Nicholas Sparks is an American novelist, screenwriter, and producer. He is best known for his romance novels, which have been adapted into popular films such as The Notebook, A Walk to Remember, and The Last Song. His books have sold over 105 million copies worldwide, making him one of the world's best-selling authors. Sparks was born in Omaha, Nebraska, and grew up in Fair Oaks, California. He attended the University of Notre Dame on a track and field scholarship, where he earned a degree in business finance. After college, he worked as a pharmaceutical salesman and as a real estate agent before turning to writing full-time. Sparks' first novel, The Notebook, was published in 1996 and became a bestseller. Since then, he has written over twenty novels, many of which have been adapted into films. His books often feature themes of love, tragedy, and redemption, and often take place in small towns in the American South. Sparks has also written several non-fiction books, including Three Weeks with My Brother and True Believer. He is also the founder of the Nicholas Sparks Foundation, which provides educational and cultural opportunities to children in need.