A Vision of Hope: A Story of Redemption and Purpose
Everyone has something to recover from.
by Andrew Drasen
You must sign in to see if this title is available for request. Sign In or Register Now
Send NetGalley books directly to your Kindle or Kindle app
1
To read on a Kindle or Kindle app, please add kindle@netgalley.com as an approved email address to receive files in your Amazon account. Click here for step-by-step instructions.
2
Also find your Kindle email address within your Amazon account, and enter it here.
Pub Date 2 Dec 2025 | Archive Date 12 Feb 2026
ARC provided by Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op | Vision of Hope Media
Talking about this book? Use #AVisionofHope #NetGalley. More hashtag tips!
Description
From prison ID to purpose.
When addiction and incarceration upended Andrew Drasen’s life, he could have become another statistic. Instead, he turned relapse, grief, and reentry into a fearless account of how a person—and a community—can rebuild.
A Vision of Hope: A Story of Redemption and Purpose is an unflinching memoir that pairs lived experience with clear-eyed reflections on the systems that shape addiction and criminal justice. Drasen writes frankly about the daily work of recovery, the barriers of reentry, and the quiet, stubborn practices that make change real: accountability, service, faith, and showing up—especially after setbacks.
For anyone drawn to stories of second chances—and for professionals working on the front lines—this is both a page-turner and a practical companion. It invites readers into the mess and the meaning of starting over, without easy answers or neat endings.
For readers of: Writing My Wrongs (Shaka Senghor), Orange Is the New Black (Piper Kerman), A Million Little Pieces (James Frey), and Dry (Augusten Burroughs).
Themes: addiction & recovery • relapse & resilience • incarceration & reentry • grief & loss • spirituality & personal growth
Perfect for: library collections, recovery and reentry programs, book clubs, classroom and campus reads, and anyone invested in justice-informed narratives that heal as they illuminate.
A Note From the Publisher2>
For Librarians
Why request: High-interest memoir with strong community-read potential; resonates with patrons impacted by addiction, incarceration, grief, and recovery.
Programming ideas: Author talk + partner panel (public defender, recovery counselor, reentry nonprofit); One City/One Book–style reading with companion discussion prompts.
Collection fit: Memoir; Social Science—Criminology; Psychology—Addiction; Religion/Spirituality; Self-Help—Substance Abuse & Recovery.
For Educators (HS/College/Adult Ed)
Why request: Voice-forward primary text for units on criminal justice, social work, psychology, public health, or ethics.
Classroom use: Reflective journaling on harm, repair, and stigma; systems-mapping of reentry barriers; debate on policy vs. practice in recovery.
Supports: SEL objectives (resilience, accountability, purpose) and media-literacy around carceral narratives.
For Program Directors & Practitioners (Recovery/Reentry/Corrections)
Why request: A lived-experience narrative that doubles as a conversation starter in group settings.
Implementation: Pair with the companion titles—A Vision of Hope: Reflections and A Vision of Hope: The Workbook—as a structured pathway. The memoir also anchors a 90‑day recovery and reentry curriculum available for licensing to nonprofits, treatment programs, and correctional facilities.
For Booksellers
Why stock & hand-sell: Combines propulsive narrative with real-world takeaways; hand-sell to fans of redemptive memoirs and justice-forward nonfiction.
Staff rec angle: “For readers who want the grit of Writing My Wrongs and the candor of Dry—with a clear line of sight to healing and community impact.”
For Media & Journalists
Angles: Lived-experience perspective on relapse and reentry; faith and service in long-term recovery; community-based approaches to reducing recidivism; why ‘after’ is the hardest chapter.
Assets: Clear talking points on stigma, systemic barriers (housing, employment, supervision), and evidence-informed recovery practices.
For Reviewers, Bloggers & Bookstagrammers/BookTok
What you’ll love: Transparent, scene-driven storytelling; high-quote passages on accountability and hope; discussion-ready chapter beats.
Suggested hashtags: #Memoir #AddictionRecovery #PrisonReentry #CriminalJustice #Grief #SecondChances #FaithAndRecovery
Key Selling Points (Quick Hits)
Authentic and unsparing, yet ultimately hopeful.
Bridges personal story and systems insight—useful for professionals and compelling for general readers.
Program-ready: First in a trilogy with a companion reflections book and workbook, plus a 90‑day curriculum currently offered for licensing.
Broad utility: Libraries, classrooms, book clubs, community and faith-based groups, and recovery/reentry programs.
Content Note:
Mentions of substance use, relapse, incarceration, grief/bereavement, and faith/spiritual themes.
Category & Keyword Suggestions
BISAC ideas: BIO026000 (Personal Memoirs); PSY038000 (Psychiatry—Addiction); SOC004000 (Criminology); SOC022000 (Sociology—Penology); REL062000 (Spiritual Growth)
Keywords: addiction, recovery, relapse prevention, prison, reentry, social justice, grief, resilience, spirituality, purpose, second chances, lived experience
Request If You…
-Champion second-chance stories that don’t shy away from the hard parts.
-Build collections or courses around addiction, criminal justice, and recovery.
-Lead book clubs that value honest conversation and real-world impact.
-Work in nonprofits, treatment, or corrections and want a ready-to-use reading anchor.
On‑sale date: December 2, 2025 (all three titles).
Rights/territory: World (if applicable); kindle‑exclusive ebook via KDP Select; print via Ingram (returnable at 55%).
Audience tags: Recovery • Mental Health • Criminal Justice Reform • Faith/Spiritual Growth • Social Work/Education.
Reviewer instructions: Please post reviews on NetGalley + retail (Amazon/Goodreads) at or after pub; librarians/booksellers—please flag if you’re considering for purchase, programming, or group use.
Why request: High-interest memoir with strong community-read potential; resonates with patrons impacted by addiction, incarceration, grief, and recovery.
Programming ideas: Author talk + partner panel (public defender, recovery counselor, reentry nonprofit); One City/One Book–style reading with companion discussion prompts.
Collection fit: Memoir; Social Science—Criminology; Psychology—Addiction; Religion/Spirituality; Self-Help—Substance Abuse & Recovery.
For Educators (HS/College/Adult Ed)
Why request: Voice-forward primary text for units on criminal justice, social work, psychology, public health, or ethics.
Classroom use: Reflective journaling on harm, repair, and stigma; systems-mapping of reentry barriers; debate on policy vs. practice in recovery.
Supports: SEL objectives (resilience, accountability, purpose) and media-literacy around carceral narratives.
For Program Directors & Practitioners (Recovery/Reentry/Corrections)
Why request: A lived-experience narrative that doubles as a conversation starter in group settings.
Implementation: Pair with the companion titles—A Vision of Hope: Reflections and A Vision of Hope: The Workbook—as a structured pathway. The memoir also anchors a 90‑day recovery and reentry curriculum available for licensing to nonprofits, treatment programs, and correctional facilities.
For Booksellers
Why stock & hand-sell: Combines propulsive narrative with real-world takeaways; hand-sell to fans of redemptive memoirs and justice-forward nonfiction.
Staff rec angle: “For readers who want the grit of Writing My Wrongs and the candor of Dry—with a clear line of sight to healing and community impact.”
For Media & Journalists
Angles: Lived-experience perspective on relapse and reentry; faith and service in long-term recovery; community-based approaches to reducing recidivism; why ‘after’ is the hardest chapter.
Assets: Clear talking points on stigma, systemic barriers (housing, employment, supervision), and evidence-informed recovery practices.
For Reviewers, Bloggers & Bookstagrammers/BookTok
What you’ll love: Transparent, scene-driven storytelling; high-quote passages on accountability and hope; discussion-ready chapter beats.
Suggested hashtags: #Memoir #AddictionRecovery #PrisonReentry #CriminalJustice #Grief #SecondChances #FaithAndRecovery
Key Selling Points (Quick Hits)
Authentic and unsparing, yet ultimately hopeful.
Bridges personal story and systems insight—useful for professionals and compelling for general readers.
Program-ready: First in a trilogy with a companion reflections book and workbook, plus a 90‑day curriculum currently offered for licensing.
Broad utility: Libraries, classrooms, book clubs, community and faith-based groups, and recovery/reentry programs.
Content Note:
Mentions of substance use, relapse, incarceration, grief/bereavement, and faith/spiritual themes.
Category & Keyword Suggestions
BISAC ideas: BIO026000 (Personal Memoirs); PSY038000 (Psychiatry—Addiction); SOC004000 (Criminology); SOC022000 (Sociology—Penology); REL062000 (Spiritual Growth)
Keywords: addiction, recovery, relapse prevention, prison, reentry, social justice, grief, resilience, spirituality, purpose, second chances, lived experience
Request If You…
-Champion second-chance stories that don’t shy away from the hard parts.
-Build collections or courses around addiction, criminal justice, and recovery.
-Lead book clubs that value honest conversation and real-world impact.
-Work in nonprofits, treatment, or corrections and want a ready-to-use reading anchor.
On‑sale date: December 2, 2025 (all three titles).
Rights/territory: World (if applicable); kindle‑exclusive ebook via KDP Select; print via Ingram (returnable at 55%).
Audience tags: Recovery • Mental Health • Criminal Justice Reform • Faith/Spiritual Growth • Social Work/Education.
Reviewer instructions: Please post reviews on NetGalley + retail (Amazon/Goodreads) at or after pub; librarians/booksellers—please flag if you’re considering for purchase, programming, or group use.
Advance Praise
Kirkus, Clarion, and BlueInk reviews will be in before launch.
"Andrew Drasen’s A Vision of Hope is a powerful and honest account of personal transformation. Told from inside the experience of incarceration and addiction, it offers an unfiltered look into the pain, reflection, and growth that led him to find meaning and direction in his life.
What stands out most is the book’s clarity of voice and its emphasis on purpose. Drasen doesn’t just recount his story—he uses it to invite others into their own process of healing and reflection. His journal entries and keynote excerpts are especially compelling and speak to his potential as both a storyteller and a leader.
This book could be a valuable resource for people in recovery, mentors, or organizations looking to spark real conversations about redemption and resilience. I appreciate the depth of work and intention behind this project and look forward to seeing how it continues to grow."
- Dr. Jason Roop
Center for Trait-Based Transformation
"It takes courage to admit one’s mistakes, face them, and learn from the experience, but even more so to display them publicly in the hope of helping others overcome similar challenges. I’m very impressed by Andrew’s willingness to do this and by the work he has put into his memoir. I think his readers will find it both enlightening and inspiring. Overcoming addiction is a monumental battle but, fortunately, it is not one that must be faced alone. Instead, addicts can choose to stand in a community of recovery allies that will fight alongside them. Andrew’s book is an invitation to such a gathering and a calling to a better life of freedom and purpose."
- David Kingsbury,
Licensed Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor
"A Vision of Hope is a standout work from first-time author Andrew Drasen. From the opening story to the last page, its grip quickly snagged my attention and held it throughout. Its drama secures a sincere sense of realism because, after all, it really happened.
It isn't all just drama and intrigue though. Weaving together the author's musings - political and personal- interlaced with a back story that articulates not just the wholeness of a character, but how a person grows over time into the world of addiction, incarceration, and ultimately redemption, the reader is left with thoughtful insights. Retooling his powerful intellect away from "getting away with it" to now help others "get out of it", Andrew has penned an impressive and moving piece for others similarly struggling to find a light. I look forward to reading the accompanying Reflections book as well. 5 stars."
-Zahary via Goodreads
"“A Vision of Hope” is a raw, deeply personal memoir that takes readers through the harsh realities of addiction, incarceration, and the long, winding journey toward recovery. Written primarily during his time in prison, the book possesses an immediacy and honesty that are both unsettling and inspiring. Rather than presenting a polished narrative, Drasen expresses his truth through fragments of lived experience, journal entries, and recollections that reveal the weight of his battles with substance abuse, relapse, and the justice system.
What makes this book powerful is its vulnerability. Drasen does not shy away from recounting his lowest points—overdoses, strained family relationships, moments of deep regret—yet he balances these with glimpses of humour, love, and gratitude. His dedication to family, especially to his mother and daughter, provides an emotional anchor amid the turbulence. At the same time, he acknowledges the cycle of trauma and addiction that runs through his family history, making his story not only personal but also reflective of larger societal issues.
The structure—switching between narrative chapters and reflective journal entries—creates a layered effect. Readers gain insight not only into the author’s external circumstances but also into his evolving inner world. It demonstrates that recovery is not a single event, but a continuous process of self-awareness, setbacks, and determination to move forward. Drasen’s voice is unfiltered, sometimes harsh, but always authentic, which gives the book its impact.
Ultimately, “A Vision of Hope” is not just a memoir of survival but a call to believe in the possibility of change. Drasen reminds readers that no matter how far one has fallen, “so long as there’s air in your lungs, there is still hope.” This book provides not only a glimpse into that experience but also a message of resilience and redemption.
Try it.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review."
-Marcia Vidal dos Santos via Goodreads
"I won't be here if I have not had a personal experience in relation to the dangers of drug abuse. I grew up watching my little brother fight with drug addiction for a good number of years. Unfortunately we lost him in the end to overdose.
A vision of hope truly resonates hope and light to those struggling from issues like this. I respect Andrew so much for having to fight through this, turned a new leaf and still went ahead to write this beautiful piece for other struggling individuals .
So many people are victims of Addiction, and that’s why I think this book is a perfect reflection to the lives of such individuals . It’s a real and raw look into the life of an addict, and offers hope that things can change.
I'm also really proud of Andrew for choosing to stay strong through the tough times he went through. I'm even more proud that he chose to make his story an inspiration to others who are longing to see the hope in change. This is a lovely piece I'll recommend to anyone"
-Kaitlyn Krems via Goodreads
Marketing Plan
A Vision of Hope: A Story of Redemption and Purpose (Ambitious)
Edelweiss listing can be found at: https://www.edelweiss.plus/?sku=9798999641526&g=4400
Publicity: National outreach to recovery/mental‑health, criminal‑justice, and faith media (top podcasts + radio), long‑lead magazines, and regional TV near author home base; full press kit + excerpt/OP‑ED placements.
NetGalley promotions (paid): 11 promo slots booked from October-January, including: Dashboard Spotlights, Recently Added Books Spotlights, Category Spotlights, Newsletters, and Featured Theme Weeks.
Trade & review programs (paid/earned): Submissions to Kirkus Indie, Foreword Reviews/Clarion, and BlueInk; Library marketing via Library Journal and Booklist e‑news placements.
Retail & availability: Wide print distribution via Ingram with 55% discount and returns enabled; ebook exclusive to Kindle (KDP Select) with preorder; bulk orders via Ingram or direct at andrew@avisionofhopebook.com (for quotes & shipping).
Advertising (paid): heavy Amazon Ads (preorder + launch), Goodreads Giveaway + display, BookBub CPM/CPC for comp‑audiences; retargeting to site visitors and NetGalley clickers.
Influencer & community (paid/earned): 250+ ARC placements with recovery, criminal‑justice reform, and faith‑based creators; micro‑influencer honoraria; secure Instagram/TikTok Lives near pub.
Email & owned (MailerLite): 3‑part ARC Welcome flow → Preorder push → Launch day + Post‑read review ask; segmentation for librarians/educators/program directors; downloadable discussion guide.
Partnerships (earned/paid): Outreach to NAMI affiliates, reentry nonprofits, treatment programs, chaplaincy networks, and university social‑work/criminal‑justice departments for adoptions, events, and institutional orders. Currently a featured partner on the F8 Foundation's website.
Series support & metadata: Cross‑promote the companion titles on all creatives; include ISBNs in catalog copy (PB 979‑8‑9996415‑0‑2, eBook 979‑8‑9996415‑1‑9, HC 979‑8‑9996415‑2‑6, DJ HC 979‑8‑9996415‑6‑4).
[Companion] A Vision of Hope: Reflections — Marketing Plan (Ambitious)
Edelweiss listing can be found at: https://www.edelweiss.plus/?sku=9798999641540&g=4400
Positioning: Companion reflections for readers, small groups, and counseling contexts; pairs with memoir; includes prompts for discussion and personal application.
Trade & institutional: Target counseling, social‑work, ministry, and corrections educator lists; direct pitches to university field‑placement coordinators and chaplain networks for course packs / group use.
Influencer & community (paid/earned): 150+ placements with journaling/book‑club creators; paid book‑club kit feature with reading‑community newsletters.
Email & owned (MailerLite): Dedicated “Group Leaders” segment; send turnkey kit (session plans, printable prompts); nurture sequence to convert samplers to bulk orders.
Retail & availability: Ingram distribution (55%/returns); bulk & signed‑bookplate options via andrew@avisionofhopebook.com
A Vision of Hope: The Workbook / Facilitator Guide —
Edelweiss listing can be found at: https://www.edelweiss.plus/?sku=9798999641557&g=4400
Positioning: Practical 90-day facilitator guide for recovery groups, reentry programs, churches, and counseling centers; complements memoir + reflections; in the early stages of multi‑year evidence‑based validation for institutional adoption.
NetGalley promotions (paid): “Education,” “Professional & Technical,” and “Nonfiction (Adult)” placements; invite list focus on librarians, program directors, educators, chaplains, and case managers.
Institutional & B2B: Direct outreach to jail/prison education vendors, treatment providers, county reentry services, and faith‑based ministries; provide evaluation copies and pilot‑program pricing.
Proof & social impact: Collect pilot testimonials and early outcomes; case‑study PDFs and one‑page ROI for decision‑makers; highlight evidence‑building roadmap.
Email & owned (MailerLite): Dedicated institutional pipeline with quote requests, sample lesson download, and automated follow‑ups for pilots → bulk adoptions.
Retail & availability: Ingram wholesale (55%/returns) plus direct bulk via andrew@avisionofhopebook.com
Pricing:
A Vision of Hope: A Story of Redemption and Purpose (Memoir)
eBook: 979-8-9996415-1-9 — $5.99
Softcover: 979-8-9996415-0-2 — $26.99
Hardcover (Case Laminate): 979-8-9996415-2-6 — $34.99
Hardcover (Dust Jacket): 979-8-9996415-6-4 — $41.99
A Vision of Hope: Reflections
eBook: 979-8-9996415-3-3 — $4.99
Softcover: 979-8-9996415-4-0 — $19.99
A Vision of Hope: The Workbook
Softcover: 979-8-9996415-5-7 — $32.99
Available Editions
| EDITION | Ebook |
| ISBN | 9798999641519 |
| PRICE | US$5.99 (USD) |
| PAGES | 682 |