Hollywood.com spoke with sappy romance novelist Nicholas Sparks this week, before the release of the film version of his latest saccharine stomach-turner, Safe Haven.
Itâs a story weâve all heard beforeâa white heterosexual woman finds love, and an emotional roller coaster ensues. So when will the author of modern classics like Dear John, A Walk to Remember and The Notebook branch out and try something new?
Something gay, perhaps?
Not anytime soon, he says. File this one under âValentineâs Day bummer.â
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Sparks says that although heâs âconsideredâ writing a same-sex love story in the past, itâs ânot exactly in my genre.â Heâs given up on the idea as a novel completely, though he adds âthat would probably be more likely something thatâs explored in a different medium, maybe through televisionâŠWith the novels, I try to give the people what they expect, and then move out into different areas.â
Wow, this guyâs like the Emily BrontĂ« of cookie-cutter chick lit.
But you know who did write a novel that included a gay storyline? JK Rowling. The author of the Harry Potter series published an award-winning adult novel last year that featured a gay subplot, and later pushed Harryâs beloved Albus Dumbledore out of the closet toward the end of the series.
Maybe itâs time someone set up a meeting between Sparks and Rowling? We wouldnât mind a sappy romance novel that featured a gay dude with magical powers.
AEH
Not really a big loss there.
hamoboy
Oh noes… Without an overrated hack to write ridiculous and contrived stories of white gay people falling in love under unbelievably stupid circumstances, how shall we go on with our lives? Simple, it’s called fanfiction, and about 50% of it is better written than anything Nicholas Sparks could dream up.
Katbox
Real reason: “Why spend my time writing a gay themed romance novel earning me a measly $100,000 when I can make $1,000,000+ writing a cliched hetero-romance novel.”
/end
Andrew
Pity this isn’t considered. I’ve read a few books which I dreamed I could’ve read as same-sex.
It’s the 21st Century, it’s not hard to simply change the name and gender reference to one person in a novel – Hey! Presto! You now have a same-sex version of A Walk to Remember or Sundays at Tiffany’s. I can understand they may not feel there would be money in a paperback version but we now have digital books.
longpastdue
@Katbox: I have to agree, frankly if I were in his place I would churn out as much formulaic hetero-romance as I could.
Fidelio
@AEH: I agree. Let the guy have his Mormon demographic.
Jeffinbrooklyn
No need to wait! On Amazon I found a new gay romance novel by author Gil Cole. He takes Shakespeare’s “Antonio” from 12th Night and Merchant of Venice (which many have thought for years was probably gay), and writes a hot, romantic, exciting novel fleshing out the rest of his life. Check it out!
Jeffinbrooklyn
Maybe James Franco will play Antonio in the movie version! (a boy can dream)!
Dez
Who wants this guy to write a gay love story anyway?! How about a gay love story written by a …. gay author?! Might be a little more informed and realistic that way.
jamal49
There are already many very good gay romance novels out there written by gay people. Who needs this huckster? What a stupid useless interview.
Jeffinbrooklyn
@Dez: Gil Cole is gay. Checkout the new “Fortune’s Bastard” – romantic, hot, smart, fun with a great GAY main character!!
Pete
For the life of me I can’t expect why anyone would think that a writer of heterosexual romances has an obligation to write a gay one, much less the implication that his failure to do so is somehow ‘homophobic’.
“Write about what you know” Jane Austen famously advised a niece with literary ambitions. I suspect Mr. Sparks knows nothing about gay romance.
This is a non-story.
miagoodguy
And this is newsworthy why? What a ridiculous question to ask and even more ridiculous is people who are offended he won’t write a novel about gay romance. He is obligated to write one why again?
koan
No loss here he wasnt really an exciting writer to begin with ,all his storys were sappy .
boring
He also claimed he was as better writer than Cormac McCarthy, the dongnitude of Nicholas Sparks is epic.
balehead
Such a major closet case in school…..he’ll never write one or come out…
mac chavez
You know who DID just write a gay novel that has romance, drama, and everything in-between??? M.A. Chavez – “The Catalyst: Skye” You should check it out đ
DarkZephyr
I honestly don’t care that he doesn’t write gay romances. There are many authors who do. I don’t think we need this guy. Personally I can no longer stand heteronormative stories so I will never buy copies of his work, so he isn’t relevant to me. No big deal.