Tag: Book

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Tens of Thousands of New Tesla Fans – And More on the Way

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These are great days for Nikola Tesla. Tens of thousands of people have become newly aware of Tesla because of the efforts of people like Nikola Lonchar (Tesla Science Foundation), Jane Alcorn (Tesla Science Center at Wardenclyffe), Matthew Inman (The Oatmeal), Joseph Sikorski (Tower to the People), Nenad Stankovic (Tesla Magazine), and many, many more.

I’m happy to have been a part of this…and even happier to announce that Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity is selling so fast in Barnes and Noble stores right now that the publisher has already ordered a 3rd printing to be released in February 2015. This will bring the total print run to over 50,000 books!

Electrical Execution

As anyone who has read the book knows, it consists of very readable text and is chock full of illustrations, photographs, and vintage comic strips printed on intricately designed high quality pages. And yet the book is being made available at an affordable price in an effort to reach out to as many people as possible. That strategy means that about 25,000 books have already been put in the hands of people who may not have known about Tesla before. After 2 months on the shelves, the books are still selling at more than 1000 copies a week! And with another printing on the way, many more tens of thousands of people will enter the world of Nikola Tesla.

What can you do to help spread the word?

Develop a curriculum: Currently there is an effort to build a Tesla curriculum for schools. This is being spearheaded by Nikola Lonchar and the crew at Tesla Science Foundation and Ashley Redfearn Neswick at the Tacony School. If you have ideas then please plan to attend the 3rd Annual Tesla Memorial Conference on January 10, 2015 at the New Yorker Hotel. Check out the Tesla Science Foundation Facebook page for more information.

Signing books 1-11-14

Signing books at the Tesla Memorial Conference

Donate to local libraries and schools: One of the most gratifying responses to Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity has been the number of people who say they believe the book would be a wonderful addition to the curricula of schools ranging from middle school, high school, and even undergraduate college. Many people have told me that they are buying an extra copy of the book specifically to donate it to their local school or public library.

The need for such a book has been obvious. Traditionally the Tesla book market has been split between three categories – highly technical reprints of Tesla’s papers and patents, long scholarly studies of Tesla’s life, and books aimed at children or very young teenagers. Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity is an entertaining and affordable book to stimulate interest in Tesla across the range of readership – and that means more people will want to learn about this fascinating man and his contributions.

Review the book: Share Tesla with the world. More ratings and reviews on Goodreads, Amazon, and BN.com means more people will hear about Tesla. So go ahead and give ratings to my book and all the other books you’ve read on Tesla. Then share them on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and whatever other social networking sites you use. Let’s get the word out!

Here are more ways you can spread the Tesla word to others.

If you haven’t already, check out my e-book, Nikola Tesla: Renewable Energy Ahead of Its Time.

David J. Kent is the author of Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity and the ebook Nikola Tesla: Renewable Energy Ahead of Its Time.

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Thanks for Nikola Tesla: Renewable Energy Ahead of Its Time

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A big thank you to everyone who downloaded a copy of Nikola Tesla: Renewable Energy Ahead of Its Time. There were over 500 downloads during this past week, which helped the e-book reach #1 in several Amazon categories. Thank you all for your support, both for this e-book and for Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity (which is now back in Barnes and Noble stores this month).

Nikola Tesla: Renewable Energy Ahead of Its TimeAfter you read the e-book, please take a moment to leave a review on Amazon and Goodreads. Doing so helps spread the word about Nikola Tesla to as many people as possible.

To leave a review on Amazon, go here.

To leave a review on Goodreads, go here.

Tesla: The Wizard of ElectricityAnd while you’re at it, leave a review for Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Goodreads.

For Amazon

For Barnes and Noble

For Goodreads

Thanks again for reading about Nikola Tesla. And watch for the next book soon!

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Update on Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity (A Great Christmas Gift)

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Tesla: The Wizard of ElectricityAs we approach the holiday season it’s a good time to give a few updates on Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity and related events.

First of all, the book continues to sell well in Barnes and Noble stores. That’s both good and bad. The good part is obvious – sales! The bad part is that some Barnes and Noble stores are reaching the end of their stocks. And since we emptied out the warehouse a long time ago to fill the now emptying stores that means it’s getting harder to find the book.

So how do you get a copy? Here’s how:

1) Most stores still have copies. So run on down to your local B&N and grab them while they last.

2) Go to BarnesandNoble.com (or BN.com). You will likely see something like:

Available in stores.Pick Up In Store Near You

Entering your zip code will give you a list of B&N stores near you and whether they have any in stock.

3) Download the ebook. There is no shortage of ebooks that can be downloaded on the BarnesandNoble.com website and read on your Nook or your Nook app for iPhone or Droid phones. Talk about immediate gratification. And for half the hard cover price.

4) Check out Amazon.com. Yes, my publisher has an exclusive arrangement with Barnes and Noble, but anyone can list third party books for resale on Amazon. Last I checked there were two resellers on Amazon from whom you could buy copies.

5) Buy one direct from me. I have brand new first edition copies of the book all ready to ship. Better yet, I will personally sign and inscribe the book to you or to whomever you would like to give it to as a gift.

Which gets us to Christmas (or Kwanzaa or Hanukkah or Halloween or Thanksgiving). Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity makes a great gift!

Other Tesla-related updates:

Serbian President unveils Nikola Tesla monument at Wardenclyffe. Check out the story here and watch the video of the event that was livestreamed.

Donations of Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity continue: I’ve received much positive feedback from friends, family, and total strangers saying that they have bought an extra copy of the book expressly to donate it to their local school or public library. This has been especially gratifying because it means they want to keep their copy but enjoyed it so much they want others to experience it as well.

Donating to SETAC: I’ve already donated a copy of the book to the “Silent Auction” at the next Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (of which I am the President of my regional chapter). Proceeds from the auction go to help student members of the Society.

The resurrection of Wardenclyffe continues: Since the purchase of Nikola Tesla’s last laboratory at Wardenclyffe this spring, volunteers have been hard at work cleaning up the grounds. Soon the work will start on the inside of the building to transform it into a museum and science center. Anyone wishing to volunteer should contact the Tesla Science Center at Wardenclyffe.

Second Printing! While it hasn’t been officially confirmed, it looks like the publisher will order a second printing of Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity for release next spring. If or when that happens I’ll be sure to let you know. Until then, you can buy signed copies of the book immediately from me. Remember, Christmas will be here soon. 🙂

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Quick Update on Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity

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Tesla: The Wizard of ElectricityBusy day here in Tesla-land, but here’s a quick update on what is going on with Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity.

Book signing – Today I’ll do a book signing at a private residence in Virginia. About 20 people are expected and, unlike my previous events and launch party, I actually have books to sign. I’ll have more details and photos after the event.

Book reviews – Reviews and ratings on Goodreads have been very good. If you’ve read the book, please leave a 5 star rating. If you’re into reviews, please leave one of any length to help others decide.

Book sales – Sales continued to be outstanding for the second week the book was in stores, almost doubling that of the first week. I should be able to get the numbers for the third week tomorrow, but all three Barnes and Noble stores had reordered once or twice to refill stock flying off the shelves.

Book availability – Because of strong store sales, the publisher has emptied out the warehouse. So when you go to the barnesandnoble.com website you’ll be able to download the ebook but will be directed to your local brick-and-mortar store to buy a hard copy. Of course, you can always buy a signed hard copy from me on my Buy the Book page.

Magazine articles – I should have the cover story of WIRE magazine for Science Panorama coming out shortly. The topic – Tesla, of course. Also, Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity should be prominently featured in the next issue of Tesla Magazine.

Featured profile – A profile on me should be published this Thursday (or the next) in my hometown newspaper, the Ipswich Chronicle. Once it makes it into print I’ll update on my Tesla Events and Speaking Engagements page.

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Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity – Now Available!

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Click to pre-order now at barnesandnoble.comTesla: The Wizard of Electricity is officially published as of June 30, 2013. It is now available exclusively at BarnesandNoble.com now! I’ve already provided a quick sneak peak, and now it’s time to highlight more about the book.

To begin with, the book is designed to appeal to a wide range of the general public, not just academic researchers. So…

Like thrilling personality insights? The book is chock full of interesting stories on Tesla from his “100-bug-powered” windmills as a youth to his practical jokes on Mark Twain in his heyday to his dispute with Einstein as he entered his twilight years.

Into graphic novels? Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity includes many historical comics and photos to spotlight key events and figures in Tesla’s spectacular life. The book is an amazing visual experience.

An invention buff? The book captures the prolific inventive mind of Nikola Tesla and how many of his inventions were so far ahead of their time that we are still today relying on his patents for new discoveries.

Turned on by conflict and tension? Tesla’s life can be summed up by one of my chapter titles: “A Man Always at War.” Delve into the complex relationships he had with Thomas Edison, George Westinghouse, Guglielmo Marconi, J.P. Morgan, and others that were sometimes colleagues, and sometimes rivals.

Prefer serious historical biography? Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity traces the great man’s life from his childhood in the military frontier, through his schooling and employment in the grand capitals of Europe, to his tumultuous, yet most productive, years in New York City, Colorado Springs, Chicago, Pittsburgh, and Niagara Falls.

In short, the book provides insights into a man who has been largely ignored by history despite his huge contributions to modern life. A man who over 100 years ago anticipated that one day we would all be carrying around hand-held devices capable of instant communication across vast distances. Who a century ago promoted and developed renewable energy sources to replace fossil fuels. A man who left us a legacy that is just now being rediscovered by scientists, the public, and perhaps most ironically, pop culture.

Join me in celebrating the life and legacy of Nikola Tesla. Spread the word.

Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity is available exclusively in Barnes and Noble stores and online at barnesandnoble.com (and BN.com).

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Nikola Tesla – Big as Life

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An odd thing happened today. I heard a knock on the door, and who might I find there? You guessed it – Nikola Tesla.

Nikola Tesla

I told him he looked a bit pale, but his response was too faded to hear. In any case, Tesla has agreed to join me on the road as I visit my family and old friends in Massachusetts, then give a lecture in Philadelphia, and finally throw a full-fledged party for him (and me).

Pre-order the book online at Barnes and Noble.com. Do NOT go to Amazon because you won’t find it there (long story). At less than $10 the book is a bargain. Pre-order it now for delivery as soon as June 30th arrives.

Go here for a sneak preview: Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity.

I’ll have more information – and photos of the inside – shortly. The countdown has begun!

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Sneak Preview of the New Book – Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity

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Today is a day that will live in my memory for a long time. It is the day I received the first actual hard copy of Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity. In a word, the book is amazing. In a few more words, it is like nothing you have ever seen before in a Tesla biography.

Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity and David J. Kent

Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity by David J. Kent

As you can see, the book is designed to be visually appealing. The cover is a vibrant – go ahead, you can call it electrifying – blue and features a photograph of Nikola Tesla and the visage of his famed Wardenclyffe tower. Look closer to see hints of lightning and radio.

The goal of the book is to reach out to those who want to learn about Nikola Tesla…or who want to learn about the history of invention in the United States…or who, well, just want to have fun with science. Inside, the book is highly illustrated. Photographs, drawings, even cartoons are laced throughout to highlight the text and bring Tesla to life. You can see the table of contents in an earlier article.

Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity by David J. Kent

Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity by David J. Kent

In addition to the wonderful graphics are many call-out quotes and stories. You can giggle along with his assistants as Tesla introduces Mark Twain to his oscillating device. Marvel at the roaring falls as Tesla and Westinghouse team up to harness Niagara. Root for him as he takes on Edison and Marconi, and even Einstein. The combination of stories and illustrations seeks to bring Nikola Tesla to the people in a way that those who understand his inventions and those who do not can both appreciate.

Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity officially publishes on June 30th. It will be available in Barnes and Noble stores and online. I hope you like it.

More information on the release of Tesla: Wizard of Electricity.

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More details about Tesla: Wizard of Electricity book release

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Tesla: Wizard of ElectricityI mentioned a week or so ago that Tesla: Wizard of Electricity is scheduled to be published on June 30, 2013. The book is currently being printed and will be in the warehouse by June 20th. I can now share some additional details about the publishing process. [By the way, click on the book image (left) to get to my Facebook author’s page.]

  • The initial print run will be 10,000 books. This is considered a large printing for a non-fiction book but if it sells well – which I very much hope and expect it will – we could actually have to go to a second printing. [Hint: Get your First Edition while they last.] Interest in the man, his inventions, and his Wardenclyffe lab has been skyrocketing as of late. And with the Tesla Science Foundation expanding its plans, clearly this is a great time for Nikola Tesla.
  • Tesla: Wizard of Electricity is visually pleasing. It is jam-packed with many photographs of him and his experiments, some historical and some never-before-seen. The interior is in full color and includes sidebars and pull-out quotes to make it both interesting and informative for all readers. A foil treatment on the cover should make it stand out on bookstore shelves (and your shelves at home).
  • Because Sterling Publishing is a subsidiary of Barnes & Noble the book will be “on a promotion.” That means it will be placed prominently near the front of each of B&N’s 700 stores. That means high traffic and great visibility.

I’ll also have some books in my personal possession for book signings and presentation events. See my Tesla Events and Speaking Engagements page for more information on where you can find me.

So how much do people know about Nikola Tesla? Well, if you extrapolate from the video below the answer might unfortunately be, well, not as much as you might expect. I hope to change all that by bringing Tesla to the people with Tesla: Wizard of Electricity.

More on Tesla: Wizard of Electricity.

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Tesla: Wizard of Electricity – release date

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Tesla: Wizard of ElectricityWe have a book release date! Tesla: Wizard of Electricity is officially scheduled to be published on June 30, 2013. That is when it will be available to the general public. A mere nine months after I submitted the manuscript. Of course, it isn’t really that easy. The process of publishing a book, while not quite like having a baby, apparently takes just as long.

I actually finished writing the book and submitted it to the publisher on September 10, 2012. A few weeks later I receive word from my editor that the manuscript was just what they were looking for. Then by the time I finish my “happy dance” I have a set of edits to review. To my amazement and relief most are minor and the few more substantive ones are easily addressed. That got us to November. By January the electronic manuscript files were sent to the overseas printer.

Then I wait.

Tap, tap, tap.

Okay, is it done yet? No? More tapping.

Spring forward to April 2nd – details from my editor at Sterling Publishing. Happy dance again. [Okay, for those who know me, I admit that I didn’t actually do a “happy dance” because, well, let’s just say it would not look so happy. Feel free to rid that rhetorical flourish from your mind’s eye.]

In any case, the printing of the book is going to take a while. It’s being printed overseas so that the cost savings can be put into all the color for the interior pages and the foil treatment being used for the cover. In short, this is going to be a nice looking book. If all goes well with the printing then the books should hit the warehouse by June 20th and be available in Barnes and Noble stores by June 30th.

Which is just in time because I plan to attend the Tesla Days events in Philadelphia on July 6-10 celebrating the 157th anniversary of Tesla’s birth. I’ll have a supply of books on-hand for purchase by anyone who will be in the area to witness displays of Tesla-inspired inventions, attempts to produce free energy, a “battle of the Tesla coils,” a Tesla art show, and music, movies, and literary wonders galore. I hope you’ll drop by.

More on Tesla: Wizard of Electricity.

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Tesla: Wizard of Electricity (The Cover Design)

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Nikola TeslaExciting news today.

I received the current working cover design for Tesla: Wizard of Electricity.

So, what do you think?

Tesla book cover from CB 3-7-13

You’ll notice that it differs from the cover design I had posted here up until now. I’ve been using a “body double” while the editor and his staff worked their way through the book layout and design stages. We may still tweak this a bit, but odds are the final cover will look like this one. This past week I also provided two bios – a short one for the back cover and a longer one for the inside. The finish line is within sight.

I have to admit that this is an exciting day for me. I submitted the manuscript to Sterling Publishing last September and have been holding my breath waiting to feel the actual book in my hand. Of course, I’ll have to wait a bit longer since it is just now going to the printer. A bit behind the original schedule but I’m still looking at it “going live” by my birthday.

In the meantime I’ve had the pleasure of meeting many of the people who have worked the hardest to give Nikola Tesla the recognition he deserves. I presented at the Tesla Memorial Conference in New York City in January and hope to present at the Philadelphia Tesla Conference in July. I’ve started lining up other speaking engagements as well, including inquiries for talks at the public libraries in Ipswich, Hamilton-Wenham and Fairfax once the book hits the shelves. Please send me a note if you can arrange a speaking engagement near you (especially if you live in Belgrade, Serbia).

Also feel free to opine on the cover in the comments. Too blue? Not enough lightning bolts? My name not big enough? The photo of Nikola Tesla looks just a wee bit like your Uncle Wally? Let me know what you think.

More on Tesla: Wizard of Electricity.

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