{"id":1019,"date":"2012-06-11T06:09:33","date_gmt":"2012-06-11T06:09:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.michaeltuckerauthor.com\/aquarius_falling\/?p=348"},"modified":"2012-06-11T06:09:33","modified_gmt":"2012-06-11T06:09:33","slug":"testimonials","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/michaeltuckerauthor.com\/2012\/06\/11\/testimonials\/","title":{"rendered":"Testimonials and Reviews"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><iframe title=\"radio_interview\" name=\"radio_interview\" src=\"http:\/\/www.michaeltuckerauthor.com\/radio_interview.htm\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"1\" marginheight=\"1\" scrolling=\"no\" width=\"635\" height=\"315\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<hr size=\"1\" width=\"100%\" \/>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/michaeltuckerauthor.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/06\/reviews_readers_favorite-300x51.jpg\" alt=\"Michael J. Tucker, Author\" title=\"Michael J. Tucker, Author\" width=\"300\" height=\"51\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-825\" \/><br \/>\n<strong>June 2013<br \/>\nCapricorn\u2019s Collapse<br \/>\nBy Michael J. Tucker<\/strong><br \/>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/michaeltuckerauthor.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/06\/review_cover-190x300.jpg\" alt=\"Michael J. Tucker, Author\" title=\"Michael J. Tucker, Author\" width=\"190\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-826\" \/><\/p>\n<p>It is June 17th, 1972, and Tom Delaney is working late at his office in the Watergate Building in Washington, D.C. When he discovers a number of men breaking into the office next to his, paranoia (born from his involvement with the mob) makes him think that the break-in is happening at the wrong office. Why would anyone want to break into the Democratic Party headquarters? Delaney was certain that they were after the money and cocaine that was stashed under his desk. As time passes he learns that the break-in was indeed targeted to the right office. The events of 1972 continue to unfold, spelling trouble for nearly everyone in the Nixon White House. Delaney, on the other hand, watches his business grow. In the middle of adding new accounts to his CPA firm, he runs into an old girlfriend and slowly rekindles their relationship. Unfortunately, one of the new deals he makes goes sour and he becomes the target of a vicious group of thugs. Everyone around him is suddenly in danger. <\/p>\n<p>Michael J. Tucker, the author of \u201cCapricorn\u2019s Collapse\u201d, skillfully takes us back to 1972, with talk of the Watergate Hearings, the PLO, the IRA and the unforgettable music of the day. Although nostalgic, the pace of the story is fast and accelerates toward the exciting climax. The main characters are from the seedier side of life, but we can\u2019t help rooting for them to survive and go on. I enjoyed reading this book very much and would recommend it to anyone who likes a story that weaves fiction into a tapestry of real events.<\/p>\n<hr>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/michaeltuckerauthor.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/06\/review_san_francisco-300x91.jpg\" alt=\"Michael Tucker, Author\" title=\"Michael Tucker, Author\" width=\"300\" height=\"91\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-809\" srcset=\"http:\/\/michaeltuckerauthor.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/06\/review_san_francisco-300x91.jpg 300w, http:\/\/michaeltuckerauthor.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/06\/review_san_francisco.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><br \/>\n<strong>Aquarius Falling\u2028 By Michael J. Tucker\u2028<br \/>\nCreateSpace,<\/strong> $14.95, 288 pages, Format: Trade\u2028\u2028<br \/>\n<strong>Star Rating:<\/strong> 5 out of 5\u2028\u2028<\/p>\n<p>\/\/<strong>Aquarius Falling<\/strong>\/\/ is a fascinating read. The story begins in 1964, a whole different era in itself. The main character, Delaney, was going to college, but as is common with young college kids, he got off on the wrong track with girls and drinking so he was booted out, and that is where the real-life learning experience begins.\u2028<\/p>\n<p>He decides to head to Ocean City, where he wants to get a job and dreams of saving enough money to return to school and pay his own way, since he lost his full scholarship. Being an orphan and getting into college was a big success, but blowing it leaves Delaney with very little money, no car, and no options but to hit the pavement and live on the mercies of motorists along the road. In Ocean City, it\u2019s not quite the busy time of year, but finding work becomes his main goal.\u2028\u2028<\/p>\n<p>On his first night he runs into a girl on the boardwalk named Misty, who intrigues him. He doesn\u2019t quite understand who she is or how their lives will become so interwoven until later in the story. Initially, he stays at a boarding house filled with some unsavory-looking characters, but he becomes friends with Jack, the leader of that group. Unfortunately, their lifestyles bring Delaney into a whole other world of trouble. Even so, he and Jack continue to be drawn to each other and become an unlikely duo. Whereas Delaney is smart yet passive and goal-oriented, Jack is the muscle type, always looking for trouble and the easy way out.\u2028<\/p>\n<p>Delaney finds work and meets a nice girl named Wendy who is involved in the rights movement of that time. Delaney is enamored of all that is good in Wendy and how fun she is, but things always seem to take a turn in Delaney\u2019s life. When he loses his job, his good buddy Jack comes to the rescue with a very unlikely plan, heading Delaney down a road of girls, money, drugs and yet more trouble.\u2028\u2028<\/p>\n<p>This book features many life lessons and truths about that time in history, and the writer has captured the scene of Ocean City and the lives of his characters in such a meaningful way that the reader just ends up loving and relating to each of the characters. It\u2019s difficult not to feel for them and their struggles and all they go through together, as well as the unique personalities and what each brings to the unlikely group that develops.\u2028\u2028<\/p>\n<p>The only part that disappointed me was the ending. I definitely didn\u2019t see it coming, and to me it seemed that there should have been something more. But maybe that means another book is on the the way to finish the story regarding Delaney and Misty. <\/p>\n<hr>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/michaeltuckerauthor.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/06\/reviews_word_forward-300x44.jpg\" alt=\"Michael Tucker, Author\" title=\"Michael Tucker, Author\" width=\"300\" height=\"44\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-817\" srcset=\"http:\/\/michaeltuckerauthor.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/06\/reviews_word_forward-300x44.jpg 300w, http:\/\/michaeltuckerauthor.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/06\/reviews_word_forward.jpg 585w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><br \/>\n<strong>ForeWord Clarion Review<br \/>\nFICTION<br \/>\nAquarius Falling<\/strong><br \/>\nMichael J. Tucker CreateSpace 978-1-4750-4212-2 Five Stars (out of Five)<br \/>\nThe cheerful 1960s pop music that weaves its way through Aquarius Falling creates a warm, nostalgic feeling. Don\u2019t get too comfortable, though. While the Beach Boys soundtrack promises a carefree summer for twenty-one-year-old Tom Delaney as he hits the beach in Ocean City, Maryland, a far more complicated future awaits him in Michael J. Tucker\u2019s tightly written page- turner.<br \/>\nUsing realistic conversations to establish his characters, Tucker introduces readers to the searchers and seekers of the sixties, like the aptly named Misty Vail, an aspiring astrologist who talks of portentous new moons while simultaneously working the streets to make ends meet. There\u2019s also John E. \u201cJack\u201d Walker, an impulsive wanderer with few plans and fewer scruples, and Wendy Morrison, the quintessential surfer girl. With each new person he meets, Delaney faces decisions about how he wants to live his life.<br \/>\nThe learning curve for the na\u00efve former Georgetown University student is steep. Tucker paints Delaney as an orphan raised in institutions that sheltered him from independent decision making. His innocence gets him into plenty of trouble, starting with the bad planning that leads to the loss of his Georgetown scholarship.<br \/>\nDelaney needs the money that work in Ocean City might bring, and Tucker makes it clear through his protagonist\u2019s two part-time jobs that he is a hard worker. Still, Delaney gives up respectable hotel work to participate in one illegal money-making scheme after another, each more risky than the last. Delaney shows just enough introspection to indicate he is learning from<br \/>\nhis mistakes, but not enough to keep him from danger. Readers may find themselves mentally urging him to change direction as his life spirals out of control and into a world of prostitution, drug deals, and Mafia bosses.<br \/>\nDelaney\u2019s loss of innocence plays out against the backdrop of the nation\u2019s own growing pains. The Vietnam War is causing controversy, and Delaney worries about the draft. Civil rights demonstrations turn to riots at nearby Maryland State University, and Delaney witnesses discrimination in practice as black families are turned away from beachfront restaurants and hotels. These larger issues echo the ethical struggles in Delaney\u2019s own life.<br \/>\nTucker\u2019s dialogue flows easily throughout the novel, wasting little time on unnecessary attributions or long-winded explanations. The characters talk like real people, and their personalities come to life through their words. The quick exchanges enhance the already brisk pace of action in the story as Tucker turns up the tension in each subsequent scene. How Delaney will reconcile his relationships with his newfound friends, as well as what direction he will take at the end of the summer, remains a mystery to the very end, and perhaps beyond. Tucker is at work on a sequel.<br \/>\n<strong>Sheila M. Trask<\/strong><\/p>\n<hr>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"http:\/\/michaeltuckerauthor.com\/books\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/06\/reviews_allbooks-300x46.jpg\" alt=\"Michael J. Tucker, Author\" title=\"Michael J. Tucker, Author\" width=\"300\" height=\"46\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-819\" srcset=\"http:\/\/michaeltuckerauthor.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/06\/reviews_allbooks-300x46.jpg 300w, http:\/\/michaeltuckerauthor.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/06\/reviews_allbooks.jpg 440w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><br \/>\n<strong>Genre:<\/strong> Historical Fiction<br \/>\n<strong>Title:<\/strong> Aquarius Falling<br \/>\n<strong>Author:<\/strong> Michael J. Tucker<br \/>\nThis book follows the very tumultuous summer a certain Tom Delaney spends in Ocean City, Maryland. That summer is in 1964, which was itself a tumultuous time, particularly in the aforementioned locale. Protagonist Delaney, as he prefers to be called, has his own problems, which only occasionally intersect with the Civil Rights struggles of that decade, and the ugly riots which broke out in the beachside city in the summer of &#8217;64.<br \/>\nThe reader is dropped into the middle of an already-unfolding tale, that of the orphan Delaney, recipient of a scholarship to an excellent college, has a bad turn of luck. The seemingly random encounters which follow quickly take on a feel, which is evocative of &#8220;Catcher in the Rye&#8221; in tone.<br \/>\nLike Holden Caufield, Tom Delaney has a lot of things happen to him which seem unimportant, but quietly build into something anything but. Author Michael J. Tucker&#8217;s writing may well have been inspired by J.D. Salinger: it&#8217;s easy to make action exciting, but to make the reader crave the ordinary scenes is far more difficult to do.<br \/>\nOrdinariness is also relative, however. The characters in this book, in the course of their daily routine, engage in prostitution, graft, theft, and the sale of illegal drugs. The scenes are written such that these dangerous activities feel almost humdrum, capturing Delaney&#8217;s viewpoint perfectly.<br \/>\nLooking back at the racial tension and shady underworld of 1960s Maryland, it&#8217;s easy to imagine how exciting, or terrifying, it must have been to live in that time and place. But history never feels extraordinary as it is unfolding, and this is what Tucker captures in &#8220;Aquarius Falling.&#8221; The reader is swept along by a fascinating tale, but the book&#8217;s main character just wants to get through the summer.<br \/>\nThis is a book which will appeal to anyone who is fascinated by the human condition, and well worth the read.<br \/>\n<strong>Reviewer:<\/strong> Terence P Ward, <a href=\"www.allbooksreview.com\" title=\"AllBooks Review\" target=\"_blank\">Allbooks Review<\/a>. www.allbooksreview.com<\/p>\n<p><strong>Title:<\/strong> Aquarius Falling<br \/>\n<strong>Author:<\/strong> Michael J. Tucker<br \/>\n<strong>Publisher:<\/strong> CreateSpace<br \/>\n<strong>ISBN:<\/strong> 978-1-4750-4212-2<\/p>\n<hr>\n<h2><strong>Aquarius Falling<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><strong>\u25cf From Amazon<\/strong><br \/>\n<img src=\"http:\/\/g-ecx.images-amazon.com\/images\/G\/01\/x-locale\/common\/customer-reviews\/stars-5-0._V192240867_.gif\" alt=\"5.0 out of 5 stars\" \/>a great read, June 24, 2012<\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>By\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/gp\/pdp\/profile\/A143SOGPD590AW\/ref=cm_cr_pr_pdp\">Maryann Priore &#8220;map&#8221;<\/a>\u00a0(lomita, CA) &#8211;\u00a0I just finished the book this morning and anxiously awaiting the sequel. Mike has written a well written-fast paced first novel. Well done Mike!!<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<hr>\n<p><strong>\u25cf From Amazon<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><\/strong><img src=\"http:\/\/g-ecx.images-amazon.com\/images\/G\/01\/x-locale\/common\/customer-reviews\/stars-5-0._V192240867_.gif\" alt=\"5.0 out of 5 stars\" \/> Wow could we relate!!!!!, June 21, 2012<\/p>\n<p>By Dennis C. Widman\u00a0(Tucson, Arizona)\u00a0Aquarius Falling vividly portrays the 60&#8217;s scene through the eyes\/actions of the main character, Tom Delaney. A path of a young guy who has blown his ticket into a broader world via a great college education.The setting is Ocean City and Assateague Island which was part of our lives and sense of place in our late teens, since we were living in the DC area then. By 1966 we were in Hawaii and then into the Army 1968-1971.<!--more--> Viet Nam was very much in the forefront of our lives, though we tried the best we could to enjoy the life we were given. Rock and Roll was very much a part of that life. Drugs not, though we were well aware of that scene. The book was &#8220;real&#8221; to us having lived through those times. But, for others who did not live in the 60&#8217;s, this is a fascinating &#8220;history&#8221; lesson of a very significant period of time &#8212; both positive and negative. As a generation, there were things we did we were proud of, and things we did that we were not so proud of. It was an exciting time to be alive, and Michael Tucker helped us relive those times through his words. We liked the discussion questions at the end which gave us a lot to talk about. BIG THUMBS UP!<\/p>\n<hr>\n<p><strong>\u25cf From Amazon<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><\/strong><img src=\"http:\/\/g-ecx.images-amazon.com\/images\/G\/01\/x-locale\/common\/customer-reviews\/stars-5-0._V192240867_.gif\" alt=\"5.0 out of 5 stars\" \/> Vivid and Captivating, June 24, 2012<\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div>By\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/gp\/pdp\/profile\/A2PAHXHP3GNVQS\/ref=cm_cr_pr_pdp\">dadams<\/a>\u00a0A captivating story, with well-developed, authentic characters that sway through the pages caught in the wave of the moment. The storyline is true to the setting (1964) and the social concerns of era. Michael Tucker&#8217;s writing is vividly enchanting. I&#8217;m anxiously awaiting the sequel!<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<hr>\n<p><strong>\u25cf From Amazon<\/strong><br \/>\n<img src=\"http:\/\/g-ecx.images-amazon.com\/images\/G\/01\/x-locale\/common\/customer-reviews\/stars-5-0._V192240867_.gif\" alt=\"5.0 out of 5 stars\" \/> 5.0 out of 5 stars Beach Read, June 15, 2012<br \/>\nBy Will B. Dunn &#8211; See all my reviewsAmazon Verified Purchase(What&#8217;s this?)<br \/>\nThis review is from: Aquarius Falling (Paperback)<br \/>\nWhat a fun, quick read. Great for beach vacations. Left me wondering what Delaney will do next. Sign me up for the sequel!<\/p>\n<hr>\n<p>&#8220;<strong>\u25cf I don&#8217;t have the wonderful words you have.<\/strong> There are so many different styles of writing. Yours is really awesome!&#8221; &#8211; <strong>Clair <\/strong><\/p>\n<hr>\n<p><strong>\u25cf From Amazon<\/strong><br \/>\n<img src=\"http:\/\/g-ecx.images-amazon.com\/images\/G\/01\/x-locale\/common\/customer-reviews\/stars-5-0._V192240867_.gif\" alt=\"5.0 out of 5 stars\" \/><strong>Aquarius ascending<\/strong>, June 12, 2012<br \/>\nA steller new author and book. Finished it in two days and regretted the interruptions of daily life. I couldn&#8217;t put it down, going so far as to clip a light on it so I could continue reading out on the porch in the dark. Cannot wait for the sequal. I&#8217;m takeing it to book club Thursday and tout its merits. Wonderful that the author thought of including book club questions.<\/p>\n<hr>\n<p><strong>\u25cf From Amazon:<\/strong><br \/>\n<img src=\"http:\/\/g-ecx.images-amazon.com\/images\/G\/01\/x-locale\/common\/customer-reviews\/stars-5-0._V192240867_.gif\" alt=\"5.0 out of 5 stars\" \/> <strong>Lynn&#8217;s Treasure,<\/strong> June 6, 2012By Brentwood Reader<br \/>\nAmazon Verified Purchase Well researched, easy to read and entertains the reader. Local Tennessee author Mike Tucker writes with passion and provides the reader with a great storyboard.<\/p>\n<hr>\n<p>\u25cf &#8220;<strong>Hi again<\/strong>&#8230;just ordered the book. I love your website! Read all the stories and poems&#8230;you are amazing!&#8221; &#8211; <strong>Catherine<\/strong><!--more--><\/p>\n<hr>\n<p>\u25cf &#8220;<strong>Love the book<\/strong>&#8230;can&#8217;t put it down. I go angry whenever someone interrupted me while I was reading it. I couldn&#8217;t wait to get back to the story.&#8221; &#8211; <strong>Mary Jo<\/strong><\/p>\n<hr color=\"#000000\" size=\"2\">\n&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>June 2013 Capricorn\u2019s Collapse By Michael J. Tucker It is June 17th, 1972, and Tom Delaney is working late at his office in the Watergate Building in Washington, D.C. When he discovers a number of men breaking into the office next to his, paranoia (born from his involvement with the&#8230; <a class=\"continue-reading-link\" href=\"http:\/\/michaeltuckerauthor.com\/2012\/06\/11\/testimonials\/\">Continue reading<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/michaeltuckerauthor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1019"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/michaeltuckerauthor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/michaeltuckerauthor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/michaeltuckerauthor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/michaeltuckerauthor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1019"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/michaeltuckerauthor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1019\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/michaeltuckerauthor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1019"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/michaeltuckerauthor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1019"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/michaeltuckerauthor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1019"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}