Forty-five minutes before the Nicholas Sparks book signing began, a diverse crowd of about a hundred fans already snaked through the many rows of Penn Bookstore.
What united the pregnant mothers, gum-chewing teenage girls, grandmothers in knitted sweaters and a handful of males identifying as the boyfriends, husbands or fathers was the copy of Sparks’ newest novel The Best of Me in their hands.
Though die-hard fans were there to gush about the novel to the author himself, others had different intents.
“I’m just here to get a birthday present for my sisters,” College junior Faeza Asvat said.
Ashcon Zand, a junior at Temple University, could sympathize. “I’m doing my friend a huge favor by getting a signed book for his girlfriend,” he said.
Post-baccalaureate student Audris Chiang was one of many who were in attendance because of their own love for Spark’s work. “You really connect with the characters. It’s like a story you would like to happen to yourself,” she said. “It gives you hope.”
The internationally renowned author agreed. “These are stories with characters that people feel could be family, or neighbors, or friends,” Sparks said. “The stories feel real to the audience. It makes for stories that resonate.”
Indeed, many of his novels, including The Notebook, The Last Song, Dear John and A Walk To Remember, are beloved by a diverse audience both as books and as movies. With over 77 million copies of his work in print, Sparks was candid about the core ingredients for a great romance story.
“They have to be universal, interesting and original in every facet,” he said. “From the characters, to the way they meet, to the events in the story, to how it ends.”
He acknowledged that he drew much inspiration from his own life. “_The Notebook_ was a love story inspired by my wife’s grandparents,” Sparks said. “Writers will draw on any well they can in order to make a story unfold the way it should unfold.”
Sparks’ well of inspiration seems particularly deep — he’s now working on producing a movie based on his novel Safe Haven, as well as a TV show, The Watcher. “I’m also trying to get The Notebook made into a Broadway musical,” he said.
Fans also won’t have to wait long to see The Lucky One, the major motion picture based on his novel and starring Zac Efron, in theaters April 2012. Of Efron’s performance, Sparks said, “He did a fantastic job.”
Even with the rise of new media and e-book readers, Sparks is optimistic about the future of his craft. “There will always be a place for stories,” he said. “Storytelling is as old as song.”
The Daily Pennsylvanian is an independent, student-run newspaper. Please consider making a donation to support the coverage that shapes the University. Your generosity ensures a future of strong journalism at Penn.
DonatePlease note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.