Críticas Magazine

Adriana V. Lopez

Hot and Hispanic Celebrities at Penguin’s Celebra
March 7, 2008

It’s time to celebrate. There’s a new imprint in NYC that will devote entire books to the Latin world’s beauty queens, athletes, musicians, movie stars, and big name honchos. Meet Celebra, the first imprint to exclusively publish mainstream Hispanic personalities at a major publishing house like Penguin (The Berkley Publishing Group). The new imprint debuted its first title on February 26th with the button-pushing journalist Geraldo Rivera’s, His Panic: Why Americans Fear Hispanics in the U.S. Aiming to showcase the appeal of today’s Hispanic personalities, Celebra will publish books by well-known leaders in a number of fields, including politics, health, and business.

And they’ve already made the New York Post’s Page 6 gossip page when word got out that former Miss Universe Dayanara Torres plans to “spill the beans” about her marriage to Marc Anthony, in Married to Me: How Committing to Myself Led to Triumph After Divorce from Celebra in May. Here’s how it read:

“…..(the book) will chronicle how she got over her painful union with the Skeletor — who left her for Jennifer Lopez — to find true happiness. But let's hope Torres has good lawyers. When Ojani Noa, J.Lo's first hubby, tried doing the same, he was shut down in court by Lopez's lawyers. Torres' tome will be published by Penguin Book's new Latin author line, Celebra.”

Certainly not a bad way to kick off a new imprint. Celebra will be run by Publisher Raymond Garcia. Garcia began his work in publishing with Harper Collins, where he served as Associate Publisher of Rayo.  While at Rayo, Garcia worked with such authors as New York Times bestsellers Jorge Cruise, Paulo Coelho, Isabel Allende, and Gloria Estefan.  Before joining Harper Collins, Garcia was President and Founder of REG|strategic innovations, a branding and design company. With clients ranging from Time to Celia Cruz, the company’s primary functions were introducing Hispanic brands to mainstream markets as well as introducing mainstream brands to Hispanic markets.

[Celebra Publisher, Raymond Garcia, above]

Officially launched in March, the imprint will publish both hard and paperback trade editions and will translate one third of its list into Spanish, for those authors with strong platforms in Spanish-language media. According to Garcia, “This language mix supports that of the Hispanic book buying market, which purchases almost 70% of books in English and 30% in Spanish.  Spanish-language book publishing is still very much an underserved market with booming potential.  Celebra will strive to trail-blaze inroads within this segment by matching influential authors, with significant exposure, to bestselling concepts.”

So get ready to stock your shelves with celebrity memoir, self-help/how-to, cookbooks, and children’s titles from Celebra. And if you too have witnessed the magnetic power of a little copy of People en Español in the room, I don’t have to tell you how the public just lusts after the latest celebrity goodie. 

 
Here’s Celebra’s upcoming list:

HIS PANIC: Why Americans Fear Hispanics in the U.S
by Geraldo Rivera
March 2008

The Peabody and Emmy Award-winning journalist examines the ongoing controversy over illegal immigration in this provocative and impassioned book. 
 

POWERHOUSE PRINCIPLES: The Billionaire Blueprint for Real Estate Success
by Jorge Perez
May 2008

The #1 private developer of U.S. real estate shares his principles for achieving success in the real estate market. In a clear, step-by-step outline, Jorge Perez reveals top insider methods to motivate any investor or entrepreneur who aspires to ultimate success in real estate. With a foreword by Donald Trump. 

THE HOT LATIN DIET: The Fast-Track Plan To A Bombshell Body
by Dr. Manny Alvarez
May 2008
A top health correspondent for FOX News and a leading OB-GYN, Dr. Manny Alvarez reveals the seven fun and savory Latin power foods that can help women slim down—while keeping their sexy curves. 

DEEP DRIVE: A Long Journey to Finding the Champion Within
by Mike Lowell with Rob Bradford
May 2008
From the Red Sox hero and MVP of the 2007 World Series comes an inspiring memoir about how he rose above the hardships of his childhood, his bout with cancer, and the uncertainties of life in Major League Baseball to become the man he is today. 

MARRIED TO ME: How Committing To Myself Led To Triumph After Divorce
by Dayanara Torres
June 2008
Years after her divorce from pop-star Marc Anthony, this former Miss Universe shares the secrets she has learned about how to move forward, establish a new family dynamic, discover new passions, and build new relationships after marital break-up. Torres shows women how, through recommitting to themselves, they can live happy, fulfilling lives after divorce.  

CONFIDENCE IS QUEEN
by Susie Castillo
July 2008 
In an every-girl’s guide to life, this MTV VJ, Neutrogena model and former Miss USA outlines steps she learned through her own challenges and triumphs that can help other young women become as confident, positive, and beautiful as they can be. 
 

Posted by Adriana V. Lopez on March 7, 2008 | Comments (0)