two of them had particularly touched him.

Part of the reason Sparks’ books have such an emotional effect on their readers comes from their inspiration from the author’s own heart-wrenching family tales. During the talk, Sparks explained how his second novel, "Message in a Bottle," was inspired by his father’s trials after Sparks’ mother died suddenly during a horseback-riding accident.

For seven years after his mother’s death, Sparks’ father grieved, wearing black each day. Eventually, his father got back into the dating scene and, one day, Sparks got a phone call. "I’m engaged," his father told him. Two days later, his father died in a car accident.

During book tours for "Message in a Bottle," the audience always had the same question.

“Always, always, always, when I opened up the Q&A, I heard, ‘Why did the novel have to end that way?’” Sparks said. “My answer was always the same: because that’s the way it happened.”

Sparks ended the speech by hinting at his latest novel, currently a work in progress.

“I’ll give you a glimpse of the next novel,” Sparks said, smiling. “It’s a love story set in ... North Carolina.”  

He paused and the audience erupted in laughter. Because, of course, that could describe many of Sparks’ books.