Wendolín Perla

Wendolín Perla – Translator

Former Penguin Random House Director. Expertise at every stage of the writing process and once it's time to hit the shelves!

Overview

Hello! A veteran publisher from Penguin Random House, Mexico, I am also a certified English-Spanish Interpreter and Translator. I have participated in all stages of the editorial process and my passion is to bring manuscripts to their perfection with clear purpose and target audience. I am not only a skilled professional, a wildly avid reader, but I also know the international market and understand what readers want.

During the 11+ years in which I had the honor to belong to the Penguin Random House family, I had the opportunity to build a robust international network and to develop vast negotiation abilities. I have a strong background in creating book concepts for projects as needed, both under an acquisition model through agents and subagents as well as identifying and pursuing potential authors and working with them directly. By joining Publishizer and working with mind-blowing authors to launch crowdfunding campaigns, prove their readership, and finally connect them with key players in the industry, I’ve had the chance to learn the startup culture and witness the many twists and turns the publishing landscape is experiencing all over the world.

Given I was in charge of several imprints at Penguin, I feel comfortable with almost any genre. I don’t take projects for which I am not passionate: the power of enthusiasm can never be underestimated when it comes to bringing a great book to life.

Some of the books I've translated into Spanish:

CHAMPIONS OF MEN'S SOCCER by Ann Killion, Philomel Books, 2018. To be published in Spanish by Vintage Español, Penguin Random House New York.

CHAMPIONS OF WOMEN'S SOCCER by Ann Killion, Puffin Books, 2018. To be published in Spanish by Vintage Español, Penguin Random House New York.

CRESCENDO by Amy Weiss, Hay House, 2017. Published in Spanish by Vergara, Penguin Random House Mexico, 2019.

EAT TO BEAT DISEASE by William W. Li, Grand Central Publishing, 2019. To be published in Spanish by Grijalbo Vital, Penguin Random House Mexico.

HOMELANDS by Alfredo Corchado, Bloomsbury Publishing, 2018. Published in Spanish by Debate/ Vintage Español, Penguin Random House Mexico/ Penguin Random House New York, 2019.

HOW TO BE A YOUNG #WRITER by Christopher Edge, Oxford University Press, 2017. To be published in Spanish by Ediciones Castillo, Mexico.

HOW TO MAKE A PLANT LOVE YOU by Summer Rayne Oakes, Optimism Press, 2019. To be published in Spanish by Editorial Océano, Mexico.

I'VE BEEN THINKING by Maria Shriver, Pamela Dorman Books, 2018. Published in Spanish by Vintage Español, Penguin Random House New York, 2019.

LIGHT YEARS by Kass Morgan, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2018. Published in Spanish by Alfaguara Juvenil, Penguin Random House Mexico, 2019.

MOLLY AND ME by Colin Butcher, Michael Joseph, 2019. To be published in Spanish by Roca Editorial, Barcelona.

MONKEY: FOLK NOVEL OF CHINA by Wu Ch’êng-ên, translated into English by Arthur Waley, Evergreen Books, 1994.

PAN'S LABYRINTH by Guillermo del Toro and Cornelia Funke, Katherine Tegen Books, 2019. Published in Spanish by Alfaguara Juvenil, Penguin Random House Mexico, 2019.

RAGE BECOMES HER by Soraya Chemaly, Atria Books, 2018. Published in Spanish by Editorial Océano, Mexico, 2019.

THE EASY 5-INGREDIENT KETOGENIC DIET COOKBOOK by Jen Fisch, Rockridge Press, 2018. Published in Spanish by Grijalbo, Penguin Random House Miami, 2019.

THE MEANING OF PAIN by Nick Potter, Short Books, 2019. To be published in Spanish by Editorial Océano, Mexico.

THE POWER OF HABIT by Charles Duhigg, Random House, 2012. Published in Spanish by Vergara, Penguin Random House Spain, 2019.

SOMEONE LIKE ME: HOW ONE UNDOCUMENTED GIRL FOUGHT FOR HER AMERICAN DREAM by Julissa Arce, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2018. To be published in Spanish by Vintage Español, Penguin Random House New York.

WAYWARD SON by Rainbow Rowell, Wednesday Books, 2019. To be published in Spanish by Alfaguara Juvenil, Penguin Random House Mexico.

Here you have some testimonials about my work:

“Working with Wendolín was one of the great privileges of my writing life. Her commitment to a book, its ideas, and its author, at every step along the journey, has, in my experience, few parallels in the publishing world. She seemed to understand my book even better than I did, and she worked assiduously to bring it to fruition. Any author would be lucky to have such a talented and dedicated steward of one's work.”
Nina Teicholz, NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author of THE BIG FAT SURPRISE

"Wendolín is an absolute rare find in the literary world. She's equally passionate and knowledgable, brilliantly creative and always a pleasure to be around. Wendolín is a superpower for any publishing team."
Marco Borges, NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author of THE 22-DAY REVOLUTION

“Without Wendolín Perla’s tireless and thoroughly generous advice and help, my entire trip to Mexico City would have been a disaster. She introduced me to countless journalists and television personalities, served as my interpreter in several radio interviews, and was a font of excellent advice when it came to speaking with the media in Mexico. She is also a phenomenally well-read editor, who knows every book being written in the Western Hemisphere, and whose judgement on contemporary and classical authors is totally spot on. Wendolín is not just an editor with a very solid understanding of how publicity works, or a publicist who has read many books and knows the ins and outs of the publishing world: she is the sort of editor whom every writer dreams to work with: she has an amazing flair for what works in a manuscript, for what an author’s work means, and ultimately, for who a specific writer really is. In the space of just a few days, she has become a truly trusted friend whose opinion I treasure. I cannot think of going back to Mexico without her guidance.”
André Aciman, NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author of CALL ME BY YOUR NAME

“Wendolín Perla is one of our industry’s bright global stars. I have worked with Wendolín for over 10 years during her editorial leadership at Penguin Random House Mexico. She was first to recognize a trend, to be candid about what subjects could work and those which likely won’t. Wendolín took exciting risks on new talent, and remained fiercely loyal to established authors. I have missed working with Wendolín because of her shining enthusiasm, warmth, and knowledge. Yet I know I will see her again, leading the way for all those who can be inspired by her work and commitment to the publishing process.”
Monica Meehan, Rights Director, Hay House, Inc.

“Wendolín Perla is one of the publishing professionals with more experience, preparation and international contacts that I know. I’ve been fortunate to have worked with Wendolín from her beginnings in the publishing world and to witness her meteoric career, always supported by spectacular results throughout the editorial process: from the reading and discovery of new international voices such as Sofía Segovia, the one-on-one work with authors in all stages of the editorial process, the creation and execution of new editorial lines of great commercial success, the curation and relaunching of contemporary classics both Mexican and international, and the management of editorial teams driven by enthusiasm.”
Cristóbal Pera, Publisher, Vintage Español, Penguin Random House New York

"When life decided that Wendolín and I should work together, it was like being reunited with a long-lost friend. She is a force of nature in publishing, and our time together was a supernova explosion of creative energy. Her passion for great books is second only to her professionalism and dedication to working with great authors. Working with her was one of the most beautiful highlights in the Publishizer journey – our team even named the day she walked into our lives, 'Wenday.’ If you are considering working with her, I deeply recommend experiencing it for yourself."
Guy Vincent, Founder and CEO, Publishizer

“Wendolín truly loves working with writers and authors. She is the literary version of a foodie. We are of like minds in that way. Plus her experience working with 'the big boys and girls' of publishing houses means she gets it. She gets how the industry works, what publishers need and how to best serve authors. Her background in editing is also immensely helpful as she can quickly ascertain the quality of the work for placement purposes."
John Köehler, President & Publisher, Köehler Books

“I was impressed by Wendolín’s youth and confidence. Her suggestions about my novel were absolutely pertinent: the title change, the right cover to reflect what the story was about, the biblical phrases as an opener for each chapter, and especially, something I was reluctant to do: a more hopeful ending.
Her colleagues at Penguin used to say that Wendolín Perla was some King Midas: ‘The Book she touches, is a book she turns into gold.’ It was true for me: my novel became an instant bestseller.
Success is sweet, but I am most grateful for her friendship and her loving solidarity with her authors. She defended my work as if it was her own. Thanks to Wendolín, my novel was even published internationally, in Spain, Argentina, and the United States. As an author, I have no strongest desire than working with her again.
Oh! And how she made me grow not only as a writer but as a human being!"
Victoria Dana, bestselling author of A DONDE TÚ VAYAS, IRÉ

“Since our first meeting and above her surprising vitality, I was deeply impressed not only by Wendolín’s talent to perceive, at a glance, not only the correspondence between an author’s world and his/her work but also by her ability to appreciate a text beyond its appearance. Her mastery of the editorial trade intensifies for two qualities that make any writer, lover of literature, want to incorporate her into one’s life as a friend and editor: her stunning intuition and her unrestrained intellectual curiosity.
In times dominated by market pressure, cultured professionals as Wendolín are each day scarcer and more valued. It didn’t take me long to realize that Wendolín keeps alive the best tradition of the publishing trade, without which there would be no bridges between authors and readers. Besides sharing with her that insane passion for literature, she perfectly knows what title to choose, how to build a collection, how to write a story for the right reader. She has a publishing vocation like no one else.”
Martha Robles, bestselling author of LOS PASOS DEL HÉROE

“I met Wendolín 2013 as one of the participants if the Frankfurt Fellowship Programme. I understood quite quickly that she is a natural networker and a pleasure to work and travel with. She is a bright and smart editor, a passionate advocate of books and a 'people person' with an incredible sense of humor and a huge curiosity. Wendolín is always eager to discover other cultures and countries, learn from other publishing professionals and share her knowledge with foreign colleagues.”
Niki Théron, International Projects Manager, Frankfurt Book Fair

“I was lucky enough to meet and work with Wendolín Perla during her time as an editor at Penguin Random House. I’ve met very few people as efficient and capable to turn their profession into a gift like her. Above this, what has always impressed me is her wit, her scathing sense of humor, her passion and her immense affection. I miss deeply working with her.”
Maribel Luque, Literary Director, Agencia Literaria Carmen Balcells

“Wendolín Perla is wonderful to work with, always intelligent, very savvy and professional. The energy and attention she brings to each of her projects is really positive and contagious.”
Chris Lotts, The Lotts Agency

"Wendolín Perla believed in me and opened the door for me when no one else did. I was just an unknown woman with a good story under her arm. Meeting her was my stroke of luck! Thanks to her inexhaustible energy and expert direction, not only that work but also the ones that have followed it are going around the world and it seems all doors are now open to me. I will always be grateful and I will always be happy to count her among my close friends."
Sofía Segovia, bestselling author of THE MURMUR OF BEES

"In 2017 we've had the pleasure of welcoming Wendolín Perla to the Zev Birger Editorial Fellowship Program. With her charm, experience and intellect Wendolín contributed immensely to this gathering of publishing professionals from around the world. An experienced editor with acute literary senses and a pleasant and uplifting presence, she is a wonderful addition to the fellowship. We are truly blessed to be joined by such outstanding people."
Yoel Makov, Jerusalem International Book Fair Director

Services
Non-Fiction
Biographies & Memoirs Business & Management Health & Wellbeing Humanities & Social Sciences Political Science & Current Affairs Self-Help & Self-Improvement
Fiction
Children's Young Adult
Languages
English to Spanish

Work experience

Independent

Oct, 2019 — Present

Publishizer

Feb, 2019 — Oct, 2019 (8 months)

▸ Strategically build prestige for our brand.
▸ Work with the team to strengthen the publisher product of the platform.
▸ Mentor our team of scouts, connecting them with current trends in the industry.
▸ Create a strong network of acquiring international editors to connect them with our content.
▸ Coach our authors through book deal negotiations until the contract is signed.
▸ Identify the company’s legal framework, both in terms of traditional publishing deals as well as complying with terms of service and data policies in our site.

Self-employed

Jan, 2018 — Present

Penguin Random House Mexico

Sep, 2016 — Aug, 2018 (almost 2 years)

Director in charge of the following imprints:
▸ Grijalbo Vital: Leading Health Imprint in the Spanish-Speaking Market
▸ Grijalbo Ilustrados: Illustrated and Reference Books
▸ Ediciones B: Commercial Fiction and Quality Non-Fiction
▸ Vergara: Romantic Fiction and Commercial Non-Fiction
▸ Nova: Science Fiction and Fantasy
▸ Debolsillo, B de Bolsillo, and Penguin Classics: Mass-Market Paperbacks

Penguin Random House Mexico

Mar, 2011 — Sep, 2016 (over 5 years)

Portfolio

Cinco ingredientes cetogénicos: opciones infinitas, dulces y saladasEl éxito de Keto se logra siguiendo los principios bajos en carbohidratos, pero la dieta cetogénica puede desviarse antes de llegar al objetivo final. La Dieta Keto: Recetas fáciles con 5 ingr... read more
La mujer siente como si se arrastrara, pues vive apenas por encima del suelo. El duelo ejerce su fuerza de gravedad. «In crescendo -una novela profunda, cautivadora y poética- te invitará a revisar tu vida con nuevos ojos y a encontrarle nueva belleza y signif... read more
El doctor William Li, médico pionero y orador de TED –cuyas conferencias tienen más de 4 millones de visualizaciones–, revela que la antiangiogénesis, o la prevención del crecimiento de vasos sanguíneos que alimentan tumores malignos, es el secreto para proteg... read more
Años luz

Kass Morgan

Hondos secretos y amores prohibidos chocan en una academia de la milicia interestelar. De la autora de los 100, bestseller de The New York Times. Tras recuperarse del último ataque de un misterioso enemigo, la academia de flotillas quatra finalmente admite a e... read more
Patrias

Alfredo Corchado

Del galardonado periodista y experto en inmigración Alfredo Corchado nos llega la historia de la gran migración mexicana desde finales de los años ochenta hasta la actualidad. Es, en cierto sentido, una historia de amor con dos naciones, contada a través de cu... read more
Un libro de reflexiones para aquellos que buscan sabiduría, orientación, ánimo e inspiración en el camino hacia una vida plena. Como mujer prominente que asume diferentes roles, Maria Shriver sabe perfectamente cuán sorprendente, impredecible y estresante pued... read more
“Hay pocos libros que se convierten en manuales esenciales de vida. Este es uno de ellos”. — Financial Times En El poder de los hábitos, el premiado periodista Charles Duhigg nos lleva al límite de los descubrimientos científicos que explican por qué existen l... read more
El laberinto del fauno

Guillermo Del Toro

Una novela oscura y mágica, una inolvidable colaboración entre dos de los narradores más renombrados de nuestros días. Tras un largo recorrido entre pantanos, Ofelia conoce al hombre que será su padrastro, un despiadado capitán del ejército español. Para él, e... read more
Rabia somos todas

Soraya Chemaly

Desde niñas aprendemos que debemos contener la ira y no dejarla salir, aunque lastre nuestro cuerpo y nuestra mente de maneras insospechadas. Y sin embargo, tenemos una multitud de razones legítimas para sentirnos enojadas: desde los actos de misoginia más cru... read more

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