ANTIQUES: When glove boxes were status symbols, F6 The new residence of “The Notebook” author Nicholas Sparks includes six bedrooms, a library, a music room and a movie theater, Page F2
A family home made to fall in love with
By A ddie Morfoot
The New York Times
NICHOLAS SPARKS’
sprawling home in New Bern, North Carolina, didn’t always look like a museum.
For close to 10 years, the three-story, riverfront house was overrun with the author’s five children, who threw footballs in the living room and completed their homework at the now fully dressed dining room table custom-built for 10.
“It was an active, busy household for a long time,” Sparks said. “At one point, there were four dogs and about 13 people living here — myself, my now ex-wife, our five children, an exchange student, and friends.”
Sparks, the 58-year-old prolific American novelist who gained fame when his debut novel, “The Notebook,” was published in 1996, has lived in the Low Country-style home for the last 15 years. He has resided on the home’s picturesque property for 27 years. (He and his former wife, Catherine Sparks, divorced in 2015.)
“We tore down the house we had been living in and hired an architect and designed this one,” Sparks explained. “The first house was a modern home, and the changes that my ex-wife and I wanted to make at the time were so substantial that it didn’t make any sense to try and renovate.” The new residence is pictured in a painting by Andre Dluhos in the living room.
His current residence, built in 18 months, boasts six bedrooms, a library, a music room, a pub room, an office space, a movie theater, and an expansive open-concept living area featuring 12-foot ceilings. Doors in the living room open into a 1,200-square-foot porch overlooking the Trent River.
“Because of the roofline and other factors, we could never put a porch on the first
house,” said Sparks. “It’s a good idea to have a porch in North Carolina because it can get warm and uncomfortable.”
Paintings by North Carolina artists, including Richard Fennell’s portraits of his youngest children, Landon, Lexie and Savannah, line the stairway wall.
“I had to have them painted because, of course, with the first two kids, they are photographed all of the time,” Sparks said, referring to his older children, Miles and Ryan. “But by the third, fourth and fifth kid, you’re like, ‘Eh. We will get photos next year,’ and then all of the sudden you have no pictures of the kids, and you’re like ‘Oh, no. I’m a terrible parent. I have to get you all portraits.’”
The opening paragraph of “The Notebook” is inscribed on a wall behind a bar in a hallway next to the foyer. Based on the real-life love story of his ex-wife’s grandparents, the book has sold more than 14 million copies worldwide.
When he isn’t reading on his plush light-beige couches or spending time with his five grown children, Sparks can likely be found in his office writing.
His oak desk is surrounded by built-in bookshelves stacked with various editions of the 24 novels he has written in the last 28 years. The shelves include fresh copies of his latest tome, “Counting Miracles,” which was released Sept. 24. Like
all of his books, “Counting Miracles” was inspired by the people in his life and features a love story, North Carolina and an unpredictable ending.
“The main character in the book is named Tanner Hughes,” he said. “He was partly influenced by my cousin Todd, who was also an inspiration for my 2007 novel ‘Dear John.’”
It took him around six months to write it — similar to “The Notebook,” which he wrote over a sixmonth period in 1994. At the time, Sparks lived in a 1,200-square-foot home in New Bern and made $45,000 a year as a pharmaceutical sales representative.
The author moved to North Carolina from Sacramento, California, 32 years ago because of New Bern’s smalltown vibe, affable climate
and coastal landscapes. The region was also financially accessible. “I couldn’t afford to buy a home in California,” Sparks said. “When I started working on ‘The Notebook,’ I had a mortgage and two kids. I started to realize that I needed to start chasing a dream.”
To realize that dream, he sent a 52,000-word manuscript titled “Winter for Two” to 25 literary agents. One, Theresa Park, got back to him. “Theresa convinced me that ‘The Notebook’ was (a title) that was more resonant, catchy, memorable and meaningful,” recalled Sparks,
who keeps a framed photo of Park holding her newborn baby in his office. In the back corner of the room, a bookshelf is stacked with every edition of the novel and a gold box. “This box was sent out to the critics,” explained Sparks. “It came with the advanced reader edition of the book, a note and a tissue.”
Earlier this year, the musical adaptation of “The Notebook” opened on Broadway and received three Tony nominations. It was the first time a Nicholas Sparks novel came to life onstage.
The living room of Nicholas Sparks’s home in New Bern, N.C. Wander through the best-selling author’s palatial riverfront home in North Carolina. (PHOTO / COVER PHOTO BY MIKE BELLEME / THE NEW YORK TIMES)
Reich | In the Garden
Success depends on your skills and plant chosen
YEARS AGO, I HAD JUST ONE plant of Belaruskaja black currant. Now I have about a dozen plants of this delicious variety, and plenty of black currants for eating. Do you have a favorite tree, shrub or vine that you would like more of?
Hardwood cuttings are a simple way to multiply plants. This type of cutting is nothing more than a woody shoot that is cut from a plant and stuck into the soil sometime after the shoot has dropped its leaves in the fall, but before it grows a new set of leaves in the spring. In the weeks that follow planting, if all goes well, some roots may develop and, come spring, this apparently lifeless piece of stem grows shoots and more roots, and is well on its way to bona fide plantdom.
(Be very careful, though. Multiplying plants can become an addiction. I speak from experience.)
Success with hardwood cuttings depends on both your skills and the plant chosen. Not every woody plant is amenable to increase by hardwood cuttings. You can expect close to 100% “take” with plants such as grape, currant, gooseberry, privet, spiraea, mulberry, honeysuckle and willow. But this method generally is unsuccessful in making new apple, pear, maple or oak trees.
Because they lack leaves, hardwood cuttings are less perishable than “softwood cuttings,” the leafy stem cuttings that are taken while plants are in active growth.
If you’re a novice and want to make your thumbs feel greener early on, try your hand with hardwood cuttings of willow, a plant I have seen take root from branches inadvertently left on
top of the ground through the winter. Most other plants demand a little more finesse to ensure success with hardwood cuttings. All right, so you have a woody plant you want to multiply by hardwood cuttings. Step back and look at the plant before you take wood for cuttings. Look for some young shoots, those that grew this past season; snip them off for cuttings. The shoots most likely to root are those of moderate vigor, not too fat and not too thin for the particular species.
Once you have one or more shoots “of moderate vigor” in hand, cut them down to a manageable length of eight inches or so. Look for the nodes on each branch; these are the points where leaves were attached. Make the cut for the top of each cutting just above a node, and the cut for the bottom of each cutting just below a different node.
Make sure the upper end of the cutting, which is the point that was furthest from the root, is planted pointing upwards. The plant “remembers” this orientation and responds accordingly, growing roots from the bottom and shoots from the top of each cutting. (Although it’s not impossible to root upside down cuttings, there’s just less chance of success.) Professional propagators cut the bottoms off squarely and the tops at an angle so that the ends don’t get mixed up during planting. Plant the cuttings in your garden where the soil is not soddened. Without good drainage the cuttings will rot, rather than root.
Make a slit with your shovel, slide in a cutting until only the top bud is exposed, then firm the soil. The rooted plants should be ready for transplanting to their permanent homes by next fall.
GARDEN NOTES
STOCKBRIDGE
Upcoming program at Berkshire Botanical Garden
Berkshire Botanical Garden presents the following upcoming program: Saturday, Nov. 16, 2 to 4 p.m., “Crafting a Holiday Wreath from Fresh and Dried Botanicles.”
This two-hour program will combine a classroom introduction with guided handson practice using 14″ balsam wreath forms, after which you will take home your own decorated holiday wreath. Chris Ferrero will lead this class, starting with a slide program introducing principles, techniques and creative ideas. Then participants will be assigned workstations in the same studio used by BBG’s own wreath designers, several of whom will be on hand to help you select materials and practice optimal construction skills. Experience with a hot glue gun is recommended.
Completion of this program will prepare you to become a BBG Wreath Designer. Cost $75 members, $90 nonmembers. To register or for more information, visit www. berkshirebotanical.org.
Berkshire Botanical Garden is located at 5 West Stockbridge Road.
SPRINGFIELD
2025 Smokey Bear and Woodsy Owl Poster contest
The Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts, together with the USDA, Forest Service and National Garden Clubs, Inc., are giving students the opportunity to demonstrate their understanding of wildfire prevention and basic environmental conservation principles through original drawings of Smokey Bear or Woodsy Owl. Children from first through fifth grade are invited to participate in this annual drawing contest featuring conservation icons Smokey Bear and Woodsy Owl. Individual children can
enter but groups, clubs and schools are encouraged to use this as an opportunity to impress upon their members or students the importance of taking a personal role in preventing wildfires or conserving natural resources.
Posters are to be completed by individual students, have correct spelling and all posters must feature Smokey Bear or Woodsy Owl. Smokey Bear posters must include Smokey’s wildfire preven-
tion message: Only You Can Prevent Wildfires! Woodsy Owl posters must include Woodsy’s conservation messages: Give-A-Hoot, Don’t Pollute or Lend a Hand — Care for the Land. Complete rules including size requirements, allowed materials and other important contest rules can be found on the GCFM website at www.gcfm.org/ ngc-youth-contests.
Being a member of a garden club is not a requirement,
but all contest entrants must be sponsored by a GCFM recognized local garden club. Entries must be submitted to the sponsoring club by Jan. 10, 2025. For more information or to connect with a recognized garden club, contact Mary Bandouveres at gcfmyouthcontests@gmail. com.
Send items for Garden Notes to pmastriano@repub.com two weeks prior to publication.
CONTINUES FROM PAGE F3
Cuttings can be set in the ground for rooting either immediately or stored through the winter for setting out in early spring. I’ve had better success with fall, rather than spring, planting. In the spring, cuttings often are overanxious to begin growth and the top growth is well underway before the roots have begun. The shoots soon realize that there are no roots to sustain them, then flop over and die.
With cuttings planted in the fall, roots have the opportunity to develop from now until the soil freezes. In the fall, soil temperatures drop more slowly than air temperatures so there’s still some time, depending on your location, before the soil freezes solid. New shoots, on the other hand,
Hardwood cuttings, stuck into the ground now, will root, and come spring, leaf out.
(LEE REICH PHOTO)
won’t grow until next spring, after they feel they have been exposed to a winter’s worth of cold.
(This is a natural protection mechanism that prevents plants from resuming growth during a warm spell in January.)
Terry & Kim Kovel | Antiques & Collecting
Gloves, now a wintry weather must-have, were once a status symbol
BY THIS TIME OF the year, most of us in cooler climates have started wearing gloves. But gloves weren’t always relegated to wintry weather. In medieval Europe, they were a fashion accessory and status symbol. The fashion continued for hundreds of years.
The finest gloves were made of luxurious materials like silk or delicate leathers and often had decorations like embroidery. And such beautiful accessories needed equally beautiful storage.
This glove box, which sold for $1,722 at Soulis Auctions, was made by Moser, one of the most famous Bohemian (Czechoslovakian) glasshouses. It was made in the late 19th century, when gloves were a crucial part of women’s dress. Its elaborate enamel decorations, including colorful birds, intricate leafy vines and gilt trim, are characteristic of Moser’s glass.
Q.I have a pen holder and clock that my father had in his office. They date from the early 1960s. Both items have an imprint of the earth, the clock has a Gemini capsule that goes around. The pen holder has a circular image of the earth with a Gemini capsule. When you push the pen down in its holder and release it, the capsule spins around. Is there any interest in items like these?
A. Desk accessories from the mid-20th century like pen holders and clocks usually sell for relatively low prices, but the connection to the Gemini program should increase the value and amount of interest in yours.
The first Gemini mission, an uncrewed flight, launched in 1964 and the final mission, Gemini XII, which was the first spaceflight for pilot Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin, took place in 1966. Plenty of merchandise celebrating the mission
Gloves as formal wear and enameled Bohemian glass may be relics of the 1800s, but both are appreciated by collectors today. (PHOTO CREDIT: SOULIS AUCTIONS)
was produced at the time, and there is plenty of interest in it today. There are collectors who specialize in NASA and spaceflight memorabilia. Collectors of aviation memorabilia and space-themed toys are often interested as well. Auction houses that deal in toys, popular culture, celebrity memorabilia and American history sell space memorabilia. The highest prices go to equipment from the programs, especially items flown in space, and items signed by or belonging to NASA staff or astronauts, but there is also interest in mass-produced souvenirs. Last year, a set of novelty salt and pepper shakers shaped like the Gemini and Apollo capsules sold for $300 at Bid Again Auctions in support of the American Space Museum.
Q. I have an antique Jewett and Root Violet #19 wood stove from Buffalo, N.Y., and cannot find any information on it.
A. Sherman S. Jewett and Francis H. Root started the Jewett & Root foundry in Buffalo, New York, in 1843. In 1878, the firm became Sherman S. Jewett & Co.
Stoves became the foundry’s main business, and they established branches in Detroit, Milwaukee, Chicago and San Francisco. They made many types of stoves, including parlor, box and cook stoves. A library or historical society in Buffalo may have more information about the company and its products. Depending on the size, model and condition, their stoves can sell for anywhere from about $50 to over $800 today.
We suggest contacting the stove collectors’ club The Antique Stove Association antiquestoveassociation.org, an antiques dealer specializing in stoves like Mill Creek Antiques millcreekantiques. com, or perhaps a stove repairer may be able to help you find a specific value.
TIP: If there are raised applied decorations on your art glass, be careful when cleaning it. Gold or silver accents, painted enamel decoration, and beads must be kept in fine condition to maintain the value.
Terry Kovel and Kim Kovel answer readers’ questions sent to the column. Send a letter with one question describing the size, material (glass, pottery) and what you know about the item. Include only two pictures, the object and a closeup of any marks or damage. Be sure your name and return address are included. By sending a question, you give full permission for use in any Kovel product. Names, addresses or email addresses will not be published. We do not guarantee the return of photographs, but if a stamped envelope is included, we will try. Questions that are answered will appear in Kovels Publications. Write to Kovels, The Republican, King Features Syndicate, 628 Virginia Dr., Orlando, FL 32803 or email us at collectorsgallery@kovels.com.
CURRENT PRICES
Current prices are recorded from antiques shows, flea markets, sales and auctions throughout the United States. Prices vary in different locations because of local economic conditions. Stoneware, bed warmer, cream glaze, brown stopper and finial, relief leaves around stopper, A.C. & Co., England, 1 quart., 11 inches, $50.
Furniture, chest, jewelry, lift top case, two drawers over two doors over wide drawer, black lacquer, mother of pearl inlay, birds, flowers, c. 1920, Japan, 13 1/2 x 11 1/2 x 5 inches, $110. Perfume bottle, tall stopper, embossed figure, fan shape base, blue art glass, gilt metal filigree, inset blue stone, marked, Czechoslovakia, 8 x 5 inches, $180. Rug, Navajo, Burntwater, two diamond medallions, pastel multicolor, tag, Lillian Begay, 59 x 35 1/2 inches, $280.
Wave Crest, vase, opaque, shaded maroon band, enamel daisies, purple trim, brass mounts, pierced leafy scroll handles, c. 1900, 12 inches, $440.
Toy, motorcycle, Mirako-Peter 1013, rider, blond hair, red jacket, windup, box, Schuco, 5 inches, $480.
Clock, advertising, Faultless Feeds, red and green, bubble glass, lights up, electric, 15 inches, $660. Silver plate, wine cooler, champagne, three horizontal panels, lion’s mask and ring handles, mark, Sheffield, c. 1910, 7 1/2 x 8 1/2 inches, pair, $665.
Picture, drawing, portrait, head, orange, black, white, ink on ecru paper, oil stick accents, frame, signed, Jean-Michel Basquiat, c.1980, 16 x 20 in. $1,125
Rose Mandarin, cider jug, lid, gilt foo dog finial, figures, auspicious objects, flower and butterfly borders, twisted double strap handle, wood stand, 1800s, 12 inches, $2,140.
Average rate on a 30-year mortgage in the US rises to 6.79%
Rate increases for 6th straight week
By A lex Veiga Associated Press
The average rate on a 30-year mortgage in the U.S. rose for the sixth straight week, returning to its highest level since early July.
The rate ticked up to 6.79% from 6.72% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. That’s still down from a year ago, when the rate averaged 7.5%.
Borrowing costs on 15-year fixedrate mortgages, popular with homeowners seeking to refinance their home loan to a lower rate, also edged higher this week.
The average rate rose to 6% from 5.99% last week. A year ago, it aver-
Deeds
AGAWAM
Anthony M. Kashmanian and Leah E. Cote to Rebecca J. Rivenburgh, Castle Hills Road, Unit G2, $325,000.
Appleton Grove LLC, to Nathan Robert Kvarnstrom, 11 Randall St., $293,040.
Arthur Clayton Mallory Jr., estate, Arthur C. Mallory, estate, and Daryl G. Mallory, representative, to Kevin R. Mallory, 738 Suffield St., $150,000.
Brandon Tessier and Keeley Tessier to Sarah Loreille, 84 Line St., $370,000.
Christina L. Gezotis and Steve R. Graydon to Kenneth Pannone and Suzanne Williamson, 28 Pleasant Drive, $345,000.
Edward P. Shibley Jr., trustee, Springmill Trust, trustee of, and Springmill Realty Trust, trustee of, to Walz Realty LLC, 292 Suffield St., $325,000.
Frieda P. Settle to Andrew D. Jalbert and Vera Jalbert, 39 Strawberry Hill Road, $315,000.
Gina Tranghese-Corridon and Gina Tranghese to Christopher Klocker, Brenda M. Dubuque and Brenda Dubuque, 14 Prospect St., $325,000.
Laura N. Stevens to Christopher M. Culhane, 13 Pierce St., $275,000.
Lucas Giusto, trustee, Dominic Santaniello, trustee, and Naples Home Buyers Trust, trustee of, to Bethany Holbrook McElligott, Melanie Marie McElligott and
aged 6.81%, Freddie Mac said.
When mortgage rates increase they can add hundreds of dollars a month in costs for borrowers, reducing homebuyers’ purchasing power at a time when home prices remain near all-time highs, even though the housing market remains in a sales slump going back to 2022.
Mortgage rates are influenced by several factors, including the yield on U.S. 10-year Treasury bonds, which lenders use as a guide to price home loans. Bond yields have been rising following encouraging reports on inflation and the economy.
This week, bond yields surged on expectations that President-elect Donald Trump’s plans for higher tariffs, lower tax rates and lighter regulation could lead to bigger economic growth, inflation and U.S. govern-
Brandon McElligott, 912 North St., $339,000.
Pamela Jendrysik and Pamela Jendryski to Patrick Sullivan, 79 Norris St., $331,500.
Susan Morrie to Michael Vigliano, 123 Brookfield La Unit 123, $258,500.
AMHERST
Henry Whitlock and Gary Toth to Marc Brian Beroz and Karen Alicia Fiske, 176 Flat Hills Road, $718,400.
Marie Elena Armentano to Marie E. Armentano, trustee, and Marie E. Armentano 2022 Trust, 6 Baldwin Lane, $100.
Alden Willard Pratt Trust and Gary E. Loebner, trustee, to Christina Brady, 97 Meadow St., and 87 Meadow St., $100.
Joseph M. Wronka, trustee, and Joseph M. Wronka Revocable Trust to Li Hou and Yiyong Wu, 4 Chadwick Court, $315,000.
Muhammad Sheheryar Sheikh, Matthew Lok and Hummad Ijaz to 65 High Street Rentals LLC, 65 High St., $800,000.
ASHFIELD
A. William Peck and Mary P. Peck, trustees of the Peck Realty Trust, to Kelly A. Flaherty and Christopher J. Macek, March/Bray Road, $20,000.
BERNARDSTON
Paul C. Skiathitis to Alexander F. Fiorey and Amy Fiorey, 16 South St., $25,000.
Maynard C. Bartlett Jr., to Dianne
ment debt.
The yield on the 10-year Treasury was at 4.36% at midday Thursday. It was at 3.62% as recently as mid-September.
The average rate on a 30-year home loan hasn’t been this high since July 11, when it was 6.89%. In late September, the average rate got as low as 6.08% — its lowest level in two years — following the Federal Reserve’s decision to cut its main interest rate for the first time in more than four years.
While the central bank doesn’t set mortgage rates, its policy pivot cleared a path for mortgage rates to generally go lower.
“While we still expect mortgage rates to stabilize by the end of the year, they will likely be at a higher level than markets were initially expecting prior to election week,” said
Novotny, 298 Northfield Road, $130,000.
Molly Texeira and Kristie Turner to Patricia V. Lorusso, Zephyr Lorusso and Patricia Theresa Robb, 184 West Road, $635,000.
BLANDFORD
Jeremy Reinford and Kendra Reinford to Jake Komar, Stephen Komar and Kathleen Komar, Blair Road, Lot 2, $75,000.
BRIMFIELD
Springfield Boys & Girls Club Inc., to Michael Partlow and Allen DiPietro, 145 Sturbridge Road, $420,000.
BUCKLAND
A. William Peck and Mary P. Peck, trustees of the Peck Realty Trust, to Kelly A. Flaherty and Christopher J. Macek, March/Bray Road, $20,000.
Luke Scalise and Joseph O. Scalise, individually and as personal representative of the Estate of Joseph Paul Scalise, to Amy Lima and Dean Lima, 31 Charlemont Road, $125,000.
CHARLEMONT
133 Warfield Realty LLC, to Hinata Retreat Realty LLC, 133 Warfield Road, Warfield Road and Riddell Road, $5,250,000.
CHICOPEE
David R. LaValley and Geraldine H LaValley to Tessa Miller and Everett
Ralph McLaughlin, senior economist at Realtor.com.
The recent uptick in mortgage rates has discouraged some would-be home shoppers. Mortgage applications fell last week for the sixth week in a row, sliding 10.8% on a seasonally adjusted basis from the prior week, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.
Applications for loans to refinance a mortgage fell 19%, though they were still 48% higher than in the same week last year, when rates were higher.
“Rates and borrower demand will likely remain volatile in the coming weeks as financial markets digest both the election results and the Fed’s upcoming monetary policy decisions,” said MBA CEO Bob Broeksmit.
Clifton Martell Jr., 37 Tolpa Ct, $385,000.
Edward G. Masse to William Wayne Prendergast Jr., 136 Olko Circle, $293,000.
Heather A. Dandy and Earl K. Dandy III, to Earl K. Dandy IV, 44 Rochester St., $160,000.
Ivelisse Hicks and Curvin A. Hicks to Mariela Morales Matos and Joseph L. Ramos, 82 Dillon St., $272,000.
Julee Montemagni, Julee Henry and Anthony Montemagni to Miliel Sanchez and Angel Sanchez, 27 Laurel St., $300,000.
Matthew T. Hewes to Brenna R. Matyseck, 28 Douglas Circle, $22,000.
Richard Fiske, representative, and Joan A. Fiske, estate, to Anne E. De Jesus-Miranda and Ricardo Miranda, 117 Partridge Lane, $190,000.
Thomas P. Lemanski to David Sexton, 116-118 Pine St., $150,000.
Thomas P. Mauer, representative, Winifred Estelle Mauer, estate, and Winifred E. Mauer, estate, to Danielle Cannatelli and Michael R. Cannatelli, 43 Hilton St., $275,000.
Victor R. Narvaez and Katie A. Narvaez to Claudia E. Amedzro and Yao G. Amedzro, 26 Munger Road, $360,000.
William Joseph Rokowski and Christopher J. Pope to William Young Properties LLC, 6 Leo Drive, $349,000.
COLRAIN
Christine L. Beausoleil and Michael J. Beausoleil to Amberlyn J. Beausoleil and John Timothy Ollari III,
268 East Colrain Road, $570,000.
CONWAY
Howard R. Boyden and Jeanne L. Boyden to Matthew R. Boyden and Samantha Boyden, Boyden Road, $75,000.
DEERFIELD
Dennis Purdy, “aka” Dennis L. Purdy, and JoAnne Purdy, “aka” JoAnne M. Purdy, to Mina Tandun, 30 King Philip Ave., $459,000.
Nathan James Gilbert to Anthony Grippo and Kara Grippo, 795 River Road, $425,000.
Kelli M. Eriksen and Lucas E. Eriksen to Daniel V. Cochrane and Camille Connor Jones, 61 Eastern Ave., $480,000.
Julia Gates Hartnell to Daniel Walter, 24 Meadow Wood Drive, $680,000.
EAST LONGMEADOW
Adam Dubois, Adam J. Dubois and Angela Dubois to Linda Martin, 103 Gates Ave., $310,000. Dennis Xayasone to Ashwin Paul Antony Susai Raj and Raizel Michelina Suresh, 161 Braeburn Road, $595,000.
Gary T. Mallalieu to Felicia Buendo and Christopher Buendo, 302 Pinehurst Drive, $444,000.
Michael R. Murray and Robin A. Murray to Kevin P. Keough and Katherine P. Keough, 85 Orchard Road, $660,000.
Michael Sullivan to Ricky Santiago, 169 Allen St., $280,000.
Deeds
EASTHAMPTON
Patricia Crowley to Patricia L. Crowley, trustee, Anna M. Corti, trustee, and Robert J. Crowley 2018 Trust, 1 Autumn Drive, $720,000.
W. Marek Inc., to Martin V. Espinola, 122 Parsons St., $434,000. Grazyna Rowinska to Peter Tur, 123 Holyoke St., $180,000.
Matthew L. Goldman and Charlene M. Korza to James L. Carmichael and Emily H. Laine, 129 Parsons St., and 133 Parsons St., $10,000.
Thomas Kirschner and Christina Kirschner to Joan Kirschner, 108 Clark St., $60,000.
Joan Kirschner to Thomas Kirschner, 106 Clark St., $165,000.
GILL
W.D. Cowls Inc., to Lyme Quabbin LLC, Pisgah Mountain Road, $575,000.
GOSHEN
Wayne Glaser and Pamela A. Skinner to 45 Paws 2024 Trust, Wayne Glaser, trustee, and Pamela A. Skinner, trustee, 26 Fuller Road, $100.
GRANBY
Stephen Brunetti and Darlene Brunetti to Benjamin Trafford, 21 West St., $353,000.
GREENFIELD
Charles W. Roberts, III, trustee of the Roberts Investment Trust, to Michelle D. Trim and Joseph A. P. Wilson, 15 Chestnut Hill, $575,000.
Norma A. Giliker, “aka” Norma A. Gilliker, to Jules Purnell, 122 Chapman St., $270,000.
Gail E. Healy and Thomas F. Healy III, trustees of the 130 Highland Avenue Realty Trust, to Christine J. Hajzak and Mark Zaccheo, 130 Highland Avenue Extension, “aka” 130 Highland Ave., $595,000.
Joan M. Culley and Salvatore DiNardi to Cynthia Rebelo, 322 Davis St., Unit F, “aka” Unit 322F, Townehouse Condominium, $215,000.
Michele D. Browning, James B. Poirier and Jeffrey S. Poirier to Jennifer Kellogg, 103 Vernon St., $288,500.
John Gregory Caloon and June Caloon to Peter R. Krejmas Jr., and Peter R. Krejmas III, 371 Green
River Road, $390,000.
Stephen M. Reilly, trustee of SMR Greenfield Trust, to First Generation Investments Group LLC, 324 Main St., $808,000.
Judith E. Fritz to Queen of the Night LLC, 54 Haywood St., $252,500.
HADLEY
Kevin K. Pelissier and Maryann Pelissier to Aaron A. DeMaio and Victoria L. DeMaio, 4 Frallo Drive, $459,500.
Andrea K. Morris and Andrea J. Morris to Andrea J. Morris, trustee, and Andrea J. Morris Trust, 86 Stockbridge St., $100.
Andrea K. Morris and Andrea J. Morris to Andrea J. Morris, trustee, and Andrea J. Morris Trust, 88 Stockbridge St., $100.
HAMPDEN
Bedrock Financial LLC, trustee, and Cumberland Blues Realty Trust, trustee of, to Elizabeth Moore and William Moore, 95 Chapin Road, $762,600.
Celine A. Gaudreau to Kevin J. Czaplicki Jr., 313 Bennett Road, $340,000.
HEATH
Carla Ferreira to Paula Myers and David Yang, 41 Modac St., $36,000.
HOLLAND
Annie R. Roscioli to Andrew Porter, 488 Mashapaug Road, $200,000.
Jason Monteiro and Morgan Monteiro to Seth Cornell and Julia Cornell, 8 Hamilton Drive, $332,000.
Susan M. Kennedy, estate, Megan Read, representative, Christopher D. Kennedy and Ryan M. Kennedy to Christopher D. Kennedy, 208 Mashapaug Road, $350,000.
HOLYOKE
181 High Holyoke MA LLC, to Legacy Property Investment Group LLC, 181-183 High St., $520,000. 428446 Maple Holyoke MA LLC, to up Legacy Property Investment Group LLC, 428 Maple St., $780,000.
Bartlett M. Doty to Nathaniel Tishman and Christine Lunanga, 323 Sargeant St., $405,000.
Carrel Properties MA LLC, to David Terrero Santana and Nersa Meran, 0 Dwight Street, $425,000.
Ella Sussman to Elizabeth Mombourquette and Michael Beresky
Jr., 98 Pinehurst Road, $400,000. Enamel Properties LLC, to 109 Lyman St. LLC, 109 Lyman St., $145,000.
Francis M. Ahern and Lisa G. Ahern to Michael E. Willers and Alexa E. Martin, 19 Western View Road, $760,000.
Nicolette Leroux Estrella and Efrain Rivera Jr., to Santiago F, Jaraba Chacon, 47 Taylor St,, $350,000.
Pah Properties LLC, to Kelia Rivera Melendez, 74 Pine St., $265,000.
Stephen F. Field to Raymond M. Garcia Brito, 14 Alderman St., $245,000.
Vivian Lopez and Freddy Lopez to Congamond Management LLC, 15 Longwood Ave., $279,900.
Windsor Realty LLC, to Rutland Apartments LLC, 173-175 Elm St., $3,196,000.
Yvan Turgeon to OneHolyoke Community Development Corp., 96 North East St., $95,000.
LEVERETT
Fletcher Korfhage-Poret, personal representative of the Estate of Mary Jo Korfhage Poret, “aka” Mary Jo Korfhage, to Aida Markiw and Michael John Markiw, 82 Juggler Meadow Road, $585,000.
LONGMEADOW
Donald L. Barsalou and Tina M. Barsalou to Nicholas Wentworth and Sarah Wentworth, 89 Burbank Road, $632,000.
Mary E. Hurley, representative, and Daniel M. Kelly, estate, to Neda Dulaimy and Kal Dulaimy, 11 Brooks Road, $470,000.
Patricia D. Smith to Janice Thornsbury, 107 Barrington Road, $425,000.
Radixon LLC, to Cheryl Dellecese, 149 Lincoln Road, $387,500.
Randolph Stephen Yanoshak Jr., to Lisa Marie Robtoy, 217 Laurel St., $590,000.
Robert Pierce Durfee and Darcy F. Durfee to Katlyn DiClemente and Robert DiClemente, 81 Ellington St., $575,000.
Sean M. Maloney, representative, Timothy J. Maloney, representative, and Eileen M. Maloney, estate, to Alexandro Laftsidis, 55 Riverview Ave., $320,000.
Tim J. Wright and Victoria L Lauro Wright to Billie J Borden, Billie Borden, Jason A Beattie and Jason Beattie, 67 Blueberry Hill Road, $725,000.
William J. Clayton and Isabel Dubrinsky-Clayton to Anthony Kashmanian and Leah Cote, 130 Arlington Road, $605,000.
LUDLOW
Anthony B. Pietrowski, Christina Pietrowski and Christine Pietrowski to William Raffaele, 154 Loopley St., $312,000.
Danielle M. Hayes to Katherine M. Prior, 21 McLean Parkway, $340,000.
Dominic Kirchner II, trustee, and Avet Realty Trust, trustee of, to Tyler Lionel James Alves and Laura N. Stevens, 675 West St., $455,000.
James E. Banas Sr., Patricia A. Banas, Linda Welcome and Linda Jean Welcome to Catarina Sanches and Sam Roberts, 166 Fuller St., $329,900.
Sima Gojgini, Andrea Gancarz and Kaykavoos Gojgini to Andrea Gancarz, 665 Center St., Unit 808, $300,000.
Vrajeshkumar Patel and Pranav Patel to Breeana J. Boutwell and Donna J. Coulombe, 1541 Center St., $325,000.
MONROE
Helen I. Oakes and Russell R. Oakes to Hunter R. Oakes, Davis Road, $20,000.
MONSON
James W. Bishop and Annette P. Bishop to Roxana Nowak and Paul Nowak, 33 Old Reed Road, $620,000.
Joanne Marie Ralston, trustee, and Ralston Family Trust, trustee of, to Emilee Auclair and Jacob Christensen, 47 Country Club Heights, $410,000.
Kevin P. Quirk and Pamela A. Quirk to James A. Farley and Sandra A. Mallalieu, 108 Cote Road, $720,000.
PAH Properties LLC, to David Morin, 57 Stafford Road, $353,000.
Robert T. Morrin and Laurie M. Trager to Ian Dextradeur, 4 Carpenter Road, $355,000.
MONTAGUE
Paula Murphy, “fka” Paula J. Farrick, to Andrew E. Wolkoff, 184 Millers Falls Road, $120,000.
Adrian H. D’Errico and Katja Hahn D’Errico, trustees of the Katja Hahn D’Errico Revocable Trust, to Goldsmith Rentals LLC, 26 Gunn Road, $418,000.
NORTHAMPTON
Andreas Calianos, Melinda A. Calianos and Melinda A. Soffer to Marcie Glicksman, Scott Veggeberg and Sam Veggeberg, 59 Henshaw Ave., $890,000. Shauneen S. Kroll Revocable Trust
and Sabra K. Aquadro, trustee, to Sabra K. Aquadro, Jensen P. Kroll and Mikkel C. Kroll, 93 Massasoit St., $100.
Jocelyn B. Jones to Daniel Brickell, 80 Damon Road, $257,000.
John A. Morin and Martha L. Morin to Daniel Abrahamson and Lauren Waslick, 11 Overlook Drive, $430,000.
Sabra K. Aquadro, Jensen P. Kroll and Mikkel C. Kroll to Kroll Properties LLC, 93 Massasoit St., $100.
Susan M. Clevenger and William R. Bombard to Thomas J. Bombard, 58 Forest Glen Drive, $256,000.
Michael A. Beresky Jr., and Kathleen M. Beresky to Cheesemaking LLC, 26 Smith St., $385,000.
Mark A. Goldstein and Jacob Q. Goldstein to Joshua Apkin and Jane Apkin, 44 Evergreen Road, $218,000.
Janis Johnson and Jeffrey Johnson to Alexis Johnson, 50 Gleason Road, $100.
ORANGE
Leanne M. Clark to J. Kevin Connaughton, Susan Libby Connaughton, Diane E. Parker and Donald Parker Jr., 34 Boyden Road, $225,000.
Clare L. Caldwell and Joshua A. Pincus to Brian T. Claffey, 146 Butterworth Road, $340,000.
PALMER
Elizabeth A. Lagacy, trustee, and Richard G. Lagacy Irrevocable Trust, trustee of, to Lucas Arthur Sychtysz, 73 St. John St., $350,000.
JoeJoe Properties LLC, to Jelitza Marian Gonzalez, 4293-4295 High St., $400,000.
Lauri Cotela, trustee, and Lauri Cotela Trust 2022, trustee of, to Geoffrey Pitt Reeves, trustee, and Roses Supposes Magical Roses Nominee Trust, trustee of, 23 R Burlingame Road, $1,149,000.
Leonard J. Brennan Jr., and Dianne F. Brennan to Joshua K. Gaulin and Moira McDonald, 3006 Thorndike St., $371,000.
PELHAM
Maxwell H. Scoon and Debra G. Scoon to Maxwell H. Scoon, trustee, Debra G. Scoon, trustee, Maxwell H. Scoon Jr., trustee, and Maxwell H. Scoon Revocable Trust, 43 South Valley Road, $100.
RUSSELL
Daniel F. Jonah to Cris Maldonado, 100 Timberidge Drive, $391,000.
Deeds
SHUTESBURY
Barbara J. Orrell and Paula J. Orrell, Heirs at Law of the Estate of Donald W. Orrell, to ARPC LLC, 564 West Pelham Road, “aka” 192 West Pelham Road, $196,500.
SOUTH HADLEY
Katherine A. Koldys to Gabriel Paul Lyons-Sosa and Mary Frances Lyons, 16 Brigham Road, $250,000.
Debra A. Marquis, Debra A. Dupre, Jeffrey A. Marquis and Liane M. Feldman to Brian T. Kennedy and Life Estate, 6 Hickory Place, $100.
Rebecca J. Rivenburgh to Min Li, 15 Central Ave., $388,000.
Kathleen R. Aldrich and Jason A. Aldrich to David Linnehan, 16 Laurie Ave., $299,900.
Jesse Gannett Quillian, personal representative, and William Howell Quillian, estate, to Monique Aimee Roy and Julia Marie Patten, 88 Woodbridge St., $315,000.
Brenda Dubuque, personal representative, and Cynthia R. Lanney, estate, to Nicholas J. Bova, 9 High St., $310,000.
Susan M. Knightly, trustee, Barbara A. Knightly Irrevocable Trust and Barbara A. Knightly to Thomas J. Malek, 120 Camden St., $320,000.
SOUTHAMPTON
Richard L. Truehart Jr., Richard L. Truehart and Paul E. Truehart to Seth Zenitz, 6 Parc Place, $210,000.
SOUTHWICK
Daniel F. Lucia and Angela M. Lucia to Adam Cialek and Stephanie Cialek, 8 Partridge Lane, $489,900.
Judith A. Rice and Kirk Reid to John Allsop, 27 Matthews Road, $390,000.
Saltmarsh Brothers Construction Inc., to Ryan W. Taylor and Samantha A. Taylor, 23 Noble Steed Crossing, $600,000.
Patricia A. Safford to Anatoliy Ovdiychuk and Galyna Ovdiychuk, 55 Foster Road, $50,000.
Philip S. Wilson and Meghan Scranton Wilson to Viktoria A. Brennan, 115 N. Lake Ave., $686,000.
SPRINGFIELD
Allison Bouffard to Ann McCracken Lynch and William Christopher Lynch, 40 Ravenwood St., $360,000.
Audrey Wise to JoeJoe Properties LLC, 3739 Vassar St., $75,000.
Dominic Santaniello, trustee, Lucas Giusto, trustee, and Naples Home Buyers Trust, trustee of, to Almonte Real Estate Inc., 153 Bristol St., $205,000.
Emtay Inc., to Olga L. Birriel Rivera, 59-61 Sorrento St., $365,000.
Gabriel Serrano to Maricelis Rivera, 34 Rosemary Drive, $308,000.
James A. Garvey, trustee, Glicet C. Garvey, trustee, Garvey Family 2006 Trust, trustee of, and Patrick J. Garvey to Yanhua Cao, 11-13 Dineen St., $355,000.
Jeffrey M. O’Connor and Kristen L. O’Connor to Amber Marie Metts, 20 Bircham St., $415,000.
BMP Transportation & Service LLC, to David Guasco Loja, 74-76 Knox St., $315,000.
Lori Nicaretta to Michael P. Lamoureux and Robert Lamoureux, 59 East Canton Circle, $86,667.
Matthew A. Cavallo to Jason P. Fahey and Marie J. Forgie, 64 Ellendale Circle, $370,000.
Norma Reyes to Natalia Serrano, 15 Eldert St., $257,000.
Olga B. Rivera and Olga L. Cruz to Jose A. Conde Sr., 41 Boyer St., $248,000.
Paul D. Lessard, trustee, Barry Lessard, trustee, and 191 Chestnut Street Realty Trust, trustee of, to Cosale Inc., 191 Chestnut St., $100.
RBT Enterprise LLC, and HP Rum LLC, to Green Piranhas LLC, 24 Coomes St., $350,000.
RBT Enterprise LLC, and HP Rum LLC, to Green Piranhas LLC, 18 Coomes St., $700,000.
Richard F. Newman to Jacob N. Torres, 124 Audubon St., $258,000.
Robert Macalpine, trustee, Robert A. MacAlpine, trustee, and Victoria J. Miller Revocable Trust, trustee of, to Lucas Giusto, trustee, Dominic Santaniello, trustee, and Naples Home Buyer Trust, trustee of, 40 Goldenrod St., $150,000.
Samantha Jones to Naylor Nation Real Estate LLC, 35-37 Copley Terrace, $232,100.
SH Properties LLC, to Cesarina Perez Meran, 34-36 White St., $400,000.
Van Thai and Van H Thai to Thu Tra Pham, Thuy Pham and Dina Lam, 144 Washington St., $175,000.
SUNDERLAND
Kimberly A. Scott to Gia Kien Nguyen and Quoc Kiet Nguyen, 227 Hadley Road, $368,000.
WALES
Wilbraham Medical Investors LLC, and Life Care Center of Wilbraham to Rachel Smith, 8 Woodland Heights, $13,000.
WARE
Michael J. Michalski, Joanne P. Michalski and Joanne P. Wyman to Paul E. Wyman and Joanne P. Wyman, 51 Lois St., $125,000.
Marilyn A. Bennett to Marilyn A. Bennett, trustee, and Revocable Indenture of Trust of Marilyn A. Bennett, 52 Shoreline Drive, $100.
Berkshire Property Buyers LLC, to Marcus A. Johnson, 64 Pleasant St., $310,000.
Christina I. Hazzard, Christina I. Booth and
Ryan Hazzard to Juan Bermudez, 60 North St., $235,750.
Stephen R. Van Wormer and Kayla S. Van Wormer to Jeffrey Raymond Hall, 36 Cherry St., $320,000.
WARWICK
Gerard Victor Levasseur Jr., and Paula R. Levasseur to Matthew C. Durfee and Samantha Lee Durfee, 299 Flower Hill Road, $475,000.
WEST SPRINGFIELD
Newman Sewing Machine & Supply Co., Inc. to Power Group LLC, 201 Westfield St., $650,000.
Donna Merritt, estate, and Robin M. Korbut, representative, to Robert Link, 123 Bretton Road, $425,000.
James E. Angell and Marion F. Roberts to Ihor Khimchinskyi, 1051 Elm St., Unit #10, $235,000.
Layla Haylei Bermejo-Verdugo, Jose J. Bermejo and Magali Del Rocio Verdugo Vinces to Gabrielle Ryall, 17 Shady Brook Lane, Unit 17, $450,000.
Marion L. Rudolph, estate, Alyson L. Saben, representative, Eva Ann Sheridan, estate, and Eva A. Sheridan, estate, to Michelle Kathleen Gonyea, 1051 Elm St., Unit 16, $205,000.
Tatyana Sevostyanov, Tatyana Kaletina and Sergey Sevostyanov to Carly E. Pashko, 131 Belknap Ave., $315,000.
Taylor Diandra Stone to Carol Lee Cassem and Michael Cassem, 228 Piper Road, $349,900.
WESTFIELD
Anthony V. Ascolillo and Crysta Ascolillo to Stephanie Bitzas, 55 Loomis Ave., $319,900.
Briarwood Five LLC, to Riverdale Equities LLC, 600-700 Russell Road, $2,300,000.
CJCL Realty LLC, to Orm Property Group LLC, 39 Court St., $393,000.
Donald W. Christiansen to 194 Holdings LLC, 1309 Southampton Road, $230,000.
Hannah S. Powers to Erik Fickett and Katherine Fickett, 76 Old Quarry Road, $352,000.
James F. Hogan, representative, and Donald F. Hogan, estate, to Sandra Mackler, 362 Granville Road, Unit 105, $270,000.
Javad Darouian and Barbara Jean Darouian to Abriele Angelique Guaren and Kryzl Debonny Ponce, 39 Cardinal Lane, $660,000.
Joseph Mattia to Geraldina Mattia, 0 Washington Street, $98,334.
Judith M. Barber to Alison Mnich, trustee, and Judith Barber 2024 Trust, trustee of, 27 High St., $100.
Kyle Callender to Ruben Sanca, 227 Old County Road, $339,900.
Patrick M. Crowley to Michael P. Mailhott and Maria A. Scott-Smith, 80 Steiger Drive, $375,000.
Pavel Yusenko, trustee, and 82-32 South
Maple Street Realty Trust, trustee of, to Danielle Jez, 82 South Maple St., Unit 32, $180,000.
Phyllis S. Lindberg, estate, and Peter V. Burhans, representative, to Kaitlin Esposito, 22 Governor Drive, $326,000.
SB&J LLC, to Karly M. Grimaldi, 14 Casimir St., $315,000.
Teresa M. Osowski and Gary Soto to Gary Soto, 4 Beckwith Ave., $100.
United Transmission Inc., to 247 Elm Street FLP LLC, 247 Elm St., $100.
WESTHAMPTON
Thomas R. Meehan and Thomas Meehan to Jessica L. Shea, 56 Stage Road, $100.
WHATELY
Mary K. Klippel to Ava Paine and Theodore Woods, Haydenville Road, $40,000.
WILBRAHAM
AC Homebuilding LLC, to Kenneth Diegel and Dulce I. Santiago-Diegel, 96 Sandalwood Drive, $524,000.
Brian M. Rigali Jr., and Meredith G. Shepard to Robert L. Lounsbury, trustee, Diane R. Lounsbury, trustee, and Robert L. Lounsbury Living Trust, trustee of, 1155 Glendale Road, $789,900.
Jessica C. La Riviere and Jeffrey A. La Riviere to Mullen & Associates LLC, 88 Manchonis Road, $230,000.
Laine Whitney Aponte-Edwards and Dariana Marie Aponte-Edwards to Jordan A McEwan and Rachel A McEwan, 4 Pheasant Farm Road, $435,000.
WORTHINGTON
Carolyn Jacobson to Full Gospel Church of Westfield, 350 Harvey Road, $750,000.
Come spring, the shoots that grow from the tops of the cuttings will already have at least the beginnings of roots to bring sustenance.
Mulch fall-planted cutting so that alternate freezing and thawing of the soil doesn’t heave them out of the ground.
Cuttings could even be planted in pots with a well-drained potting soil, as long as the pots are kept cool (30-45°F) long enough for the shoots to “feel” winter, so they can grow shoots in spring.
If you’d rather plant in the spring, the cuttings need to be kept cool and moist through the winter. The traditional method of storage is to bundle the cuttings together and bury them upside down in a well-drained soil. Why upside down? Because the bottoms of the cuttings then will be first to feel the warming effects of spring sunlight beating upon the ground, while the shoot buds are held in check buried deeper in cold ground.
A refrigerator can substitute for the traditional burying. Seal the cuttings in a plastic bag, wrap the bag in a wet paper towel, and then seal the whole thing in yet another plastic bag. Plant as early in spring as soil conditions permit. Pay attention to what works and what doesn’t, figure out why, and you’re on your way to propagation addiction. Next worry is what to do with all your plants.
Come visit my farmden at http://leereich. com.
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CONTINUES FROM PAGE F2
“When the idea for the musical was brought to my attention, I think I said, ‘Doesn’t everyone already know the story?’” Sparks quipped before adding that the show is “truly beautiful.”
Sparks wrote his first novel, “The Passing,” during his freshman year at the University of Notre Dame on a track scholarship.
His mother, Jill Emma Marie Thoene, who died in 1989, told her 19-year-old son to “write a book to keep busy” after he sustained a sports injury, a strained Achilles tendon.
The book, which was never published, was a horror novel inspired by his literary hero, Stephen King.
Just after “The Notebook” was released in 1996, Sparks wanted to give King a signed copy of the book during a visit to Bangor, Maine. “I pulled up to the front of his house, and there was a low-hanging chain across the driveway to keep people out,” he said. “I remember pacing back and forth, thinking, ‘I’m a bestselling author now. too. Does this chain apply to me?’”
Sparks decided to bypass the chain and leave a copy of his book outside King’s front door.
He didn’t hear from King until a decade later, when a publisher reached out to request a blurb for the horror novelist’s 2006 tome, “Lisey’s Story.” Without hesitation, Sparks said yes. A hardcover edition of “Lisey’s Story,” with a note from King and his editor Nan Graham, is placed neatly on a bookshelf in Sparks’ pub room that houses first editions of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby” and Kurt Vonnegut’s “Slaughterhouse-Five.”
“He only asked one more person for a blurb. It was Michael Chabon. So, it’s Stephen King, Michael Chabon and me.
Whenever I think about it, I hear that ‘Sesame Street’ song, ‘One Of These Things (Is Not Like The Others). “One of these things is not like the others,” sang Sparks. “One of these things just doesn’t belong.” (He’s a decent singer.)
In Sparks’ upstairs library, books of all genres cover the walls. “These are some of the books I have read over the years. Actually, I have read three times this many. I have to purge my library every so often.”
The room also features an Hermès backgammon board, made of mahogany and swift calfskin, one of four sets on display throughout the house.
Nine more boards are neatly tucked away in various drawers, closets, and cabinets.
“One day, perhaps, I will go to the backgammon world championships,”
Sparks deadpanned. “I play for an hour and a half to two hours every day against a computer that plays perfectly mathematically. I’m at the 2200 level. The top is 2254.” (Sparks’ rating is unofficial.)
A painting by artist John Beerman is displayed on an easel in the library. Sparks said he likes Beerman’s “colors and dreamy landscapes.”
The author also has an affinity for globes. “My book tours would take me all over the world. So, I would use the globes to show my children, when they were little, where I was going.”
The novelist’s nonprofit, the Nicholas Sparks Foundation, is dedicated to global education. Since 2006, Sparks said, he has helped fund international travel excursions for several hundred children.
In all, 11 of Sparks’ novels have been adapted into Hollywood films, including Nick Cassavetes’ cult classic “The Notebook,” that was released in 2004 and starred Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams. Framed film posters from
all his novels that have been adapted into motion pictures, including “The Last Song,” adorn the walls of Sparks’ second-floor movie theater.
While he has produced six of those movies, the author has earned just one screenplay credit, for “The Last Song.” Because of timing, Sparks wrote the screenplay before he wrote the 2009 book by the same name. He used the screenplay as the outline for the novel.
“The movies have certainly been beneficial to my career,” Sparks said. “Only a certain percentage of people read novels, and then a smaller percentage read mine. The movies have been a wonderful way to introduce people to the stories that I thought were worth telling.
This article originally appeared in The New York Times
Clockwise from top, the upstairs library of Nicholas Sparks’s home, where books of all genres cover the walls. Nicholas Sparks at home in New Bern, N.C., on Sept. 13, 2024. Richard Fennell’s portraits of Sparks’s youngest children, Landon, Lexie and Savannah, line the stairway wall of the home. (PHOTOS BY MIKE BELLEME/THE NEW YORK TIMES)
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