Melissa (Saavedra) Gill, a Latina from Miami, is a romance book influencer ready to be heard. The CEO and founder recently launched Steamy Lit, a subscription box service, to share the voices of romance authors who have been underrepresented by publishers. Gill is specifically interested in amplifying female authors, people of color, and LGBTQ+ authors. Research shows that 92.2% of romance novels published in 2021 and 2022 were written by white authors, and only 7.8% of romance novels were written by BIPOC authors.

“Everyone deserves to see themselves in a romance novel, everyone deserves their happy ending,” Gill said in a news release.

What is Steamy Lit?

Steamy Lit is not your average subscription box. In addition to targeting underrepresented readers with relatable romance novels, the subscription box – The Steam Box – focuses on sexual wellness. Each quarter, the subscription boxes are curated with three romance books, three to four items from women-owned small businesses, and “vibes” to help subscribers in embracing their sexuality and focusing on self-love.

There are a range of subscription boxes:

• Annual: boxes for four quarters of the year, featuring products, books and vibes
• Semi-annual: the same products as the annual Steam Box but sent twice a year
• Quarterly subscriptions – three options: book-only sub; no vibes (books + products, but no vibes); full box (three books, products and a vibe)

Pricing varies depending on the level of subscription selected. For example, quarterly subscriptions begin with SPRING BOX, starting at $55 every three months, or using Afterpay, four interest-free payments of $13.75, for the book-only subscription. Boxes with books and products but no vibes start at $99.99 per quarter. A quarterly subscription with books, products and vibes are $139.99 per quarter.

Putting yourself first

The Steamy Lit website describes the company’s mission.

“From the beginning, our mission at Steamy Lit has been to provide women romance authors of color and non-binary/genderqueer authors a platform to amplify their voices through their work while also empowering discourse around sexuality. Our ultimate goal is for you to embrace your sexuality and celebrate self-love,” the Steamy Lit website says. “Steamy Lit is not only passionate about making a positive impact on your personal life but also on the world. A portion of proceeds from each box will go to an organization that supports causes we feel passionate about.”

To create a community, Steamy Lit is also offer a Steamy Ambassador program. While serving as an ambassador, subscribers receive complimentary Steam Boxes. Not ready to be an ambassador? Steamy Lit also has a newsletter.

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The Steamy Lit Con

Staying true to her mission, Gill is also hosting Steamy Lit Con this summer in Anaheim, California, August 18-19. The event will feature more than 200 romance writers including Adriana Herrera, Christina Lauren, Rebekah Weatherspoon, Evie Mitchell, Ali Hazelwood, Mia Sosa, Olivia Dade and Sarah Maclean. More than 2,000 tickets will be available for attendees to purchase. At this event, Gill hopes to celebrate the romance niche she is creating and to help them establish relationships and a community.

Insider Take

This subscription box service is unique and something that fills an underserved niche market. Steam Box reaches new audiences that are often overlooked, and Gill is trying to make them feel heard and seen. From that perspective, we love the concept of Steamy Lit. It is a little on the pricy side, so it isn’t going to be accessible to cost conscious readers. Gill, however, has built up a following as an influencer on social media, so she already has a built-in audience. She will continue to grow her community at Steamy Lit Con, so while Steam Box may not take off right away, we can see it gradually gaining, well, steam. We love the innovation here and hope this subscription box service finds its niche. It has a lot of potential.

Copyright © 2023 Authority Media Network, LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction without permission is prohibited.