The next time you access the Internet through your mobile phone, warm a fro- zen pizza in your microwave or ride an elevator in a high-rise office building, thank an independent inventor. In fact, nearly every modern convenience we have today owes its origins to a thinker, a dreamer, a creator--an independent inventor. These are society's dreamers, doers, risk takers, and makers of things. And they are heroes who continue to shape and enrich our lives. --Mike Drummond, editor-in-chief, Inventor's Digest Of the more than 7.5 million patents granted in the United States since 1790, a few have had enormous impact on our lives while at the same time bringing fame and fortune to their inventors. The electric lamp, the transistor radio, the internal com- bustion engine, and the telephone come to mind quickly. Some inventions have had little or no impact on our lives, such as the Pet Rock and Cabbage Patch Kids, but have brought fame and fortune to their inventors. But the vast majority of inventions dreamed up during the last 200 plus years have created no recognition or financial gain for their inventors. Why? Because these concepts were never commercialized. They have left no trace. You can bet that when the inventors applied for their patents, the inventions seemed like terrific ideas. But then something happened--or, more accurately, didn't happen. What didn't happen was the sale, and nothing happens until something is sold. Just as invention begins with resistance, so does the sale. When resistance is overcome, the idea finds a successful structure and the sale is made. The Complete Idiot's Guide to Cashing In On Your Inventions, now in its second edition, is about overcoming resis- tance, at myriad levels. In this book, you learn how to ... Recognize your own potential. Avoid invention marketing rip-off schemes. Protect your invention through patents, trademarks, and/or copyrights. Pitch and license your concepts to manufacturers. Have prototypes made professionally. Make the best deal: a win-win. Dramatically reduce your legal expenses. Find expert advice and support via associations, publications, and the Internet.