Cindy Rodriguez, a reading specialist at King Philip Middle School in West Hartford, recently celebrated the publication of her debut novel at a release party at the West Hartford Public Library.

The first novel by West Hartford teacher Cindy Rodriguez was released in February. Courtesy image

More than a decade after Rodriguez completed an intense study of Emily Dickinson during a CCSU graduate school class and began to have “flashes of scenes” based on Dickinson’s poetry running through her head, Bloomsbury Children’s Books USA published the journalist-turned-teacher’s young adult novel “When Reason Breaks.”

The book is described by Goodreads as: “A Goth girl with an attitude problem, Elizabeth Davis must learn to control her anger before it destroys her. Emily Delgado appears to be a smart, sweet girl, with a normal life, but as depression clutches at her, she struggles to feel normal. Both girls are in Ms. Diaz’s English class, where they connect to the words of Emily Dickinson. Both are hovering on the edge of an emotional precipice. One of them will attempt suicide. And with Dickinson’s poetry as their guide, both girls must conquer their personal demons to ever be happy.”

West Hartford journalist Lisa Lenkiewicz spoke with Rodriguez about how Dickinson’s poetry inspired her, ultimately led her to write the novel, and what she has in store for the future.

To read Lenkiewicz’s article on CTLatinoNews.com, click here.