Photo by Kaylyn Beeson 

Michelle Hunt is an award-winning author and the Founder of Olive Branch Ranch Ministries (OBRM) in North Carolina. She and her husband Reece, co-founder of OBRM, lead the nonprofit, which is dedicated to inspiring the next generation by helping kids grow in faith, leadership, and personal growth.

Her debut children’s book was born at OBRM, where young visitors fell in love with Thunder—the only miniature horse on the ranch. When the big horses first saw Thunder as “different,” they would rush his fence with ears pinned and teeth bared. The children became his closest friends. One day, after a charge at Thunder’s fence, a little boy stood tall, hands-on hips like a superhero, and declared to the big horse, “Thunder was once a mighty unicorn, he could defeat you if he wanted to—so leave him alone!”

Thus, the tale of Thunder-the-Unicorn swept through the ranch and seemed to change the energy around him. Kids who had felt small, overlooked, or bullied recognized their own story in his. What began as make-believe became a ministry moment: a safe place where children could heal, belong, and find courage. When Michelle sat down to write her first children’s book, starting with the kids’ tale of Thunder as a mighty unicorn was an obvious choice—ushering in Tall Tale–Short Tail and a growing series of adventures.

In addition to her writing and her work at OBRM, Michelle is the creator of "Wisdom In The Reins", a biblically grounded system for teaching and training horses.

She also enjoys competing in team roping, hunting adventures with her husband, and deep wilderness adventures on their ATV.