From Heartbreak
to Hope

WRIGHT COUNTY, MINNESOTA — We are proud and grateful that the Wright County Journal Press and The Drummer published From Heartbreak to Hope on October 8, 2026, sharing the journey of PIHBA founder Johanna Vendel and the purpose behind The Prestigious International Hope Book Awards.

The newspaper story traces a path through profound family loss, faith, writing, and the decision to turn pain into something that could lift others. It introduces readers to Johanna’s books and honors, the founding of PIHBA, and the growing family of platforms created to help authors and their stories reach farther.

This recognition is meaningful because PIHBA began with a simple conviction: a story can meet a reader in a dark season and remind them that they are not alone. Seeing that mission shared by a Minnesota community newspaper is not only a proud moment for our organization—it is a moment we share with every author who has trusted us with a story of courage, resilience, and hope.

What the newspaper shared

• Johanna Vendel’s journey from heartbreak and grief to authorship, faith, and purpose.
• The creation of The Prestigious International Hope Book Awards and its commitment to literary excellence and uplifting stories.
• The October 17, 2026 PIHBA gala at Wyndham Bloomington near Mall of America.
• The expanding PIHBA vision through Voices of Hope Magazine, Give Me Hope with Johanna, Legacy of Hope Press, and Story-to-Screen opportunities.
• A mission that reaches beyond awards to help authors gain recognition, share their message, and build lasting connections.

Proud of the recognition.
Focused on what comes next.

We receive this newspaper recognition with gratitude, but we do not see it as a finish line. PIHBA is continuing to build a trusted international home where authors can be professionally evaluated, celebrated with dignity, introduced to new audiences, and supported beyond a single award announcement.

Our promise to authors around the world

We will continue to recognize literary excellence without losing sight of the human being behind every book. We will keep creating opportunities that honor different cultures, experiences, genres, and paths to publication. And we will keep reminding the world that authors do more than write books: they preserve truth, open conversations, encourage healing, and give hope a voice.

To every PIHBA author, finalist, winner, partner, reader, and supporter: thank you for helping this mission grow. The newspaper may have shared where the journey began. Together, we are still writing where it goes next.