I've just finished reading Nicholas Sparks' latest novel, The Guardian. I've followed Nicholas Sparks' novels since his initial novel, Message in a Bottle.
I discovered Nicholas Sparks around 1996 - 1998. A colleague was reading his first novel, Message in a Bottle. Subsequently, he lent it to me, and after reading it halfway, I bought myself a copy of his book.
All of his novels are romantic and touching novels, and are set in North Carolina. It has been rumoured that Nicholas Sparks' novel, The Notebook, will soon be in production. Other books that turned into movies included Message in a Bottle, and A Walk to Remember.