Flash Fiction Stories On Love and Devotion


Fiction - Anthology
154 Pages
Reviewed on 08/04/2021
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Author Biography

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.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Tammy Ruggles for Readers' Favorite

Flash Fiction Stories On Love and Devotion by award-winning author Theodore Jerome Cohen (also published as Alyssa Devine) is an intriguing anthology of short fiction stories, though some are based on real events. Cohen is prolific and imaginative, as his collection of 45 stories demonstrates, and if you like stories of love and devotion, you will fall in love with these. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but in this case, it's about 250 each, as the author's stories are derived from images found on the internet, though he has graciously included two longer ones for readers who like to spend a little more time with his stories. Cohen incorporates his experiences as a scientist, engineer, radio commentator, private investigator, and explorer into his stories, which give them a unique flavor of authenticity and flair. These snapshot stories are amazing.

Dr. Cohen writes with so much rich detail and color in such a short space--clearly a craftsman when it comes to flash fiction. His descriptions and easily identifiable pop references add energy and life into what could easily fade into tell-don't-show narratives. Besides style, you get good stories with plots and realistic dialogue, all having something to say about romance, love, and being devoted. Some have more drama and violence than others, like "Encounter on All Hallows' Eve"--others you will wish the author had expanded on, like "The Luthier of Ozone Park", and leave you wanting more. But this is a compliment. And then you're on to the next story, and the next, greeted by culture, history, and relationships, from characters like Molly, Abigail, Gabe, just to name a few. Each story in Flash Fiction Stories On Love and Devotion by Theodore Jerome Cohen is its own compact world that says something about the wider universe, and you will easily get hooked on these little gems.

Cassie Widjaja

Flash Fiction Stories On Love and Devotion by Theodore Jerome Cohen is an unparalleled and absolutely mind-blowing collection of forty-five stories centering around love, some written under Cohen's own name and others under his pen name Alyssa Devine. Inspired by the poem "To His Coy Mistress," Cohen creates stories that are bound to satisfy your yearnings for love. These tales were primarily chosen from the 438 flash fictions in volumes one through six of Cohen's Creative Ink, Flashy Fiction anthologies. Cohen also includes selected offerings from his two short-story anthologies, The Road Less Taken, as well as stories from Cohen’s Mementos series of anthologies. Most of these stories are 250 words or fewer in length, making them easy to pick up anytime.

Theodore Jerome Cohen truly hit the ball out of the park with his Flash Fiction Stories On Love and Devotion. A tricky genre to write, flash fiction navigates the precarious balance between getting your point across and still being succinct, and Cohen succeeds admirably in these carefully curated stories which are still memorable long after reading them. I love how Cohen vividly described each scene and made me feel like I was right beside the characters. With each photo, my interest and anticipation grew for the next story, and I wondered how Cohen would reimagine the picture and weave the fictional tale behind it. Cohen did an excellent job of portraying a realistic outlook on love and how it can often end in tragedy. Each story will make you swoon with its romantic atmosphere and root for the beautiful relationship between its main characters. To those looking for a bit more love in their lives, this book is for you!