Tesla’s Words received a 4+ star review, making it an IndieReader Approved title.
Following find an interview with author Ellis Oswalt.
What is the name of the book and when was it published?
Tesla’s Words was originally published in February 2020 just before the lockdown. There is now a 2nd edition.
What’s the book’s first line?
In his prime, Nikola Tesla was one of the most famous people alive. In stark contrast, only a few years after his death, he was completely forgotten for decades to follow.
What’s the book about? Give us the “pitch”.
A forgotten scientist created the foundation of nearly all modern technology.
He struggled with strange hallucinogenic visions which he credited as the source of his genius. A true story.
What inspired you to write a book? A particular person? An event?
The scientist and inventor Nikola Tesla often experienced life in a way that is different than most people, and he would frequently see things that are not there.
This isn’t talked about in any biographies written about him, but I was going through the source material (my education is in classical literature), and he tells us very clearly in his own writings that he suffered from lifelong hallucinations of some sort. How did nobody notice this? Why isn’t this in the documentaries? What was going on with his brain? I still don’t have foolproof answers, but these questions are what drove me to write a book.
I wanted to give the reader this forgotten historical information in the form of a narrative story, so that it can be more deeply understood. The reason this information fell under the rug in the first place is because it was presented in such a dry manner, so I knew I had to do something very different than the typical non-fiction presentation. All the ingredients were there, but Tesla’s original writings just needed a massive re-vamping.
I had to do an enormous amount of research to understand Tesla’s personality so that I could play him as a character. I went through large stacks of books, and I watched hundreds of hours of video on related topics to give myself the historical and cultural information I lacked. It was an obsession as soon as I discovered he had these intense hallucinations. It was so mysterious, and I had to get to the bottom of it for myself.
This combined with his extreme historical significance, and his forgotten legacy rapidly returning to public awareness—I created this book to show people the next layer of his humanity. I wanted to make a unique book that gives the historical information in the form of a story. I wanted to give you the real Nikola Tesla.
Some people get upset by my usage of the word hallucination, but I simply define that as seeing things that are not actually there. The neurodiverse aspect(s) of his brain speaks for itself, and I don’t need to comment on it within the book from any sort of medical or scientific perspective. I just allow Tesla’s own descriptions of these hallucinations to come to life for the reader.
If we take him for his word, he saw these things overlaying against his field of vision, and not just “inside his head” or with a photographic memory as many people have often said in the past. Not that those things probably weren’t happening also, but there’s a lot going on here that hasn’t been digested or explored. That’s the beauty of it—I don’t need to diagnose Tesla, I can just practice the art of storytelling to give you a first-person point-of-view of his hallucinations based on his own descriptions.
He is one of the most significant figures in history, and there is much more to his story, but his “power of visualization” and his uncontrollable hallucinations are a powerful motif throughout his life’s journey waiting for you inside this book.
What’s the main reason someone should read this book?
If you are remotely curious about the nature of existence and its infinite mysteries, or if you love the beauty of the human spirit and the incomprehensible scope of cosmos—if you are always seeking a deeper truth—or if you have the faintest interest in philosophy, science, or history.
If any of the above is true, this book will fall into your interest. It will be one of those rare books that changes your perception for years after you enjoy it.
It is also essential history.
When did you first decide to become an author?
I never seriously dreamed about becoming an author, but I found this story and it just had to be told. A book was the best way to tell it. I’m an actor, and for the last decade I’ve been auditioning for parts on TV shows. So I am essentially playing the part of Nikola Tesla in this book.
What is the best and the hardest part of being an indie?
The best part about being Indie is that YOU make it happen. You’re never wondering if an agent will represent you or if a publisher will approve your manuscript. You’re never waiting anxiously with your finger’s crossed for someone else to create your success. That’s also the hard part because you are working on the fly to learn things you don’t know how to do.
What’s a great piece of advice that you can share with your fellow indie authors?
If you are working outside of the traditional publishing sphere, you should produce a book that in some way doesn’t conform to something they would publish. Add some flare. Break the rules in whatever small way you can to make your book wonderfully unique. Be critical in those decisions. Take this advice with a grain of salt, because it depends on what type of book you are writing, and every book is different.
Ultimately, it’s the quality of the book that will determine if it’s good, but you’ve also got to stick out somehow if nobody knows your name. I put only art on the cover of my book. A traditional publisher would have a heart attack over this, but it’s part of the magical experience my readers enjoy when they discover a copy. It’s mysterious. It’s a surprise.
The inside of my book is just as unconventional as the outside, but people accept it because it’s fresh and captivating. Corporate entertainment will kill a fresh idea because it could be a financial risk. As an indie artist, realize that you are not in that situation and take advantage of your full artistic freedom. Make it fun. The only rule in art is that it must be good.
Would you go traditional if a publisher came calling? If so, why?
I would consider their offer, but the best possible outcome in my view is making the book a success as an indie. Why shouldn’t we be able to succeed without them?
The critical element to reach the next milestone of success is to promote my book on popular podcasts. I’m not sure that a traditional publisher can help me achieve this any more than I myself can.
If you want to hear more, contact your favorite podcast host and request Ellis Oswalt as a guest to talk about Nikola Tesla.
Which book do you wish you could have written?
Right now, I’m reading Joseph’s Campbell’s Mask of God series and some similar books. It’s brilliant. If he were alive, he would have loved to read Neil Gaiman’s Norse Mythology and Brian Muraresku’s The Immortality Key. I have a good idea for a book in this niche of history/mythology. I keep tossing the idea around and talking myself out of it, telling myself that it’s a terrible idea.
Of course, I did that with my first book until I was halfway finished.