Nenad Šaponja - Publisher Cecilia Brainard's Foreign Translations

 

Nenad Šaponja

On October 17, 2025, at 1 pm, at the Frankfurt Book Fair, seven international publishers and I will gather at the Pilipinas Stage, Philippine Stand Hall 5.1 A95 & B95 to celebrate the translations they have done of my fiction.

To honor these publishers who are working hard to finish their translations for FBM25, I'm going to highlight each one of them in my blog. I'll be posting the covers of the book, in the various editions. If the featured publisher's cover isn't done yet, check back in.

Meet Nenad Šaponja!

Nenad Šaponja translated into Serbian Cecilia Brainard’s novels, Magdalena and The Newspaper Widow under the imprint of Agora Publishing House. Šaponja is the owner and editor-in-chief of Agora, which he founded in 2002. It is one of the most renowned publishing houses in the Balkans, through which he has edited and published more than 400 titles.

Šaponja, who lives in Novi Sad, Serbia, began his career as a neuropsychiatrist. He later followed his innermost calling and started writing poetry. His poetry fuses his backgrounds as neuropsychiatrist and poet, and gives a deep insight into the human mind. His verses are recognizable in contemporary Serbian poetry due to their stylistic perfection, hermetic quality and metaphysical insight. His poetry has been translated into more than ten languages and he has received prestigious regional awards. An essayist and literary critic as well, he has published eight books of poetry, three books of literary criticism, and a travel book.

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Magdalena 

"Expertly written by Cecilia Manguerra Brainard … Magdalena is set in the chaotic backdrop of twentieth century East Asia. A romantic, powerful tale of three generations of Filipino women, written with a close eye on the terrors of war and the Japanese invasion of the Philippines during World War II, Magdalena is an intense, involving, highly recommended saga that documents author Cecilia Manguerra Brainard as a gifted author with a mastery of storytelling that will keep the reader’s total attention and engagement from first page to last!~ Midwest Book Review

The Newspaper Widow

Finalist for the Philippines 37th National Book Award

Shortlisted for the Inaugural Cirilo F. Bautista Prize for the Novel

Cecilia Manguerra Brainard’s novel is full and complex, overflowing with textured, fully realized characters who drive the story on every page. ~Foreword Reviews

 

Cover Study of The Newspaper Widow by Super zalozba

READ ALSO

Celebrating Translations of Cecilia Manguerra Brainard's Fiction - with Press Release

Cecilia Brainard Fiction: The One-Night Stand at the Frankfurt Book Fair  

         Cecilia Brainard Fiction: After the Ascension 

           

Tags:  #nbdb2025 #FBM2025 #fbm25 #PHLGoh #GoH2025 #philippinesfrankfurt2025 #imaginationpeoplestheair #Serbiantranslation #Serbianpublisher #bookSerbian

Dr. Takuya Matsuda (Genki Shobou) - Publisher Cecilia Brainard's Foreign Translations

  

There will be a celebration at the Frankfurt Book Fair of the Foreign Translation of Cecilia Manguerra Brainard - information below. Unfortunately Tokyo-based Genki Shobou will not be there, but they sent a message. Read on.

Message from Dr. Takuya Matsuda, Genki Shobou, Tokyo 

September 10, 2025 

I translated Ms. Brainard’s When the Rainbow Goddess Wept into Japanese because I wanted readers in Japan to read and feel this powerful story of war, memory, and resilience in their own language. In doing so, I hoped to create a bridge between the Philippines and Japan, two countries with intertwined histories, so that readers may reflect not only on the traumas of the past but also on the possibilities of empathy and healing. I believe such reflections are especially important in today’s world. My wish is that my translation will help foster deeper cross-cultural dialogue and understanding, and that Ms. Brainard’s moving narrative will continue to inspire strength and hope in new readers.”

***

Invitation to Celebrating Translations of Cecilia Manguerra Brainard's Fiction

Oct. 17, 2025, 1 pm

Pilipinas Stage, Philippine Stand, Hall 5.1 A95 & B95

Frankfurt Book Fair

***

 When the Rainbow Goddess Wept 

A beautifully written novel in which the words flow smoothly across the pages, weaving a story that is half lyrical myth and half brutal reality. Enchanting throughout, this novel will mesmerize the reader right up until its victorious ending. ~ Booklist

 

READ ALSO

Celebrating Translations of Cecilia Manguerra Brainard's Fiction - with Press Release

Cecilia Brainard Fiction: The One-Night Stand at the Frankfurt Book Fair  

         Cecilia Brainard Fiction: After the Ascension 

#nbdb #FBM2025 #fbm25 #PHLGoh #GoH2025 #philippinesfrankfurt2025 #imaginationpeoplestheair , Japanese publisher , Japanese translation #booksJapanese

Jale Memmedova (Qanun Publishing House, Azerbaijan) - Publisher Cecilia Brainard's Foreign Translations

 

There will be a celebration at the Frankfurt Book Fair of the Foreign Translation of Cecilia Manguerra Brainard - information below. Unfortunately Qanun Publishing House will not be there, but they sent a message. Read on.

Message from Jalə Məmmədova of Qanun Publishing House

September 14, 2025

Dear Cecilia,

İ hope this email finds you well.

On the translation of Cecilia Manguerra Brainard’s novel “When the Rainbow Goddess Wept” into Azerbaijani.

The theme of war, sadly, is not unfamiliar to the Azerbaijani people; it is, rather, a wound that lies painfully close to the heart. Having endured two devastating wars in the past thirty-five years, the sensitive hearts of Azerbaijani readers will inevitably be profoundly touched by this novel. 

No matter how different traditions and ways of life may be, there are times when nations separated by vast distances are bound together by the same unspeakable tragedies – and war is one such force that unites through sorrow. At the same time, the legends and epics woven into the novel also feel strikingly familiar to Azerbaijanis. Though the themes may differ, for a people who cherish their folklore and epic traditions, figures such as Inuk and Laydan do not appear as strangers but rather as kindred spirits. 

While translating this work, one is unavoidably stirred by its emotions: Esperanza cutting her hair with a child’s innocence, the tender love between Lola Peping and Lola Beatriz, the heartbreaking loss of Ivon’s newborn brother to harsh conditions, the aching silence of Ivon waiting for news of her father – each moment lingers, rendered with such mastery and poignancy, that the novel becomes not only unforgettable but also profoundly human.

 Considering all these aspects, it is hard to label this novel as purely national; it is, in essence, universal, for the sufferings the author portrays are ones that peoples across the world have inevitably experienced, in different eras and in countless forms.


Jale Memmedova

QANUN PUBLISHING HOUSE

***

Invitation to Celebrating Translations of Cecilia Manguerra Brainard's Fiction

Oct. 17, 2025, 1 pm

Pilipinas Stage, Philippine Stand, Hall 5.1 A95 & B95

Frankfurt Book Fair

***

 When the Rainbow Goddess Wept 

A beautifully written novel in which the words flow smoothly across the pages, weaving a story that is half lyrical myth and half brutal reality. Enchanting throughout, this novel will mesmerize the reader right up until its victorious ending. ~ Booklist

 

READ ALSO

Celebrating Translations of Cecilia Manguerra Brainard's Fiction - with Press Release

Cecilia Brainard Fiction: The One-Night Stand at the Frankfurt Book Fair  

         Cecilia Brainard Fiction: After the Ascension 

#nbdb #FBM2025 #fbm25 #PHLGoh #GoH2025 #philippinesfrankfurt2025 #imaginationpeoplestheair , Azerbaijan publisher , Azerbaijan translation #booksazerbaijan

Dejan Trajkoski (Prozart Media) - Publisher Cecilia Brainard's Foreign Translations

 

Dejan Trajkoski

On October 17, 2025, at 1 pm at the Frankfurt Book Fair, seven international publishers and I will gather at the Pilipinas Stage, Philippine Stand Hall 5.1 A95 & B95 to celebrate the translations they have done of my fiction.

To honor these publishers who are working hard to finish their translations for FBM25, I'm going to highlight each one of them in my blog. I'll be posting the covers of the book, in the various editions. If the featured publisher's cover isn't done yet, check back in.

Meet Dejan Trajkoski!

Dejan Trajkoski, from North Macedonia, is a publisher, writer, poet, and editor. He is the founder and director of the publishing house Prozart Media, the International Literature Festival PRO-ZA Balkan, and the Skopje Fellowship Program—the first publishing fellowship in Eastern Europe (and the only one in the region until 2021), established in 2013. His philosophical novel Infidelity has been translated into nine languages, including English, German, and Turkish. He published translations Cecilia’s When the Rainbow Goddess Wept and her Selected Short Stories.

Selected Short Stories by Cecilia Manguerra Brainard

Winner 40th Philippine National Book Award and Cirilo Bautista Prize

Finalist Gintong Aklat Award

Cover study of Selected Short Stories by Prozart Media

When the Rainbow Goddess Went 

A beautifully written novel in which the words flow smoothly across the pages, weaving a story that is half lyrical myth and half brutal reality. Enchanting throughout, this novel will mesmerize the reader right up until its victorious ending. ~ Booklist

 

  

 

READ ALSO

Celebrating Translations of Cecilia Manguerra Brainard's Fiction - with Press Release

Cecilia Brainard Fiction: The One-Night Stand at the Frankfurt Book Fair  

         Cecilia Brainard Fiction: After the Ascension 

            Celebrating Translations of  Cecilia Manguerra Brainard's Fiction

Tags:  #nbdb #FBM2025 #fbm25 #PHLGoh #GoH2025 #philippinesfrankfurt2025 #imaginationpeoplestheair

Mohamed Radi (Egyptian Office for Publishing & Distribution) - Publisher Cecilia Brainard's Foreign Translations

 

Mohamed Radi

On October 17, 2025, at 1 pm, at the Frankfurt Book Fair, seven international publishers and I will gather at the Pilipinas Stage, Philippine Stand Hall 5.1 A95 & B95 to celebrate the translations they have done of my fiction.

To honor these publishers who are working hard to finish their translations for FBM25, I'm going to highlight each one of them in my blog. I'll be posting the covers of the book, in the various editions. If the featured publisher's cover isn't done yet, check back in.

Meet Mohamed Radi!

Cairo-based Mohamed Radi translated Brainard’s three novels -- When the Rainbow Goddess Wept, Magdalena, and The Newspaper Widow -- into Arabic under the imprint of the Egyptian Office for Publishing and Distribution of Publications. Radi is the Director and Founder of the independent publishing house that has produced more than 1,000 titles by leading Arab authors and writers. It has translated more than 200 titles from various languages. 

Mohamed is vice-president of the African Publishers Network. He has worked in public service as an elected board member, held several positions as Chairman of the Media Committee of the Egyptian publishers and Secretary-General of the Egyptian Publishers Association.

When the Rainbow Goddess Wept

A beautifully written novel in which the words flow smoothly across the pages, weaving a story that is half lyrical myth and half brutal reality. Enchanting throughout, this novel will mesmerize the reader right up until its victorious ending. ~ Booklist

Magdalena 

"Expertly written by Cecilia Manguerra Brainard … Magdalena is set in the chaotic backdrop of twentieth century East Asia. A romantic, powerful tale of three generations of Filipino women, written with a close eye on the terrors of war and the Japanese invasion of the Philippines during World War II, Magdalena is an intense, involving, highly recommended saga that documents author Cecilia Manguerra Brainard as a gifted author with a mastery of storytelling that will keep the reader’s total attention and engagement from first page to last!~ Midwest Book Review

The Newspaper Widow

Finalist for the Philippines 37th National Book Award

Shortlisted for the Inaugural Cirilo F. Bautista Prize for the Novel

Cecilia Manguerra Brainard’s novel is full and complex, overflowing with textured, fully realized characters who drive the story on every page. ~Foreword Reviews

 

Cover Study of The Newspaper Widow by Super zalozba

READ ALSO

Celebrating Translations of Cecilia Manguerra Brainard's Fiction - with Press Release

Cecilia Brainard Fiction: The One-Night Stand at the Frankfurt Book Fair  

         Cecilia Brainard Fiction: After the Ascension 

           

Tags:  #nbdb #FBM2025 #fbm25 #PHLGoh #GoH2025 #philippinesfrankfurt2025 #imaginationpeoplestheair #Arabictranslation #Arabicpublisher #Egyptianpublisher #bookArabic

Dimitris Tsoukatos (Lemvos Editions) - Publisher Cecilia Brainard's Foreign Translations

 

 

Dimitris Tsoukatos

On October 17, 2025, at 1 pm at the Frankfurt Book Fair, seven international publishers and I will gather at the Pilipinas Stage, Philippine Stand Hall 5.1 A95 & B95 to celebrate the translations they have done of my fiction.

To honor these publishers who are working hard to finish their translations for FBM25, I'm going to highlight each one of them in my blog. I'll be posting the covers of the book, in the various editions. If the featured publisher's cover isn't done yet, check back in.

Meet Dimitris Tsoukatos!

From Athens, Dimitris Tsoukatos, heads Lemvos Editions which published Cecilia’s novel Magdalena. With a strong background in finance, Dimitris has led the publishing house since 2015 to publish quality works from young Greek writers and it also translates important works of world literature.

Magdalena

 

 

READ ALSO

Celebrating Translations of Cecilia Manguerra Brainard's Fiction - with Press Release

Cecilia Brainard Fiction: The One-Night Stand at the Frankfurt Book Fair  

          Cecilia Brainard Fiction: After the Ascension 

            Celebrating Translations of  Cecilia Manguerra Brainard's Fiction

Tags:  #nbdb #FBM2025 #fbm25 #PHLGoh #GoH2025 #philippinesfrankfurt2025 #imaginationpeoplestheair #Greekpublisher #Greektranslation , Greek publisher

Senja Požar - Publisher Cecilia Brainard's Foreign Translations

 

Senja Pozar

On October 17, 2025, at 1 pm, at the Frankfurt Book Fair, seven international publishers and I will gather at the Pilipinas Stage, Philippine Stand Hall 5.1 A95 & B95 to celebrate the translations they have done of my fiction.

To honor these publishers who are working hard to finish their translations for FBM25, I'm going to highlight each one of them in my blog. I'll be posting the covers of the book, in the various editions. If the featured publisher's cover isn't done yet, check back in.

Meet Senja Požar who is also my literary agent!

Senja Pozar translated into Slovenian for Super založba, The Newspaper Widow.

Founder of Ljubljana Book Academy, Senja Požar has nearly 30 years publishing experience, holding roles as editor, editorial director, and editor-in-chief for fiction, non-fiction, textbooks, reference works, education books, and magazines. Since 2016 she advanced international cooperation for Mladinska knjiga and Cankarjeva založba, working on Frankfurt 2023 and Bologna 2024 GOH. She later launched the Academy, became editor-in-chief, represents IRCAI under UNESCO, and since 2020 has been part of Publishers Without Borders.

The Newspaper Widow

Finalist for the 37th Philippine National Book Award

Shortlisted for the Inaugural Cirilo F. Bautista Prize for the Novel

 

READ ALSO

Celebrating Translations of Cecilia Manguerra Brainard's Fiction - with Press Release

Cecilia Brainard Fiction: The One-Night Stand at the Frankfurt Book Fair  

         Cecilia Brainard Fiction: After the Ascension 

           

#nbdb #FBM2025 #fbm25 #PHLGoh #GoH2025 #philippinesfrankfurt2025 #imaginationpeoplestheair , Slovenian publisher , Slovenian translation #bookslovenian

Leonardo Garzaro (Editor Rua du Sabao) - Publisher of Cecilia Brainard's Foreign Translation

 

Leonardo Garzaro 

On October 17, 2025, at 1 pm, at the Frankfurt Book Fair, seven international publishers and I will gather at the Pilipinas Stage, Philippine Stand Hall 5.1 A95 & B95 to celebrate the translations they have done of my fiction.

To honor these publishers who are working hard to finish their translations for FBM25, I'm going to highlight each one of them in my blog. I'll be posting the covers of the book, in the various editions. If the featured publisher's cover isn't done yet, check back in.

Meet Leonardo Garzaro  who is translating into Portuguese my Selected Short Stories and my World War II novel, When the Rainbow Goddess Wept.

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Leonardo Garzaro, who hails from Sao Paulo, Brazil, published Brainard’s Selected Short Stories and her novel When the Rainbow Goddess Wept, under the imprint of his publishing house Editor Rua du Sabao.

Leonardo Garzoro, who is a writer himself, has published dozens of books, including his recent novel, The Guardian of Names, which was published in four countries and was nominated for the Jabut Award for Literature. He currently writes for two of Brazil’s largest newspapers, PublishNews and the Valor Economico. He is also a Brazilian literature consultant for the publishers in Argentina, Mexico; Ecuador, and the Turkish agency Introtema.

Selected Short Stories by Cecilia Manguerra Brainard

Winner 40th Philippine National Book Award and Cirilo Bautista Prize

Finalist Gintong Aklat Award

 

Cover study by Prozart Media (North Macedonian)

When the Rainbow Goddess Wept by Cecilia Manguerra Brainard

A beautifully written novel in which the words flow smoothly across the pages, weaving a story that is half lyrical myth and half brutal reality. Enchanting throughout, this novel will mesmerize the reader right up until its victorious ending. ~ Booklist

 

 

 

 

READ ALSO

Celebrating Translations of Cecilia Manguerra Brainard's Fiction - with Press Release

Cecilia Brainard Fiction: The One-Night Stand at the Frankfurt Book Fair  

         Cecilia Brainard Fiction: After the Ascension 

            Celebrating Translations of  Cecilia Manguerra Brainard's Fiction

#nbdb #FBM2025 #fbm25 #PHLGoh #GoH2025 #philippinesfrankfurt2025 #imaginationpeoplestheair , Brazilian publisher