Who's Who in U.S. Spanish-Language Publishing—The Faces Behind the Books
by Adriana Lopez -- Críticas, 8/15/2006
U.S. Spanish-language publishers and editors have been around since long before the Latin crossover boom began. But over the last several years, a new dynamic has emerged, forged by imprints such as Rayo and Vintage Español and the sophisticated distribution of Spanish houses such as Planeta and Santillana in Miami. The rise of Spanish-language programs cropping up all over from domestic houses means that editors must work even harder to find that next best seller and vie for competitive and limited shelving space in the marketplace. Houses are now allowing Spanish-language editors opportunities to take risks to reach the sometimes ambiguous Hispanic reader, nearly impossible a decade ago. In most cases, there’s money for acquisitions, marketing, and a support staff. Still, there are many obstacles: expensive translations, which increase cover prices; limited media to publicize or market authors who either don’t speak English for the mainstream or Spanish for Hispanic media; and the tricky art of deciding what book is culturally relevant for the U.S. Latino market.
| Who's Who in U.S. Spanish-language Publishing This is the first part of a series on the key players in the U.S. Spanish-language book market. Other articles include "The Christian and Spirituality Market," on how publishers are handling the demand for religious and spiritual titles, "The International Players," on publishing figures abroad and "High Demand, Short Supply, and the Market's Savvy Buyers," on U.S. librarians managing Spanish-language collection development. |
Meet the Spanish-language book editors—fourteen hailing from multiple generations and making up a tossed salad of nationalities to counterbalance the stifling wave of English-only advocates and the lack of Spanish-speaking colleagues. Críticas set out to spotlight some of the market’s most innovative talents. But, of course, this is not the whole enchilada. For every editor mentioned here, there’s another Hispanic talent working close to them or at a competing publisher across the nation.
 Teresa Mlawer |
President of Lectorum Publications, Inc., a subsidiary of Scholastic, NY
Her passion for children’s literature has made Teresa Mlawer’s name synonymous with the children’s book world in español. Thanks to her first boss, Leo Mabel, who offered her a job in 1961 at Macmillan Publishing, she has gone on to publish well-known authors such as Dr. Seuss, Patricia Polacco, Marc Brown, and May Pope Osborne. Her vision: “To make wonderful books like these available in Spanish for Hispanic children not only in the United States but in the Spanish-speaking world, too.” Lectorum is always searching for Spanish-language originals and the right stories to translate and is currently publishing an average of 15 to 20 books a year. Though her English-language translations always perform well, Mlawer finds that original works that portray stories relevant to the Latino community are on their way to becoming classics. A few examples of future standards are Los zapaticos de rosa (The Pink Shoes), ¡Azúcar!, El día de los muertos (Day of the Dead), and Julia de Burgos. The state of the market: Mlawer finds that though there is less demand from the school market owing to the elimination of bilingual education in some states, the demand for Spanish-language children’s books continues to be strong in public libraries and the trade sector, and she sees higher demand from both in the future. “There’s a need to continue pushing Spanish not only to Latino children but in many of the bilingual and world language programs throughout the country.” Her dream book: “The one I have been planning to write for the past 40 years.” The industry can’t wait to read it. Hot pick for fall: Dr. Seuss’s Y pensar que lo vi por la calle porvenir (And To Think I Saw It on Mulberry Street, Lectorum).
 Nicolás Kanellos |
Director, Arte Público Press, TX
A trailblazing veteran, Nicolás Kanellos founded Arte Público Press in 1970. He was born in New York to a Puerto Rican mother and a Greek father. Aside from his daily publishing duties, he is also a Brown Foundation Professor of Hispanic Literature at the University of Houston. Publishing close to 30 titles a year in adult fiction, nonfiction, and reference, as well as YA subject matter and children’s picture books through their children’s imprint Piñata Press, Kanellos certainly has a well-rounded mission. Arte Público, which launched the careers of important writers such as Victor Villaseñor, Miguel Piñero, Luis Valdés, and Sandra Cisneros, has been in the public’s eye with its “Recovering the U.S. Hispanic Literary Heritage” project—the first nationally coordinated attempt to recover, index, and publish lost Latino writings that date from the American Colonial period through the 1960s—started in 1992. The ups of the business: “To get a wonderful book into the hands of readers and see it have some impact on society.” The downs: As a nonprofit, the struggle to raise funds is extremely intense. You really learn what it is to be a minority organization when you try to raise dollars for culture and publishing and the whole society sees your community only as poor and uncultured.” Predictions: “The Hispanic market will increasingly become a factor in the entertainment business, not only for content from Hispanic celebrities but also as a consumer of everything peripheral, rather than core, in cultural value,” he says. “Except for independent publishing and media productions, [there will] be very little [available] in history, political thought, transnationalism, race, [and] products that present Latinos as thinking, cultured, responsible citizens with a 500-year stake in the United States.”
 Adriana Domínguez |
Executive Editor, HarperCollins Children’s Books and Rayo, NY
When a young Adriana Domínguez first arrived to this country, she was a student in a bilingual program. It was there that she learned English and the overall importance of language, reading, and literacy. Now she wants every Latino child to have the opportunities she had. Hired in 2005 by Rayo’s publisher René Alegria to head up the children’s division of the imprint and to increase its title count, Domínguez was up for the challenge. A recognized expert in the U.S. Spanish-language children’s book industry, she began her career as an editor at Scholastic’s Spanish/Bilingual Education Department in 1997 and continued as a freelance editor and translator for Santillana, McGraw-Hill, and other major houses. In 2004, her hands-on experience in the industry made her the perfect children’s book review editor for Críticas magazine. For Domínguez, the creation of her current position at Rayo “shows that Latino publishing is no longer ‘niche’ publishing.” State of the market: “The rise of Latino publishing has also increased the level of competition among publishers, which benefits readers most. Mediocre translations or subpar productions, are no longer acceptable traits for a Spanish or bilingual title,” she says. Currently, Domínguez is publishing an average of 15 titles in Spanish, English, and bilingual formats that celebrate Latino heritage. Not looking for any specific type of book, Domínguez is more concerned with finding Latino authors and illustrators who can accurately depict their experience in the States, be it from a mainstream or immigrant’s point of view. What’s hot for kids: authentic, well-written stories by award-winning Latino authors such as Alma Flor Ada and Lulu Delacre, celebrity books such as Gloria Estefan’s book about her bulldog, and, of course, translations of English-language best sellers. Hot pick for fall: Gloria Estefan’s El tesoro de Noelle (Noelle’s Treasure Tale, Rayo).
 Milena Alberti-Pérez |
Director of Spanish Language Publishing, Vintage Español, a division of Random House, Inc., NY
Overseeing the production of approximately 15 books a year, Milena Alberti-Pérez has put Random House’s efforts in Spanish back on the map with Vintage Español. Alberti-Pérez first entered publishing, with a degree in business, as director for Random House’s Corporate Development group in 2001. Three years later, Anne Messitte, executive VP and publisher of Vintage/Anchor Books, asked her to oversee the rebirth of Random House’s Spanish-language imprint geared toward U.S. readers. Since then, Alberti-Pérez has had her eye out for books that are written by trusted and known Hispanics or those that are going to help improve the lives of her readers. She also wants to entertain them with great fiction and movie tie-ins, like Memorias de una geisha (Memoirs of a Geisha) and ¡GOOOL! (GOAL!). Alberti-Pérez notes that the Spanish market mirrors a lot of what’s in demand in English, such as religious and diet titles. But what has surprised her is the demand for David Bach’s The Automatic Millionaire in Spanish. She sees the personal finance category on the rise. The state of the market: “For better, there are more distribution outlets. For worse, there is downward pricing pressure.” Alberti-Pérez notes that better distribution, the lack of shelf space, and limited publicity opportunities vis-à-vis the English-language book market pose barriers to increasing book sales, but she does see a brighter future: “I see the U.S. publishers expanding their efforts to publish books in Spanish and try to take share from imported books.” Why she chose publishing: “I’m Hispanic, I love books, and I wanted to be a part of this growing market segment.” Hot pick for fall: Mirta Ojito’s El Mañana (Finding Mañana, Vintage Español).
 Larry Downs |
VP and Publisher, Grupo Nelson, a division of Thomas Nelson Publishers, TN
In 2005, Thomas Nelson Publishers, a leading publisher and distributor of books emphasizing Christian themes and Bibles, announced the formation of Grupo Nelson, a new Spanish-language division. Since then it publishes about 80 titles a year through five book imprints: Editorial Diez Puntos (parenting, finance, health, self-help, popular culture), Líder Latino (business and leadership), Editorial Caribe (biblical references), Editorial Betania (inspirational and children’s books), and Editorial Católica (Catholic books and Bibles). According to Larry Downs, who joined Grupo Nelson in 2004 after serving as president for Editorial Unilit, “there’s even a Sudoku book or two.” Though his parents were not Latino, he spent 15 years living in Peru. Downs, whose first job 20 years ago in publishing was in the warehouse of the now-defunct Libros International sweeping and packing orders, says that Grupo Nelson has done well with recent business titles. The current star on his list being Hada María Morales’s book Vístete para triunfar (Dress for Success), helping unemployed people prepare for the interview process. Grupo Nelson’s team looks for titles that could be simultaneously released in Spanish with the English line and for authors with a crossover message. Changes he’d like to see: the Spanish sections in the stores get a facelift. “Clean it up, clear out the materials that have been there for a while, and get a clean, fresh selection of products,” he says. “Some of the new material coming out from the publishers today is second to none.” Predictions: a rise in audio publishing. Biggest obstacle: “The stigma that Spanish language just doesn’t sell. It does, when it is done right.” Hot pick for fall: Stephen R. Covey’s Grandeza para cada día (Everyday Greatness, Grupo Nelson).
 Esteban Fernández |
VP and Publisher, Vida Publishers, a division of Zondervan, MI
Hailing from Argentina, then moving to Mexico, Esteban Fernández’s first job in publishing was with Interamericana Vision magazine (closed in 2000), where he worked for 20 years at its international offices until he left in 1996 to occupy his current position at Editorial Vida. Fernández is happy to note that this year Editorial Vida was named “Christian Publisher of the Year” by the Association of Christian American Producers. While the company’s claim to fame in the market has been the success of Rick Warren’s chart-topping Una vida con propósito (The Purpose Driven Life), it also publishes roughly 120 Christian and inspirational titles and ten bibles a year. Hopeful changes to the market: “I’d like to see American bookstores understand our culture more so that Hispanics could get better service. Many booksellers are losing huge opportunities simply because they don’t know how to reach us.” His dream book: After the success of the translation of A Purpose Driven Life, to achieve something as close to the impact that the book has already made. Predictions: “I think that the Spanish-language book market will continue to boom and the demographic of Hispanics will change; there will be more Hispanics with formal education to help boost their buying power.” Hot pick for fall: C.S. Lewis’s Crónicas de Narnia (The Chronicles of Narnia, Rayo/dist. by Vida in Christian Channel).
 Johanna Castillo |
Senior Editor, Atria Books, a division of Simon & Schuster, NY
Castillo, who admits to always being a bibliophile, credits her father for giving her five classics to read every summer. She is also grateful to Francis Greenburger for allowing her that first job in publishing as an agent at Sanford Greenburger Literary Agency. But when Judith Curr, executive VP and publisher of Atria and Washington Square Press contacted the up-and-coming Latina agent and offered her the job in February 2005, Castillo grabbed it. “Being an editor has allowed me more opportunities to help writers,” says Castillo. “As an agent, sometimes you have just one shot at pushing something.” Born in Ecuador, Castillo also feels that working in Latino and Spanish-language publishing allows her to “preserve and show off our culture to the world.” And she’s had a great year doing this with the success of Javier Sierra’s The Secret Supper, her first major English-language best seller (translated from Spanish), and Laura Esquivel’s Malinche. In 2006, Atria’s Latino program published a total of 28 books: 13 in Spanish and 15 in English. Most of its books are originally written in English by Latino writers, and when there’s demand, translated into Spanish. Subjects include historical and commercial women’s fiction, general fiction, memoir, self-help, sexuality, and Christian motivational titles. The ups: “That I have the opportunity to publish new voices and work in a growing market, which means that I get to experiment more with approaches to the industry,” she says. But, on the downside: “Of course, working in a new market also presents the challenge of having to start from ground zero.” Challenges of the past: “A few years ago it was the language barrier. Publishers and booksellers didn’t have people inhouse who spoke Spanish. Things are different now; most publishers have editors and publicists who speak Spanish, and booksellers have buyers just for the Spanish-language market. The next challenge: “To find ways to market books to Spanish-language readers and to attract them to their stores.” Hot pick for fall: Orlando Tobón’s Las crónicas de Jackson Heights (Jackson Heights Chronicles, Atria). Editor's Note: Las crónicas de Jackson Heights will be reviewed in the September issue of Críticas.
 Andrea Montejo |
Editor, Rayo, a division of HarperCollins, NY
When Andrea Montejo, a native of Colombia, set out to look for a job in New York publishing, she was looking for a place where she could somehow remain connected to her roots while embracing American culture. Starting out as an editorial assistant at Rayo five years ago, she seems to have found the perfect fit. Hired by René Alegria—publisher of Rayo—to assist in the birth of that imprint, Montejo credits Alegria’s eye for what will and won’t work in the business and admits his “enthusiasm is contagious.” Rayo currently publishes 70 titles a year, a blend of fiction and nonfiction and original titles published in both languages. The nonfiction Spanish-language books focus primarily on self-help or inspirational themes aimed at first-generation immigrants. For fiction, the company looks to publish talented Latino authors who can offer readers great writing and an interesting plot. What’s working: “Other than Isabel Allende and Paulo Coelho, our books by celebrities such as Gloria Estefan, Jorge Ramos, María Elena Salinas, or María Antonieta Collins. Best sellers in Latin America and Spain are also very popular.” Montejo definitely notices the change for the better in the market in the last five years, citing more publishers, more review interest, and how the distribution has increased exponentially. Changes she’d like to see: “More books that represent the entirety of different nationalities that exist within the Latino community. We have very few from Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Bolivia, or many other Latin American countries.” Her dream book: “To publish a smart Latina literary author who can transcend the cultural label the way authors like Jhumpa Lahiri and Zadie Smith have done for their respective cultures.” Hot pick for fall: Isabel Allende’s Inés del Alma Mía (Ines of My Soul, Rayo).
 Mauricio Velázquez de León |
Editorial Director, Editorial Buenas Letras, Rosen Publishing, NY
When Mauricio Velázquez left his magazine publishing career in Mexico to join the New York book world, he was fortunate to be able to put his native language to good use. In 2000, Roger Rosen brought him on to jumpstart Editorial Buenas Letras. Since then he has been placing high-quality children’s books in the hands of the Hispanic community. It’s a segment of American society Velázquez believes is in “great need of better educational opportunities.” The imprint specializes in publishing nonfiction books for children and young adults in Spanish and bilingual editions. Focusing on the library (75 titles a year) and classroom (150 titles a year) markets, the publisher’s titles cover a wide array of subjects, such as science, technology, history, geography, and other curriculum-related issues. Buenas Letras’ Vision: “To publish subjects that will interest Hispanic children living in the United States and attending American schools. Hispanic kids need—and want—to read the same books and learn the same subjects that other American kids are [learning],” said Velázquez. Market predictions: Velázquez is concerned that some will use the current immigration debate to slash educational budgets even more, and that may have a great impact on the number of Spanish-language books in the market. But he remains positive: “The good news is that politics can’t change reality, and, in reality, the need for good Spanish-language books will be greater and greater every year in this country.” On his wish list: more Hispanics on the editorial side of the business and more Spanish-speaking librarians.
 Gabriela Baeza Ventura |
Executive Editor, Arte Público
Press, TX As a native of Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, where people would set up their typewriters on the stairs of the local post office to write letters for people who did not know how to write, Gabriela Baeza Ventura first discovered her desire to work in publishing. She started out as a research assistant for Arte Público Press’s Recovering the U.S. Hispanic Literature project in 1997 and, after eventually finishing her Ph.D. in literature, became managing editor of the press in 2000. Currently balancing her editorial responsibilities with those of assistant professor of literature at the University of Houston, she’s actively looking for titles by U.S. Latino authors. She notes that there’s a demand for YA titles and picture books. “We have started translating into Spanish some of the [picture book] titles that were first released in English because at the time of their publication, the market was not open to Spanish.” How the market has changed: “The market has recognized the value of Spanish readers as a purchasing power that demands more books. There are more Spanish-language publishers, but the books are not always the best quality all around.” Baeza Ventura enjoys working under the mentorship of Kanellos and admires the small publishers in the business. Hot pick for fall: Eduardo González-Viaña’s El corrido de Dante (Dante’s Ballad, Arte Público Press).
 Janet Mills and Don Miguel Ruiz |
Publisher, Amber-Allen Publishing, CA The demand for books by her Spanish-speaking author Don Miguel Ruiz first inspired Janet Mills to get into the business. In 1986, she began writing her first book, and by 1990 she decided to start her own publishing company, Amber-Allen Publishing. Specializing in titles about personal growth, inspiration, spirituality, holistic health, as well as audiobooks, Amber-Allen is a small but important player, currently publishing approximately three titles in Spanish a year. Mills makes sure that the titles she chooses to translate have sales brisk enough in English to merit a Spanish edition. Biggest challenges: “From an editor’s point of view, not being fluent in Spanish and therefore not being able to determine whether the Spanish translation captures the essence of the author’s voice” is highly problematic. When it comes to marketing, she says she’s concerned with “how to efficiently and effectively reach the Spanish-speaking community without a true understanding of their cultural values.” Her dream book: a simple, inspiring book that would distil the wisdom of the body of material that we have already published. It would include the Toltec wisdom of Don Miguel Ruiz, the ancient wisdom of Vedanta that Deepak Chopra brings to light in his books, and the life-transforming work of Jane Roberts who channeled the voice of Seth while in a trance state and helped to launch the entire New Age movement.” Mills hopes to see more widespread acknowledgment of the Spanish-speaking community in the United States and predicts “continuous and substantial growth in the market.”
 Eva Palma Zúñiga |
Spanish Acquisitions Editor, Llewellyn Español, MN
Leaving a career in journalism at Minnesota’s La Prensa for her first job in publishing at Llewellyn just under a year ago, Chilean native Eva Palma Zúñiga is ready to see the market expand. While Llewellyn Español has made its mark in the industry publishing body, mind, and spirit books, Zúñiga is looking for books that help readers grow spiritually at home as well. Parenting books such as Padres de hoy (Modern Parents) by the Argentinean psychotherapist Iris Yankelevich indicate Llewellyn Español’s expanding vision of spiritual wellness. They publish 12–15 books a year on topics such as astrology, meditation, angels, shamanism, yoga, and the tarot. Zúñiga cites books on interpreting dreams as their best sellers. The ups and downs: “I love working with the author[s] in the process of publishing their book, which becomes a little bit like your own book, since most of the time one needs to change the structure, or do heavy editing. The down[side] is that some authors think we’re going to write the book with them and coach them along in the writing, but our time is so limited.” Another down: sending rejection letters. On her wish list: “We need to have more bicultural, bilingual, native Spanish speakers, all over publishing, to understand the market and its needs.” Hot pick for fall: Brenda Valentín’sAstrología, una guía simple para el éxito personal y el autoconocimiento (Astrology: A Simple Guide to Personal Success and Self-Discovery, Llewellyn).
 Jackie Montalvo |
Publishing Assistant, Vintage Español, a division of Random House, Inc., NY
Jackie Montalvo’s first job in publishing—the high-profile one she currently holds—indicates what those around her already know: she has a natural instinct for the market. A native of Puerto Rico and an avid reader, Montalvo always dreamed of building a career that would somehow link her to her cultural heritage. Brought on in 2005 by Vintage Español’s director of Spanish-language publishing Milena Alberti-Pérez, Montalvo predicts that in the next five years books by U.S. Hispanic personalities will continue to gain ground. At Vintage Español, she has already worked on a wide array of titles, ranging from literary and commercial fiction to narrative nonfiction and books on health, parenting, diet, self-help, and personal finance—both Spanish-language originals and English-language best sellers in translation. Gabriel García Márquez, Sandra Cisneros, David Bach, and Dr. Isabel are among the big-name authors she handles daily. Job perks: “I get to be involved in every aspect of the publishing process, from the editing to the publicity to the marketing.” Down the line, Montalvo hopes to publish the next great Hispanic fiction author, someone as beloved as García Márquez. But before that she believes there are needed changes in the market: “It would be wonderful if we could get to the point where U.S. houses publish Spanish-language fiction originals that are later translated into English, instead of the other way around.” Hot pick for fall: Dr. Isabel Gómez-Bassols’s Los siete pasos para ser más feliz (The Seven Steps to a Happier Life, Vintage Español).
 Emily Fischer |
Senior Editor, Simon Spotlight and Libros para niños, Simon & Schuster, NY
Since starting out as an editorial assistant at Penguin and watching the market shift, Emily Fischer is aware that the demand for Spanish language books exists for even the very youngest of readers. “We are getting more and more requests from retailers for both Spanish-language and bilingual books,” she says. “We're also publishing for English speaking parents who want to teach their children Spanish, and in some cases learn right along with them.” As a senior editor with college-level Spanish, Fischer was looking to take on more responsibilities within the Spotlight group, so when S&S was looking to grow the Libros imprint, it was an easy fit. Launched in 2003, Libros para niños is a Spanish-language imprint that features best-selling books and characters from Simon Spotlight and Little Simon. Currently publishing approximately eight to ten titles each year, the imprint is looking to ramp up its bilingual program. The vision: “Many of our English language books based on Dora the Explorer and Go, Diego, Go! feature Spanish words in them already. We thought that moving into a true bilingual format was a natural progression.” Challenges of the market: “Trying to appeal to native Spanish speakers, those who live in bilingual households, and children and parents who are just learning Spanish.” Books that do well: Blue’s Clues and SpongeBob SquarePants (in Spanish). “Non media tie-in titles we have published in Spanish include several classic board books by Sandra Boynton, Karen Katz’s ¿Dónde está el ombliguito? (Where is Baby’s Belly Button), and the best-selling novelty title Buenas noches, maripositas (Good Night, Sweet Butterflies).” Hot pick for for fall: ¡Diego rescata al lobito! (Diego’s Wolf Pup Rescue, Libros para niños).
Críticas, is a freelance writer and Latina magazine’s book columnist.
Adriana Lopez, a regular contributor to
Related Content
Related Content
There are no other articles related to this article.
View All Blogs
