Mack Samples, Duck, WV, musician, writer, educator:

"Finally got a chance to read Delta Queen as I sojourned at my mom's the past couple of days. Really enjoyed it. It was a good story, provided some good insights into the the boat itself, and most of all, it imparted some wisdom about life. No reflection on your age, but your book confirms one of my old beliefs about novels: no one should write one until they are at least 50 years old. They just simply have not tasted enough of life. Perhaps some folks were on a more accelerated track in life than I was, but I know I did not get the complete picture until I was past the half century mark. I am forever amazed that some of the things that appeared so important to me when I was younger don't amount to a damned thing anymore. But enough of my rantings. Point is, I wanted to tell you I enjoyed your book."

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Nancy Grande, Broken Arrow, OK, 5-time steamboater:

"I loved the book! It was as if I was back on the boat. You described everything so well that it was so very easy to see it all in my mind. Keep up the great work. I can't wait for the next one!"

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Jean McLaughlin, Carmel, ME, steamboater, ex-MQ gift shop worker:

"I finished reading your Delta Queen love story a few nights ago and have to say I feel like I was back on the DQ again. You described everything just as I remember it. BUT, as with any good book, it ended too soon! Thanks for a good old fashioned love story, and a book that was a pleasure to read."

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Carmen Winkler, Munich, Germany, administrator of Steamboats.org:

"I really enjoyed reading your book, which arrived about a week before our vacation trip on The Delta Queen. Reading your book was perfect to get into the right mood for our trip!"

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Jim & Sally Nelson, Boulder City, CO, 1st-time steamboaters

"We both enjoyed your book. Your detailed descriptions of The Delta Queen brought up clear images in our minds, as it would for anyone who has been on it. You described some things that I did not remember, which means that one might not be able to absorb everything about the boat on one trip. Which means that we would like to go on The Delta Queen again. We liked the story you told, and thought it was written well. It moved along and kept out interest throughout. We enjoyed your metaphors. We will be looking forward to your next book."

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Sandi Kidwell, Florence, IN, long-time steamboat fancier

"An informative and simply captivating new novel! I didn't want the story to end! Please, Charles, send us more of The Delta Queen!!"

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Lee Ligon, Lynchburg, VA, steamboatin' wannabe

"Finished the book last night. Great story! Wonderful characters that you can relate to. Just enough plot twists to keep things interesting but not confusing. You did a fine job!"

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Catherine A. Toothman, Ironton, OH

"We enjoyed it to the fullest. Of course, we're all suckers for that kind of setting, so Charlie 'set us up' to start with. The characters were well drawn, and the vivid description brought one right into the moment. Many congratulations for Charlie's writing and Pamela's editing!"

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Maggie Hearn, Downingtown, PA

"What a delightful surprise. Love stories are not generally what I choose to read, but I thoroughly enjoyed this, waiting for the mystery of the relationship to unfold, and feeling like I was right there on board the boat with the great visual descriptions."

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Debra Elliotte, Huntington, WV, someday-steamboater

"I really enjoyed reading this book. The descriptions of the boat are so vivid I felt I could see the rooms. The writing is funny and clever and I look forward to finding out what happens next."

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Susan J. Lewis, Louisville, KY, long-time Delta Queen watcher

"Let me just say three words... Fab-u-lous! Your book is great! What I enjoyed most was the way you describe things. Your use of adjectives and descriptions is fantastic. I loved it. I bragged to my friends about it."

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Jim & Kathy Vleck, St. Paul, MN, 10-time steamboaters

"As steamboat fans who have taken several cruises on the Steamboat Delta Queen, we especially appreciate Charles Bowen's ability to paint in words, the beauty and history of this wonderful boat. He does a good job of combining an accurate picture of the boat and its crew with the love story of Walker and Cherry. With many interesting twists and turns, the love story keeps you captivated until the very end. The passengers you meet in the this book are as real as those that might be your dinner companions as you cruise the mighty Mississippi."

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Tex & Joni Brashear, Silver City, NM, twice steamboaters

"Who has not dreamed of a romantic cruise along the majestic Mississippi River in a paddlewheel steamboat? The lure of what lies just beyond the next bend; the gentle roar of the mighty sternwheel paddle, which lulls the senses into a lethargic, blissful state, where time is forgotten and the only moment is now. In Delta Queen, Charles Bowen has captured the power, momentum, and magic of that almost mystical realm which is not merely a symbol of a long-forgotten past, but lives on today as the historic Delta Queen steamboat proudly plys the waterways along the great Mississippi River system. Although the characters are fictional, you'll experience the very pulse of life on the river, as told by a man who has a deep, abiding love and respect for the Delta Queen, and the waters she travels. Mr. Bowen, along with his wife Pamela, has taken many cruises aboard this stately monument of American history. You'll join Walker Raines, as he embarks on a journey fraught with both torment and pleasure. He has arranged this cruise in order to obtain a perfect, romantic setting for a clandestine meeting with the long-lost love of his life, who has no idea of what is transpiring. Is she still in love with him, or for that matter, will she even remember him? This tale, while a wonderful love story in itself, is much more. It tells of the ultimate journey that we all face: the amazing voyage that we must take within ourselves to discover the truth about what and who we really are. Whether you are a bona fide 'river rat', a hopeless romantic, or a thrill-seeking adventurer, you WILL find this book nothing less than encaptivating. It is a journey that you truly cannot afford to miss."

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Jim Lida, Miami, FL, corporate communications director for American Classic Voyages Co.

"America's past comes alive through story-telling. Charlie Bowen's book is not only a great story, it reinforces the history that is The Delta Queen."

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Peggy Poole, Garden Grove, CA, long-time Delta Queen admirer

"Your book arrived on a day when I really needed a little cheering up -- and boy, it did the trick. Thank you! Thank you!"

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Beaulah Beck, High Point, NC

"I've never been on a riverboat, but I've always thought it would be fun. Your descriptions made me feel like I was right there on board."

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Joe Dobbs, Hurricane, W.Va., fiddler and long-time DQ watcher

"After reading this book, I just have to find me a woman and ride that boat!"

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Mary Snyder, Bowie, MD, always wanna-be steamboater

"Cruising through Charles Bowen's Delta Queen is a fine way to get a feel for what it must be like be take a trip on this legendary boat. Growing up on the Ohio river, I often saw her pass by and wanted to go along. The story of Walker Raines and the woman he loves pulls you into the atmosphere and history of both contempory riverboating and the past."