Longtime West Hartford Educator Set To Release Debut Novel

WEST HARTFORD, CT — The debut novel of longtime West Hartford Educator Lynn Katz is slated to hit the shelves early next month.

Katz is a retired West Hartford educator, an Avon resident and former principal of Union School in Farmington.

The book will be released May 6. "The Surrogate," is a domestic thriller published by Black Rose Writing that explores the psychological profile of a disturbed teenager and the English teacher who tries to help him.

"I began writing my first novel when I retired as the principal of Union School in Farmington," Katz says in her jacket notes. "The ideas for my domestic thriller began in the aftermath of the Sandy Hook mass shooting, a tragedy that took place at an elementary school not far from mine."

Katz said questions that have haunted her since that day inspired the writing — "How could this happen?" and "Why is it happening again and again?" and "What can we do to stop the next mass shooting?" and "What can we, as parents, educators, lawmakers, citizens, leaders, do in order to end the horrific gun violence that continues to grip our nation?"

Katz is quick to point out that "The Surrogate" is not a book about a school shooting. It is a novel that explores the psychological profiles of a would-be mass shooter and the teacher who steps in to help.

The book can be ordered through the author's website: https://www.lynnkatzauthor.com. It is available in both hard copy and electrically on outlets like NetGallery.

Catch a sneak peak of the Prologue and Chapter 1 here.

Katz has worn many a career hat in her lifetime — waitress, classroom teacher, curriculum writer, attorney, school principal, adjunct university professor, storyteller and cotton candy machine operator. See more about her here.