(2026-03-29) Peper Tiny Ports Of Human Connection

Eliot Peper: Tiny ports of human connection. I am delighted to report that, in its first year of operation, Eliot’s Cozy Little Internet Bookstore did $5,023 in sales.

For years, I received occasional messages from readers asking to purchase signed copies of my novels

Even though they represent a slim proportion of my overall sales, fulfilling these orders is, well, fulfilling

Selling direct is surprisingly fun! Every transaction opens a tiny port of human connection in a world where commerce is increasingly mediated by the mega-platforms of faceless corporations. If you make things you’re proud of for people you care about, I highly recommend it.

A book I love that you might too

Apple in China by Patrick McGee is an astonishingly rigorous history of Apple’s supply chain that will forever change how you think about the iPhone you very well may be reading this sentence on right now.
Even if you’re not specifically interested in Apple, it’s worth reading as an ultra-high-resolution illustration of the invisible systems that shape our world.

Make something singular

Paul Ford has good advice if you’re ever asked to be in the media (which I discovered via Austin Kleon):

Nothing matters, and nothing works. If you’re selling a book, everyone will want you to go on TV to promote the book. That will sell negative ten books. Some stupid tweet will sell 1,600 copies of the book

Because the impact of doing media is inherently unpredictable, I only do it when it’s inherently fun: talking to someone you respect who’s genuinely curious about something you care about

Researchers analyzing Goodreads and Facebook data discovered strong correlations between reading preferences and the five-factor model personality traits: extraversion (e), agreeableness (a), openness (o), neuroticism (n), and conscientiousness (c). This chart is particularly delightful.