Only recently did I figure out why she’d held back: After a lifetime of looking to her for guidance, she knew I needed to learn to trust my own judgment. She knew that her little brother needed just one more push to become the man she always knew I could be-the man who finally had the confidence to act when it mattered most.
It was a year to remember and a year to forget, and I am not the man I was twelve months ago. In the end, I lost too much; the grief I feel about Marge is still too fresh. I will miss her always, and know that I couldn’t have weathered the past year without her. Nor can I imagine who I’d be today without London, and whenever I look at Emily, I clearly envision a future with her at my side. Marge, Emily and London supported me when I needed it most, in ways that now seem almost preordained.
But here’s the thing: With each of them, I was a different person. I was a brother and a father and a suitor, and I think to myself that these distinctions reflect one of life’s universal truths. At any given time, I am not the whole me; I am but a partial version of myself and each version is slightly different from the others. But each of these versions of me, I now believe, has always had someone by his side. I’d survived the year because I’d been able to march two by two with those I loved the most, and though I’ve never admitted it to anyone, there are moments, even now, when I feel Marge walking beside me. I’ll hear her whisper the answer when I’m confronted with a decision; I’ll hear her urging me to lighten up when the world is weighing heavily on me. This is my secret. Or rather, it is our secret, and I think to myself that I’ve been lucky, for no one should ever be forced to march through life alone.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
There are always so many to thank in the aftermath of completing any novel.
My children, Miles, Ryan, Landon, Lexie and Savannah, who continue to inspire me.
Theresa Park, my agent, and Jamie Raab, my editor, have been by my side for twenty years, and I’m always grateful for their insights and efforts when it comes to making my novels as good as they can be.
At Park Literary + Media, the brilliant, resourceful and supremely capable team of Emily Sweet, Abby Koons, Alex Greene, Andrea Mai, Vanessa Martinez and Blair Wilson. They do for authors what no one else in the industry can, and I owe much of my success to their far-reaching efforts.
At United Talent Agency, Howie Sanders and Keya Khayatian have been my essential advisers, tireless advocates and creative brain trust for almost twenty years. They’ve seen me through many dramatic ups and downs, and their strategic brilliance and unflagging loyalty are unparalleled. I’ll never be able to repay Larry Salz for all of his strenuous efforts on behalf of NSP TV, but I’m deeply grateful nonetheless. David Herrin will always be my guru and oracle when it comes to the business of data and social sentiment, a genius in his own right. Danny Hertz was indispensable to my team, and I wish him all best in his exciting new career.
Scott Schwimer, my indefatigable entertainment lawyer and friend, has been my sword and my shield for twenty years now. His personal loyalty and keen business sense go far beyond what anyone could expect from his lawyer; he’s also been a patient, reassuring sounding board for me through all kinds of challenging situations.
My publicists Catherine Olim, Jill Fritzo and Michael Geiser have gone above and beyond the call of duty these past few years. No one could ask for more vigilant and talented representation in the world of PR-their personal commitment and professional effectiveness have always amazed me.
LaQuishe “Q” Wright is the undisputed leader in her field of entertainment-related social media, and she never fails to wow me with her savvy and professionalism. Mollie Smith has also been a hugely valued member of my social media team, whose reliability, responsiveness and design sense continue to enhance everything I do.
At Hachette USA and UK, the team of people I have to thank is too numerous for me to cite in full, but I hope they know how much I appreciate the specific efforts of each of them. To name just a few:
Arnaud Nourry
Michael Pietsch
Amanda Pritzker
Beth DeGuzman
Brian McLendon
Anne Twomey
Flamur “Flag” Tonuzi
Claire Brown
Chris Murphy
Dave Epstein
Tracy Dowd
Caitlin Mulrooney-Lyski
Matthew Ballast
Maddie Caldwell
Bob Castillo
Kallie Shimek
Ursula Mackenzie
David Shelley
Catherine Burke
At Warner Bros. TV, I’d like to thank Peter Roth, Susan Rovner and Clancy Collins-White for their support and gracious professionalism. Likewise Stacey Levin, Erika McGrath and Corey Hanley for their efforts at NSP TV.
My appreciation also extends to Denise DiNovi and Marty Bowen, fabulous producers who’ve brought many of my novels to life on screen.
To Peter Safran, his lovely wife Natalia, Dan Clifton and the talented Ross Katz, I want to express my heartfelt appreciation for their work on The Choice.
Others who also deserve my gratitude include Jeannie Armentrout and Tia Scott, who keep things my life running smoothly for me on the homefront.
Andy Sommers, Mike McAden, Jim Hicks, Andy Bayliss, Theresa Sprain, Dr. Eric Collins are all consistently helpful in various areas of my life, and I can’t thank them enough.
My gratitude also extends to Pam Pope and Oscara Stevick, who do great things with numbers.
There are also some special friends who deserve my appreciation, including Michael Smith, Victoria Vodar, David Geffen, Dr. Todd Lanman, Jeff Van Wie, Jim Tyler, Chris Matteo, Paul DuVair, Rick Muench, Robert Jacob, Tracey Lorentzen, Missy Blackerby, Ken Gray, Dr. Dwight Carlbloom, David Wang and Catherine Sparks.
Given space constraints, I am necessarily omitting countless other people deserving of gratitude, but I hope they know how much their efforts have meant to me. The creative business is a group enterprise, and I’ve had the privilege of working with an extraordinary team almost every step of the way.
NICHOLAS SPARKS
Nicholas Sparks is one of the world's most loved authors. His novel, A Bend In the Road, reached number two in the New York Times bestseller list and The Rescue was a number one. His other books, The Notebook, Message In a Bottle and A Walk to Remember – were international bestsellers that have been translated into more than thirty languages and adapted into major films. He is also co-author of Wokini: A Lakota Journey to Happiness and Self-Understanding. Nicholas Sparks lives in North Carolina with his wife and children.
