LynnKatzAuthor

The Surrogate, my debut novel
coming May 2021

I began writing my first novel when I retired as the principal of Union School in Farmington, CT. 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. The questions that have haunted me since that day inspired my writing.

How could this happen? Why is it happening again and again? What can we do to stop the next mass shooting? What can we, as parents, educators, lawmakers, citizens, leaders do, in order to end the horrific gun violence that continues to grip our nation?

The Surrogate is not a book about a school shooting. It is a novel that explores the psychological profile of a would-be mass shooter and the teacher who tries to help him. I will update this website soon with sample chapters and with information about pre-ordering.

My novel, The Surrogate, explores the psychological profile of a would-be mass shooter and the high school teacher who tries to help him. The following organizations provide information about the issue of gun violence and opportunities to help promote gun safety:

Everytown for Gun Safety: everytown.org

Sandy Hook Promise: action.sandyhookpromise.org

Moms Demand Action: momsdemandaction.org

Deeply moved by the tragic Sandy Hook school shootings, Lynn Katz weaves together a compelling story that manages to raise all the key questions. What is the role of parenting and gun culture in producing the school shooter? What is the responsibility of school systems to identify and address severe emotional disturbance in its students? And what to make of the denial by all parties that allows such emotional disturbance to threaten catastrophe? With a series of surprise twists that will leave you on edge, Katz thoughtfully illustrates the issues while establishing herself as a first-rate storyteller.

Harold I. Schwartz, M.D.

Psychiatrist in Chief Emeritus, the Institute of Living/Hartford Hospital

Professor of Psychiatry, University of Connecticut School of Medicine