what we do
We publish high quality books in the following genres: Memoir, Non-fiction, Self-Help, Fiction, YA Fiction and Non-fiction, Middle Grade chapter books.
We follow and uphold the Independent Book Publishers Assocation’s Hybrid Publisher Criteria.
We do NOT publish: Cookbooks, Horror, Erotica, Poetry, Children’s picture books
our mission
The mission of W. Brand Publishing is to facilitate, produce, publish, and promote positive stories of triumph, survival, diversity, and compassion.
We believe that the only way to break stigmas is to tell authentically brave stories.
We believe stories must be told and we are not afraid to break new ground to reach a broader audience.
We believe in our authors and we tell their stories with integrity.
We believe in diversity, equity, and inclusion.
We are grateful for every opportunity and the trust our authors grant us to tell their stories.
We are all on this journey together and our goal is to connect people through stories.
Your Story = Your Legacy.
our story
It all started when . . .
this man was born.
Well, in a sense. . .
This was my father, the namesake of the company. He was a creative, witty man who loved to write. Though he hunt-and-pecked many well-crafted letters to newspaper editors and senators, the only manuscript he wrote was the beginnings of a book about his hometown. He loved books, reading, and learning and passed this love to his children. Being his youngest child and only girl, I thought he hung the moon . . . still do.
But there was a side of my dad that I'd never know—stories that are forever lost. My dad was in the Pacific Theatre during WWII. Aside from knowing the Fletcher-class destroyer on the wall was his ship, I knew very little else. Occasionally, there would be the "discovery" of a purple heart or other medals in a random drawer but no story was ever offered to accompany them. Being a self-absorbed teenager in the ’80s, I never thought to ask.
Then in 1997, my dad passed away after a rough six-month battle with stomach cancer—a year before Saving Private Ryan and the epic HBO series Band of Brothers came out.
What on Earth is the connection you ask?
Seeing this movie and series opened my eyes to a truth I had never realized; it gave WWII vets the permission to release the locked-tight stories they had kept hidden for so many years. They finally felt it was OK to openly share their memories–stories of history, heartbreak, fear, courage, and compassion. But I would never know the stories from the person who meant the most to me—I’d never know my dad’s stories.
Fast-forward to May 2018 when I lost my 99-year-old Aunt/Godmother. I love her dearly still, but what I miss the most are her stories; she lived a very full, spunky life. I always thought we'd have just one more year–one more visit, now there are no more stories and no one wrote them down.
I started this company because, in my own life, I saw far too many loved ones leave this world without much more indication they were here than a few photos and the hole they left in our hearts. I feel that everyone has a story and it needs to be told in some way, whether to carry on one's legacy or to assure others they are not alone in this world. Times change but human connection through stories will always remain.
JuLee Brand, W. Brand Publishing Founder
From an early age, JuLee Brand always wanted to create things. Book covers and type inspired her to pursue a career in design.
Shortly after moving from the North Dakota tundra to Nashville, she started her career by accepting a position as Production Manager for Reunion Records where she scheduled releases and marketing pieces for Michael W. Smith, Rich Mullins, the Prayer Chain, and others.
She joined High Five Entertainment after being given an offer she couldn’t refuse: Creative Director. JuLee designed show logos and motion graphics for over 100 television shows which included series, award shows, and specials for several networks, as well as packaging for many musicians and bands.
After receiving her MFA from Full Sail University in 2010, she began adjunct teaching at several institutions in Nashville: Watkins College of Film and Design, Art Institute of Tennessee, and Belmont University.
However, it was her move to Hachette Book Group-Nashville as Art Director in 2012 where she learned the workings of the publishing industry from behind the curtain. At Hachette, she designed award-winning book covers for Lauraine Snelling, Nadia Bolz-Weber, Karen Kingsbury, Brian D. McLaren, Marion Grodin, Naomi Judd, and Julissa Arce among many others. She also art-directed many covers by Joyce Meyers, Melody Carlson, and others.
Everyone has a story and it was that concept which sparked the creation of W. Brand Publishing in 2018. Along with the goal of publishing great books and designing attention-grabbing covers, JuLee’s hope is that the authors’ stories provide enlightenment, entertainment, and connection to the reader. Her mantra, words matter, has become a major element of her brand and mission.
Being connected to the publishing industry has become one of her passions. She is an active member of the Independent Book Publisher’s Association serving on the Industry Access committee and several working groups to uphold standards in hybrid publishing and create education about the independent publishing industry. She currently sits on the IBPA Board of Director’s. JuLee belongs to a hybrid publishing mastermind to stay in touch with the many changes authors and publishers face daily.
JuLee believes in breaking the stigma around mental health issues by telling our stories. W. Brand Publishing encourages people be recognized as more than the label they have been given by society or the labels they have placed on themselves.
JuLee lives in Nashville, working from her home office so she can spend time with and spoil her fur baby. When she isn’t working, she loves a glass of full-bodied red wine and traveling to new places with fantastic food and amazing views. She strives to learn something new every day and lives a life of gratitude.