By Jennifer Kohlhepp, Managing Editor
EAST WINDSOR — Christina Blok was inspired to create Muse Monthly because of her belief in the healing powers of tea, the enlightening powers of literature, and the idea that there is nothing better than an afternoon spent curled up with a good story and a hot cuppa.
In the tradition of successful subscription services like Birchbox, Glossybox, and Loot Crate, Muse Monthly is a startup subscription company that provides its customers with a new novel and tea pairing every month.
“Muse Monthly is the perfect subscription box for lovers of books and tea,” Ms. Blok, 26, of East Windsor, said. “Each month, subscribers will get a brand new novel and a full box or tin of tea delivered to their mailbox. With a focus on adult literary fiction, Muse Monthly fills a void made by other literary subscription boxes that are primarily geared toward the young adult/new adult niche.”
Ms. Blok, the CEO and creative director of Muse Monthly, curates the books and tea, pairing them together to provide a unique experience of comfort and warmth.
Ms. Blok has always had a fondness for stories and storytelling. She grew up with her mother reading stories such as “A Wrinkle in Time” and the Narnia series to her every night, which instilled in her a deep love for books.
“My mother always read to us as children and one of her greatest accomplishments is that all of us wanted the library from ‘Beauty and the Beast,’” Ms. Blok said.
As she grew up, she also grew to love writing and poetry, and pursued that passion at both the Peddie School and The College of New Jersey, the latter of which she graduated with a degree in English, creative writing, and art history in 2011. She worked in fashion marketing until bringing Muse Monthly to life early this year.
“The idea came from books and tea having always been a source of comfort for me in times of stress, sadness and any kind of turmoil and something to relax with after a long day,” Ms. Blok said.
She hopes that Muse Monthly will serve as “comfort in a box delivered right to your door” for subscribers.
To finance Muse Monthly and get the idea off the ground and running she launched a Kickstarter campaign in May. She met her goal of raising $3,000 in four days and ultimately raised $12,410 with the help of 158 backers in one month, making 400 percent of her original goal.
Now, Muse Monthly has launched an independent website, http://musemonthly.com, and the first boxes have been shipped and received by the Kickstarter backers.
Ms. Blok is working with several publishers, both big names (Penguin Random House, Harper Collins) and independent (Tin House, Two Dollar Radio) to “provide subscribers with great, unique novels.” The focus is on literary fiction, with a preference towards new publications. Muse Monthly is also focused on sharing fiction written by new writers, as well as novels written by minority writers, women writers, and LGBTQA+ writers.
“This way, subscribers won’t have to fear getting something they’ve already read, nor will they have to fear missing out on that great new publication that everyone on their newsfeed is talking about,” Ms. Blok said.
To go along with the book, Ms. Blok is excited to provide high-quality and unique teas from great companies. Affiliated brands include local tea companies (Townshend’s Tea Company), tea companies whose profits go towards building schools in underprivileged parts of the world (Ajiri Tea), and brands that provide blends that are hard to find anywhere else (Rishi Tea, Harney & Sons, Art of Tea).
“Subscribers get something new and exciting in every box,” Ms. Blok said.
Muse Monthly is $21 per box to subscribe month-by-month, with the option to prepay for three, six, or 12 months. A single gift subscription is $23.
With a strong following on social media, Muse Monthly is building an online community full of book and tea lovers who create content, write reviews, and participate in the company’s future. Subscribers act as “muses” for the company by providing feedback, blog posts, tweets, and Instagrams sharing their reactions and excitement about their Muse Monthly boxes.
Ms. Blok is working towards being the primer literary subscription service in the United States, with plans to expand Muse Monthly into Canada and the UK. A partnership with Penguin Random House will result in limited edition boxes for special releases and holidays. There are also plans for author-curated boxes, gifts for bookworms and tea lovers, and more online content.
“I’m excited for people to get to know Muse Monthly and excited to get people reading,” Ms. Blok said.
For more information about Muse Monthly, visit http://musemonthly.com.
