Three weeks ago, he’d seen hail fall from the sky, only to be followed minutes later by a spectacular rainbow that seemed to frame the azalea bushes. The colors, so vivid they seemed almost alive, made him think that nature sometimes sends us signs, that it’s important to remember that joy can always follow despair. But a moment later, the rainbow had vanished and the hail returned, and he realized that joy was sometimes only an illusion.

He also donates his time to help coach the New Bern High School track team and a local club track team as a volunteer head coach. The show is based on a concept by Sparks and will be co-written by Kristin Hahn who co-produced the film adaptation of The Time Traveler's Wife; the show will be produced by Twilight producer Temple Hill. Sparks was raised Roman Catholic and is of German Czech English and Irish ancestry.

He has 17 publiNicholas Sparksd novels. Eight have been adapted to films including Message in a Bottle A Walk to Remember The Notebook Nights in Rodanthe Dear John The Last Song The Lucky One and most recently Safe Haven. Nicholas Charles Sparks (born December 31 1965) is an American novelist and screenwriter.