
Reads • Steeps • Bites
Stories, seasonal teas, and little morsels — a compact box collection that weaves a rich tapestry across time.
The Duology
Volume I
The quirky faculty of an elite middle school academy, told through the eyes of twin sibling teachers Brooklyn and Lincoln Birch (known to their students as Ms. Brooklyn & Mr. Birch).
Volume II
Echoes of the Victorian Mercy lineage, threads of 90s nostalgia, and the quiet unraveling of Cardwell familial ties.
Versailles, KY
Once the private residence of Victorian‑era heiress Elizabeth Mercy, Ernest Estate was long regarded as the most striking landmark in Versailles. The manor’s black, lantern‑shaped architecture gave it an otherworldly presence; luminous in silhouette, disciplined in its symmetry, and impossible for locals to categorize. It was beautiful, certainly, but also quietly formidable, a house that seemed to watch over the town.When the property eventually passed out of the Mercy family’s hands, it caught the attention of drone magnate Sterling Sol, whose own childhood in Savannah had taught him the value of institutions that shaped futures. Sol acquired the estate not as a trophy, but as a foundation. He believed the lantern‑manor’s design; a structure built to illuminate, should serve a greater purpose.Under his direction, Ernest Estate was transformed into Founder’s Hall, the administrative and symbolic heart of Ernest Academy, an elite private middle school he financed and established. Sol’s vision was simple: a place where discipline, intellect, and quiet excellence could be cultivated, guided by a faculty whose expertise extended far beyond traditional academia.Today, the lantern still glows; not as a private home, but as the guiding light of Ernest Academy, carrying forward the Ernest name and the legacy Sterling Sol chose to build upon.
Faculty Clearance
A few of the crème de la crème housed on Ernest Academy's faculty and staff payroll:
Ex-CIA handwriting analyst
Decorated Navy Seal
Retired KGB operative
MI-6 intelligence officer
Off-book Mossad agent
Former RAND strategy consultant
The Unboxing
Each magnetic keepsake box will arrive sealed in transparent wrap for tamper-proof quality and freshness.One Volume.Two distinct seasons per edition.Tea and snacks paired to the moments characters eat and drink in the story.A card insert marks the page numbers of key edible moments, for a truly immersive experience.On the reverse: tea-and-morsel pairings for a moment all your own — curated by a certified tea sommelier.One box. A full escape.
Seasonal Escapes
Fall/Winter
Edition
Volume I — Set to feature the hardbound novel Finem Dominamus ("We dominate the end"), curated cold-weather teas, gourmet morsels, and a set of faculty portrait postcards — watercolor keepsakes of Ernest Academy's staff and the shadows they keep close.
Spring/Summer
Edition
Volume II — Coming with the hardbound novel Dots in the Mist, warm-weather tea blends, seasonal bites, and a set of portrait postcards spanning three generations — the Mercy homestead, Savannah Middle School's 90s halls, Cardwell ties, and the Birch family tree.
Declassified
Intel Ahead
Currently in development. From quiet observers to unexpected operatives, the faculty at this elite academy have secrets to share — and the bespoke tea to match-a.
Get early access below.