Nicholas Sparks
© Paulo Salud
Passion projects
Nicholas Sparks turned his dream career into a reality
by SHANA MCNALLY
Nicholas Sparks knows a lot about following your dreams. That passion inspired his 23rd novel, which is this month’s book buyer’s pick: Dreamland. The book follows Colby Mills, who runs his family farm instead of being a professional musician. On a whim, he accepts a music gig in Florida. There he meets someone who makes him question his past decisions. Alternating chapters tell his story as well as that of a single mother, Beverly, who is fleeing her abusive husband. “Over the course of a week these three lives weave together in fateful ways, reminding us of how chance encounters can sometimes lead to life-altering events,” says Sparks.
“I wanted to capture the powerful allure of following your heart, and the sometimes-painful cost of doing so,” he adds. “Having built my career as an author, I certainly channelled some of my own experiences of pursuing a dream that didn’t always feel achievable. Like Colby, before committing to my dream—in my case, of being a writer—I tried other industries and jobs, but was always drawn back to my passion.”
A voracious reader, Sparks wrote his first novel while sidelined by an injury one summer in college but couldn’t imagine making a career of it. He graduated, got married, worked several jobs, had children, started his own small manufacturing business and took a job selling pharmaceuticals to pay the bills.
At 28, he decided to commit to his dream of being a full-time writer. The result was his best-known work, The Notebook, an international bestseller, which went on to become a top-grossing movie as well. The novel set the tone for future stories that explore how complex and rewarding relationships can be.
Sparks had fun setting Dreamland in St. Petersburg, Florida—one of his favourite places to visit—as well as in his home state of North Carolina. He often draws upon his experiences and those around him to craft stories “rooted in everyday authenticity, such that readers can hopefully identify with the characters and their longings,” he says. “In my novels I also try to capture the full range of emotions that ordinary people experience, so that readers recognize their own journeys through joy, grief, passion, attachment and loss.”
It’s this way of thinking that has made Sparks so relatable and such a popular author and storyteller. All of his books have been New York Times bestsellers—he has sold 105 million copies worldwide, in more than 50 languages—and he is currently adapting Dreamland and two other books into screenplays.
He also contributes to a variety of local and national charities, and has a charitable foundation he started in 2011. The Nicholas Sparks Foundation (nsparksfoundation.org) has distributed more than $15 million to deserving charities, scholarship programs and projects with the intent of fostering global learning in poor, rural communities.
Whether he’s helping children pursue educational goals or following his own pursuits, Sparks sees the value in having that kind of guiding star. “Specific dreams and ambitions may differ widely from person to person,” he says, “but to nurture a dream is such a universal experience.”
Dreamland (Item 1663057) will be available in September in most Costco warehouses.
Record-breaking success
Buckle up: It’s time for Guinness World Records 2023. This edition’s theme is space, with plenty of focus on earth-bound feats as well. Guinness World Records (GWR) editor-in-chief, Craig Glenday, had this to say.
Costco Connection
What are some new features or entries for the 2023 edition?
Craig Glenday
We continue to seek out and celebrate the latest and greatest record-breaking. New topics include mega-mammals, rock climbing, cryptocurrency, fashion, bird-spotting and TikTok.
CC
To what do you attribute the enduring success of Guinness World Records?
CG
People will always want their 15 minutes of fame, and we’re happy to indulge them if their goals fulfill our record-breaking criteria. When you have a book crammed with thousands of the most interesting people and animals in the world, you know you’re guaranteed a thrilling read.
CC
What else would you like to add?
CG
For [this] edition, we initiated our Kids’ Records project to formulate challenges targeted at [those] under 16. Work also began on the GWR Impairment Initiative, to create record-breaking opportunities for those with physical and mental challenges by expanding the definitions of our record categories. We want everyone to experience the joys of record-breaking—as either a reader or a participant!—Simon Gravel, Buyer, Books
Also in the warehouse
This year marks the 30th anniversary of I Spy: A Book of Picture Riddles. To mark this milestone, I Spy and I Spy School Days (Item 1431411) will be available in September in most Costco warehouses.
With text by Jean Marzollo and photographs by Walter Wick, the I Spy series teaches children how to observe their surroundings and look for patterns in the world around them. These books are intended for children in kindergarten through third grade, but the whole family might be tempted to join in the fun.—Andrée Laflamme, Buyer, Books
