Sparks, who's lived in New Bern, North Carolina, for 30 years, has a new book out this month, "Dreamland." ... Just laughter. And you try to cover all of that.

Portsmouth's Dreamland was not a country club or an amusement park. It was a city park where adults congregated while children splashed in a pool. Fast-forward to today, with the loss of community.

For example, Ashtabula County District Library’s “one book, one county” program recommends "Dreamland" to high school students. He conducts 30-minute Skype sessions with students free of charge.