--- description: The writer of 17 romantic novels is splitting from his wife of 25 years title: Author of 'The Notebook' Nicholas Sparks Splits From Wife image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltee3cdbb9c2f84c0f/698778560b72e337d46dcf5b/nicholas-cathy-sparks.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Entertainment](/section/entertainment/) ## Entertainment Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [Books](/tag/books/) ## Books Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Author of _The Notebook_ Nicholas Sparks Splits From Wife by [Tim Nudd / People](/author/people/) ## Tim Nudd / People Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Jan 6, 2015 4:25 PM CUT  Nicholas and Cathy Sparks arrive for the Premiere of "Safe Haven" on Feb. 5, 2013 in Hollywood. Nicholas and Cathy Sparks arrive for the Premiere of "Safe Haven" on Feb. 5, 2013 in Hollywood.Albert L. Ortega—Getty Images by [Tim Nudd / People](/author/people/) ## Tim Nudd / People Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Jan 6, 2015 4:25 PM CUT There will be no storybook ending for Nicholas Sparks and his wife Cathy – the woman who inspired so many of the best-selling author’s novels. The king of the love story, who has penned 17 romantic novels – nine of which, including _The Notebook_, have been made into movies – is splitting from his wife of 25 years. “Cathy and I have separated,” Sparks, 49, tells PEOPLE exclusively. “This is, of course, not a decision we’ve made lightly. We remain close friends with deep respect for each other and love for our children. For our children’s sake, we regard this as a private matter.” The couple, who married in 1989 – seven years before _The Notebook_ made the young Notre Dame business school grad a literary star – have three sons and twin daughters, ranging in age from 23 to 12. Though he’s a master at telling love stories, Sparks has always been reluctant to offer real-world romantic advice. “I don’t like to give marriage tips,” he [told PEOPLE in 2003](http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20148283,00.html "undefined"). “There are people who are probably much better at marriage than I am – they’ve lasted a lot longer. I could probably learn from them.” He always spoke of Cathy, a former lending-company account executive, as his muse. In a [PEOPLE interview two years ago](http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20674517,00.html "undefined"), the North Carolina-based couple spoke of how they kept the fire burning in their marriage. “The marriage relationship has to be primary – it’s one of the best things you can teach your children,” Nicholas said. “So we don’t feel guilty if we go for a walk, just the two of us.” Added Cathy: “We try to go on vacations alone. You need to leave alone. You have to make the effort to leave, take the time. Just go and have fun alone. We do it a few times a year.” Sparks, whose other novels include _Message in a Bottle_ and _The Wedding_, also created the progressive Epiphany School with his wife through the Nicholas Sparks Foundation. [_This article originally appeared on People.com_](http://www.people.com/article/nicholas-sparks-wife-cathy-separate?xid=IFT-Trending "undefined") ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3655811/nicholas-sparks-wife-separate/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3655811/nicholas-sparks-wife-separate/"},"headline":"Author of The Notebook Nicholas Sparks Splits From Wife","datePublished":"2015-01-06T16:25:24.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-22T03:19:26.150Z","description":"The writer of 17 romantic novels is separating from his wife of 25 years","url":"https://time.com/3655811/nicholas-sparks-wife-separate/","keywords":["Books"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltee3cdbb9c2f84c0f/698778560b72e337d46dcf5b/nicholas-cathy-sparks.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Tim Nudd / People"}],"articleSection":"Entertainment","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltee3cdbb9c2f84c0f/698778560b72e337d46dcf5b/nicholas-cathy-sparks.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Nicholas and Cathy Sparks arrive for the Premiere of \"Safe Haven\" on Feb. 5, 2013 in Hollywood.","caption":"Nicholas and Cathy Sparks arrive for the Premiere of \"Safe Haven\" on Feb. 5, 2013 in Hollywood.","creditText":"Albert L. 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