Penguin Launches Celebrity-Oriented Hispanic Imprint

by Lynn Andriani, Publishers Weekly -- Críticas, 3/1/2008 9:03:00 AM

A new personality-driven Hispanic imprint, Celebra, has been announced by Penguin. The line’s first book—His Panic: Why Americans Fear Hispanics in the U.S., by television star Geraldo Rivera—published February 26. Celebra will operate under the New American Library umbrella, utilizing that group’s sales, marketing, publicity, and design departments.

Publisher Raymond Garcia, formerly of Rayo, the Hispanic imprint HarperCollins launched in 2000, said the mainstream imprint will highlight Hispanic authors who are leaders in a wide range of fields, including entertainment, politics, health, and business.

Garcia explained the celebrity hook: “It’s not enough to just have ‘Hispanic’ as your filter in publishing books, [because] the interests of the Hispanic market are as diverse as that of the mainstream population.”

Authors on the summer 2008 list include real estate developer Jorge Perez (Powerhouse Principles: The Billionaire Blueprint for Real Estate Success, May), Fox News health correspondent Dr. Manny Alvarez (The Hot Latin Diet: The Fast-Track Plan to a Bombshell Body, May), and former Miss Universe (and former Mrs. Marc Anthony) Dayanara Torres (Married To Me: How Committing to Myself Led to Triumph After Divorce, June).

In the fall, Celebra will publish books by gossip blogger Perez Hilton (Red Carpet Suicide: A Survival Guide on Keeping Up with the Hiltons, Oct.)—his real name is Mario Lavandeira—and by pop star Gloria Estefan and her husband, Emilio (Estefan Kitchen, Oct.).

Celebra will publish books encompassing a variety of nonfiction genres including celebrity memoir, self-help/how-to, cookbooks, and children’s titles. While all titles will be published in English, about one-third of them will be translated into Spanish. Garcia said this mirrors the book-buying habits of Hispanics in the U.S.: most of the books they purchase (about 65 percent) are English-language and about 35 percent are Spanish-language.

Garcia said Celebra’s primary market is “acculturated Hispanics,” which marketing analyst Nielsen defines as at least the second generation to be born in the United States with buying patterns very similar to the general population. Acculturated Hispanics have the highest income and education among Hispanics. “Hispanics want to hear about other Hispanics who have made it in mainstream America,” Garcia said.

Garcia reflected, “I’m grateful for Rayo,” the HarperCollins division where he once worked. “The imprint trailblazed. Had it not been for Rayo, there would not be a Celebra.” As for the competitive aspect, Garcia insisted, “There is enough room in the industry for both imprints to survive. We don’t compete against each other; we can both coexist.”