Ed Burns the actor known for his roles in Saving Private Ryan and Entourage has ventured into novel writing with his new book a kid from Marboro Road set for release on September 10th by seven stories press the novel a 224 page Coming of Age story draws heavily from Burns's own Irish American Childhood weaving together elements of his past with fictional embellishments in a kid from Marlboro Road Burns explores themes of adolescence Through The Eyes of a 12-year-old narrator the story reflects his real life experiences such as his father being a policeman and growing up on Long Island while also allowing room for imaginative storytelling Burns shares that while his novel is rooted in truth the most enjoyable parts for him were those he invented Burns cites Frank mccort's Angela's Ashes as a significant influence noting its raw portrayal of childhood and hardship he also acknowledges JD Salinger The Catcher in the Ry as a formative work from his youth though he didn't consciously draw from it while writing instead Burns focused on capturing the authentic voice of a young teenager inspired by his own experiences and observations during the covid-19 pandemic Burns found the time to shift his screenplay idea into a novel format driven by a desire to tell a story he had long been passionate about he began writing in Diary form to capture the perspective of a 12-year-old boy a method he found effective in expressing the protagonist's inner World Burns hopes that if the book succeeds it could eventually be adapted into a film an aspiration that aligns with his background as an independent filmmaker despite not having initially intended it as a memoir the process of writing the novel LED Burns to reconnect with his past and his family's history making the project a deeply personal Endeavor overall a kid from Marboro Road Blends Burns's real life experiences with creative fiction creating a rich narrative that offers both Nostalgia and novel storytelling [Music]