Now available · A novel by Ben Peterson
A supernatural mystery

Some things are collected.
Others collect us.

A dead father. An impossible inheritance. A storage unit full of things that should not exist. Welcome to 616 Reasons to Be a Collector, a novel by Ben Peterson.

Contemporary fantasySet in Kansas City
Book cover for 616 Reasons to Be a Collector by Ben Peterson
The things we keep
The people we lose
The stories that remain

01 / The story

A legacy in storage

There are collectors of comics, records, and old things. Then there are collectors of things the world was never meant to find.

The story

Every collection tells a story. This one might kill you.

Wes Edwards knows a thing or two about collecting. Comics, pop-culture treasures, the little pieces of life we convince ourselves we can’t throw away. What he doesn’t know is what his estranged father was really collecting.

When Harold dies, Wes inherits Storage Unit 616 and its meticulously cataloged contents: impossible artifacts, dangerous secrets, and a mystery that reaches far beyond the walls of a storage facility.

Now a powerful object is missing, a shadowy network is closing in, and Wes has to figure out who to trust. His unlikely allies include old friends, new connections, and a bulldog with more opinions than anyone asked for.

Full of supernatural trouble, comic-book soul, irreverent humor, and unexpected heart, 616 Reasons to Be a Collector is about family, grief, friendship, and the strange things we hold onto.

Because sometimes what we inherit is more than what was left behind.

02 / Inside the collection

Proceed with caution.

The world of 616 is built from forgotten objects, impossible histories, and people who really should have stayed home.

Entry / 001

The reluctant heir

Wes Edwards didn't ask to become a guardian of the impossible. Unfortunately, the collection didn't ask his opinion.

Entry / 002

The missing artifact

One item is gone. Whatever took it could be the least dangerous part of what happens next.

Entry / 003

The world's worst-kept secret

Ancient mysteries, collectors with agendas, and one very talkative bulldog. Things get weird quickly.

We don't just collect things.
We collect the stories attached to them.

BPAuthor / Illustrator / Collector

03 / The person responsible

Meet Ben Peterson.

Ben Peterson is a writer, illustrator, designer, and lifelong comic-book fan from Kansas City, Kansas. His creative work has always lived at the intersection of pop culture, storytelling, and the everyday moments that make us human.

In 616 Reasons to Be a Collector, he brings together his love of comics, supernatural mysteries, Kansas City, and the complicated ties between fathers and their children.

Stories are worth holding onto.

04 / Find your copy

Your next obsession is waiting.

Choose your reading format. Amazon currently handles purchasing and fulfillment. These links search for the book until the exact product URLs are added.

01 / DIGITAL

Kindle

Take the collection anywhere. Just don't let the artifacts out of your sight.

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02 / PRINT

Paperback

The book-lover's edition. Pages to turn, a shelf to fill, and one more thing to collect.

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03 / HARDCOVER

Hardcover

For readers who understand that some things deserve a permanent place on the shelf.

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Curious about the book?
Start with the story. Stay for the weirdness.

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