The Longest Ride author Nicholas Sparks still chasing success of The Notebook

IT’S been 18 years since he wrote The Notebook, and his films have become their own genre. But The Longest Ride author Nicholas Sparks says he’s still chasing the success of that first hit.

IN Nicholas Sparks’ world, men look great in jeans and write impossibly romantic letters. Young couples are always getting caught in the rain, or, if the skies won’t oblige, skinny-dipping in picturesque lakes. Love overcomes any obstacle — illness, distance and career plans included. And love always lasts forever.

So it’s somewhat of a surprise to find the author himself, who lives in North Carolina, is a realist. Eighteen novels and 11 film adaptations into his career, Sparks knows he’s always chasing the memory and success of just one: The Notebook.

“If somebody says, ‘Oh, The Notebook, it’s my favourite novel. I’ve read everything you’ve done
but The Notebook is still my favourite,’ all I can think is, ‘Oh, my gosh, I’ve been going downhill for 17 years now.’

“But at the same time, it would be a lot worse if somebody else had written The Notebook, right? I mean, at least I wrote that one.”

The Notebook was Sparks’ first novel, published in 1996. As far as movie adaptations of his works go, it was actually the third (released in 2004, after Message in a Bottle and A Walk to Remember), but it has since become the stick by which all his other films are marketed and measured, such as, “The Longest Ride, from the author of The Notebook.”

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A scene from Sparks’s latest film, The Longest Ride.

“I wish I knew what it was exactly about The Notebook that made it huge, but I think if you asked 15 people you’d get 15 different answers,” he says. “It had a lot of things that tapped into the consciousness when it first came out.”

In the years since, Sparks’ name has become a genre. There are action films, horror films, superhero films and Nicholas Sparks films. And that, he admits, is rather funny.

“I only think about it when it’s brought to my attention … like right now.”

The latest in the Sparks film genre is The Longest Ride: bookish girl meets dangerous bull rider, with a second strand about a perfectly doomed World War II-era romance (Alan Alda in flashback) thrown in.

The girl is played by Britt Robertson, who’s set to have a breakout movie year, also starring with George Clooney in Disney’s big-budget adventure Tomorrowland. The guy she falls for at the rodeo is played by Scott “Son of Clint” Eastwood, who, as you’d imagine, is a natural in cowboy hat and boots.

Sparks’ verdict: “Add authenticity to their chemistry, and what they have works.”

Though some might quibble about the quality or formula of Sparks’ films, there’s no denying they’ve become a place for young actors to break out.

Robertson and Eastwood are following in the footsteps of Aussie Luke Bracey and Liana Liberato (last year’s The Best of Me), Channing Tatum and Amanda Seyfried (Dear John) …

“Ryan (Gosling) and Rachel (McAdams),” Sparks says, listing The Notebook’s famous pair.

“I feel great that I was able to break Paul Newman out and make him a star,” he adds, referring to the acting legend’s role in Message in a Bottle. “I’m kidding.”

Nicholas Sparks at a "The Best of Me" screening last year. Photo: Terry Wyatt/Getty Images

But he’s serious about taking pride in the young ’uns who have brought his stories to life.

“Nobody’s a bigger fan of anyone who’s been in my films than I am. Zac Efron — The Lucky One was really Zac’s first adult, grown-up role after High School Musical, which is one of the toughest jumps to make. Because of The Lucky One, he’s now made it successfully.”

Since 2013’s Safe Haven (Julianne Hough flees trouble in big city, runs into the small-town arms of Josh Duhamel), the author has taken more control by starting Nicholas Sparks Productions, thus acting as producer on all the films adapted from his books.

“Titles are very important, you know,” he says with a laugh.

That title also gives him casting approval — to a degree.

“I think the best thing to say is if I’m dead set against someone for a reason, they won’t do it. But you use that card very, very rarely.”

Another Sparks movie is set to roll off the production line next year: The Choice, a romance, literally about the girl next door. Another Aussie, Teresa Palmer, gets her big chance in that one.

“Teresa is absolutely terrific in it,” Sparks says. “It’s more ensemble; it’s different than The Longest Ride. You want some threads of familiarity, but you want each experience to be new and wonderful in its own unique way.”

As he approaches his 50th birthday, Sparks’ own love story is firmly in the “obstacle” category — he and his wife of 26 years, Cathy, announced their separation in January.

This has not, however, dampened his belief in love.

“It provides the passion of life, right? Love is responsible for all the good in the world. I’m not saying it has to be romantic love, you can love your parents, your siblings, your job, your kids, your pets, your cause ... But if you don’t have love of something, you don’t have passion about anything. It’s passion that makes life worthwhile.”

The Longest Ride is now showing

Originally published as The Longest Ride author Nicholas Sparks still chasing success of The Notebook