Discussing educational reform in debut novel

Released for sale to the public online on Dec. 1, Woodmere resident Cindy Grosz has published her debut book, “Rubber Room Romance,” which discusses the current education system in the U.S.
Divided into three parts, the book first focuses a fictitious account of three teachers — Ellyn, Mark and Melissa — in a tumultuous school setting. The second part, which is nonfiction, focuses on current educational terminology, discussing meanings and highlighting educational topics. The third section was written by Wally Hauck and Laurie Cardoza-Moore, experts on educational reform, to generate discussion by posing questions about current education reform.
Grosz said she believes that taxpayers, business owners and news consumers would especially identify with her book. The process for writing the fictional part was taken from headlines from current stories regarding education reform.
“With our society needing instant gratification and entertainment and the popularity of reality television, it should fit the bill for any reader on the go,” she said. “The characters were named and given simplistic lifestyles that relate to any nationality and location within New York. I chose Queens since it was centrally located for the characters living on Long Island and in Manhattan and working within [all] of the boroughs.” 
When she had people review her book prior to its release, she said they found it versatile and relatable. “Those who read the book easily knew of people from all walks of life who faced professional hardships similar to the characters,” Grosz said. “Additionally, this book could have taken place in any urban location, and within other professions.”