Thursday, October 1, 2026
Before even receiving her high school diploma, Woodmere resident Shiri Cohen has achieved a milestone many aspiring writers spend years pursuing — publishing her first novel.
The 18-year-old Hebrew Academy of the Five Towns and Rockaway High School senior recently self-published her debut romance novel, “You, Summer, and I,” on Amazon. The book, released April 17 on Amazon, marks the culmination of a dream Cohen said she has been working toward since middle school.
For Cohen, publishing a book before graduating high school fulfills a dream she has carried for years.
“Honestly, I’m really excited,” Cohen said. “That was my biggest dream for like six years. I’ve been waiting to do something like this, so now I’ve got to find a new dream to accomplish.”
Cohen said she has been writing stories since she was about 12 years old, often drawing inspiration from real-life experiences and relationships.
“I had a couple ideas about some people in my life, and I was like, that chapter’s ended, so I wanted to continue it myself,” she said. “The beginning of it is based on true events, but then I just kind of put my own turn on things.”
“You, Summer, and I” centers on Lily and Daniel, two teenagers whose unresolved feelings and fear of heartbreak pull them apart before eventually bringing them back together.
Cohen said she enjoys writing stories rooted in emotional honesty rather than fantasy.
“I don’t like writing fake stuff,” she said. “I like when there’s a sense of truth to the story. Writing helps me get my emotions out into the open and not feel so restricted.”
In the fall, Cohen will attend Baruch College, where she plans to study communications. She said her years of creative writing have helped shape the way she expresses herself and connects with others.
The teachers at HAFTR have also supported her literary ambitions, including English teacher Samuel Abaev, who purchased and read the book.
“What impressed me most is just the fact that she wrote a book, period,” Abaev said. “Today, so much creativity is focused on content creation and visual media, so to see someone go back to this traditional form and actually complete a novel is worth celebrating.”
Abaev said the story explores themes that resonate strongly with teenagers and adults alike.
“It’s about fear, misunderstanding, overthinking and how people can get in the way of love,” he said. “It’s a story about two people who care deeply about each other but struggle to communicate that.”
He also praised the discipline required to complete a full-length novel at a young age.
“We live in a world of instant gratification,” Abaev said. “To sit down and work through something that takes time, effort and patience is becoming rarer and rarer. The fact that she was able to do this at 18 is really impressive.”
Cohen said she has already started working on a second novel, though she admits she is still figuring out where the story will go next.
“I started another one,” she said with a laugh. “I love the idea behind it, but I’m stuck on page five right now. I’ll get there.”
