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Theodore Jerome (Ted) Cohen is an award-winning author who has published more than ten novels--all but one of them mystery/thrillers--two books of short stories, and eight flash-fiction anthologies. He also writes illustrated storybooks for children (K-3) in the series Stories for the Early Years as well as Young Adult (YA) novels under the pen name "Alyssa Devine." During the course of his 45-year career he worked as an engineer, scientist, CBS Radio Station News Service (RSNS) commentator, private investigator, and Antarctic explorer. What he's been able to do with his background is mix fiction with reality in ways that even his family and friends have been unable to unravel!
Dr. Cohen's writings (he holds three degrees in the physical sciences) have received the highest reviews from Feathered Quill, Hollywood Book Reviews, Kirkus Discoveries, Pacific Book Review, Reader Views, and Readers' Favorite, among others, with many of his books recognized for their excellence through medals awarded by several of these same organizations following their annual book competitions. In 2017, for example, Readers' Favorite awarded Dr. Cohen's first short story anthology, The Road Less Taken: A Collection of Unusual Short Stories - Book 1, a Silver Medal while the National Association of Book Entrepreneurs (NABE) awarded the same book its Pinnacle Book Achievement Award for Best in Category: Short Stories. The NABE also awarded Dr. Cohen's collection, Creative Ink, Flashy Fiction: Flash Fiction Anthology - Book 3, its Pinnacle Book Achievement Award for Best in Category: Anthology - Winter, 2018.
Reviewed by A. L. Peevey for Readers' Favorite
Many of us enjoy a set of stories that can be enjoyed as brief, standalone visits to other places and times. Author Theodore Jerome Cohen has written such a set of tales in Mementos: A Unique Collection of Short Stories & Flash Fiction, and with almost forty stories to choose from, there is at least one story for just about any reader. They certainly do vary in theme and location, both in time and space. One “unique” feature of this collection of stories is that each is accompanied by a photo that was used as the prompt for the composition of the story. In Ashley’s Revenge, readers witness a series of “romantic” encounters but its ending will bring a chuckle or a gasp. Cynthia introduces a tryst of chance with tragic consequences; Road to Autumn is a sound bite of a story with a famous crooner talking about “serendipity” and songs; Farewell to a Friend is a poignant commentary on a friendship, mostly by correspondence, and how time can still a favorite voice.
Theodore Jerome Cohen is a fine writer. It is difficult to give Mementos complete justice here. The stories are imaginative and complex while still being very readable, even when rendered in the nonstandard dialects of some of the characters. This collection of stories will certainly be one that readers can browse through by title when wanting something to read without having to invest attention and patience in a series of books, particularly if one has just enough time to read a short story or piece of flash fiction. There is an art to creating such quick stories, and this author has mastered it and, indeed, has a talent for it. If readers enjoy this collection, there is more to look forward to because this particular volume is the first of several. Also included in this book is a list of other published works by this author, so if readers want more, they are definitely available.
