Penguin Random House Grupo Editorial’s distribution and editorial office in Miami is launching Origen (Origin), a new religious imprint for Spanish-language books. The imprint will feature titles on self-help, relationships, and a Christian-based lifestyle, and will include Bibles, as well as titles for children and young adults under the Origen Kids label.
“For many years, we have observed that a large number of Spanish-speaking readers are interested in religious books,” says Silvia Matute, president of PRHGE USA. “It just made sense for PRHGE to create a religious book imprint and start catering to the religious [Spanish-language] reader.”
The new imprint will publish approximately 20 titles per year. Most will be translations of nonfiction works that promote Christian values, with about 20% of the list being original works by prominent Hispanics, such as Pope Francis and evangelical pastor Samuel Rodriguez. The first four titles were released in October, including Pope Francis’s book, ¿Quién soy yo para juzgar? (Who Am I to Judge?).
Origen’s children’s books, both fiction and nonfiction, will include “beautiful illustrations and affordable hardbound” covers, according to Matute.
Sister companies in Mexico, Colombia, and the rest of Latin America will publish additional titles that will be distributed as part of the Origen list. “Although each country also develops [its list with] its own local authors, the religious market remains quite similar throughout the continent,” Matute says.
Origen’s new editorial list will count on the distribution arm of PRHGE in the United States to reach markets across the country, as well as in Latin America.