The Orange Hat Story

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WELCOME, WE ARE GLAD YOU ARE HERE Why Work With Us?

We believe partnerships pave the way for success in publishing. With Orange Hat, you have a dedicated team at your side, ready to provide the support you need for every step of your publishing journey. Whether your goal is to sell 10 copies or 10,000, we will work with you to create a plan for success.

Our Two Imprints:

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Orange Hat

Orange Hat is our first imprint and the name of our company! Children's and middle grade books are generally published under this imprint.

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TEN|16 Press

Ten|16 Press is an imprint of Orange Hat Publishing, focusing on our fiction, nonfiction, and YA titles.

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OWNER AND EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Meet Michael

Michael

Our owner and editor-in-chief Michael T. Braun is a passionate reader, writer, and editor who loves working with authors to bring the best out in their work. Michael has a BA in English literature and an MA and PhD in communication science, all from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Our Passionate
Team is Dedicated to Your Success

Meet the talented team of freelance editors and designers who are ready to partner with you to make your work shine.

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Lauren-Blue

Lauren Blue

Senior Editor
Lauren’s Bio

Lauren Blue

Lauren Blue is the senior editor at Orange Hat Publishing, where she has a wide range of tasks, including submissions reviews, editing, book layouts, and ebook creation, just to name a few. She's been a part of the publishing team since 2017 and loves helping authors navigate those pesky grammar rules and fine-tune their manuscripts so that readers all over the world can enjoy their work.

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Lauren Nickel

Editor
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Abby Rush

Poetry Editor
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Marilyn Webster

Children's Book Editor
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Michelle Murray

Editor
Michelle’s Bio

Michelle Murray

Michelle Murray is a writer from the Washington, D.C. area. She has a bachelor's degree in media studies as well as a master's degree and a doctorate in rhetoric. Previously, she worked as a professor and academic researcher. In addition to being a reviewer for Orange Hat, she is a speechwriter for a trade association.

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Dana Breunig

Art Director

Our Origin Story

Orange Hat was founded by Shannon Ishizaki in 2011. Her initial goal was to publish six children's books a year, giving her a creative outlet while home with her infant daughter. To say things took off from there is an understatement. After 13 years in the book business, Shannon was looking for new challenges and opportunities when Michael approached her looking for work. After one coffee meeting, the terms of Orange Hat's future were set. Michael purchased Orange Hat in 2024 and is excited to author the next chapter of Wisconsin's largest indie book publisher.

Awards &
Accolades

READY FOR YOUR NEXT GREAT READ?
CHECK OUT SOME OF OUR AWARD-WINNING TITLES.

World War II tail gunner Gene Moran fell four miles through the sky without a parachute and lived. Captured by the Germans, he survived a harrowing eighteen months as a prisoner of war, including a six-hundred-mile death march in 1945 across Central Europe.

A moving story of corporate ambition that shakes the very foundations of a marriage and asks: What happens when we embrace the life we think we should have?

Seasoned war photojournalist Annie Hawkins returns home after an assignment to find her life falling apart. She's under investigation for an incident that happened six months earlier in Afghanistan. Her best friend's daughter, Seema, is still missing, apparently with her Taliban boyfriend.

Despite her PTSD, seasoned photojournalist Annie Hawkins heads back to Afghanistan. The Taliban's takeover of the country is the story of the decade, and Annie is determined to cover it.