Actor Millie Bobby Brown is about to be a published author.
His debut novel, the historical fiction “Nineteen Steps,” will be published on September 13, HarperCollins announced Friday. The book is inspired by the real-life experiences of Brown’s grandmother, who survived the Bethnal Green tube disaster in 1943, one of the greatest civilian losses of life in the UK during World War II.
“Inspired by my nanny Ruth, this book is very personal and close to my heart,” the “Stranger Things” and “Enola Holmes” star said in a statement. “I grew up hearing stories about her time living through the war. I am honored to keep her story alive.”
The book is set in wartime Bethnal Green, an East London neighborhood, and centers on Nellie Morris, an 18-year-old assistant to the mayor’s office struggling to find normalcy amid the ongoing conflict, according to HarperCollins.
Nellie meets and falls in love with Ray, an American airman stationed nearby, and begins to look forward to a new life with the soldier, beyond her neighborhood. However, her dreams are interrupted by a tragedy during an air raid.
The actual tragedy took place inside a Bethnal Green underground train station in 1943, according to the neighborhood website. As people ran to the station for cover from an incoming air raid, a woman carrying her baby slipped and fell near the bottom of the stairs, causing a domino effect of people. Many were trapped in the middle of a pile of bodies and suffocated in the narrow structure. In all, 173 people died, 62 of them children, most from suffocation.
The book’s editor, Liz Stein, called “Nineteen Steps” “moving and heartbreaking.”
“I was incredibly moved by the haunting and true tragedy at the center of the novel and loved the unforgettable portrayal of love in wartime,” Stein said in a statement.
Brown is preparing to film the fifth and final season of the Netflix series “Stranger Things,” which she has starred as Eleven since 2016. The show’s writers recently denied rumors that Brown had turned down a $12 million offer to play Eleven. Eleven in a “Stranger Things” spin-off show.
“Yes, there is nothing in this article that is true”, the writers room tweeted Wednesday. “I don’t know why we have to keep debunking this rumor, but get those clicks guys!”
In a recent interview with paradeBrown said she and others in the “Stranger Things” cast are “ready to be able to say goodbye to those roles and thank them and be grateful for the time I’ve had with them.”
She added that she is “ready to move on to new projects and new roles to fill.” And writing a book is just one of her off-screen career aspirations.
Brown, who is in her first year of college, taking online courses toward a human services degree at Purdue University, he also told Parade that he wants to direct and produce movies. She made her debut as a producer with the 2020 Netflix film “Enola Holmes” and directed a Samsung commercial last year.
But you also want to check your privilege in achieving your goals.
“You know, there are a lot of young women like me who are in film school studying directing and I’m very aware that I have the privilege of being able to take control of the narratives that I want to present to the world, so I definitely want to get to that point. of success,” Brown said.
“I just want to do it the right way that feels right to me, and be very aware that there are other young women who deserve that opportunity as well.”
