{"id":265685,"date":"2024-04-08T22:14:00","date_gmt":"2024-04-08T19:06:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hispanicprwire.com\/english-wilmer-valderrama-to-release-memoir-an-american-story-with-harper-select-on-september-17-2024\/"},"modified":"2024-04-08T22:20:01","modified_gmt":"2024-04-09T02:20:01","slug":"wilmer-valderrama-lanzara-memoir-an-american-story-con-harper-select-el-17-de-septiembre-de-2024","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hispanicprwire.com\/en\/wilmer-valderrama-lanzara-memoir-an-american-story-con-harper-select-el-17-de-septiembre-de-2024\/","title":{"rendered":"Wilmer Valderrama to Release Memoir, An American Story, with Harper Select on September 17, 2024"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<style type=\"text\/css\"><![CDATA[\n\/* Style Definitions *\/\nspan.prnews_span\n{\nfont-size:8pt;\nfont-family:\"Arial\";\ncolor:black;\n}\na.prnews_a\n{\ncolor:blue;\n}\nli.prnews_li\n{\nfont-size:8pt;\nfont-family:\"Arial\";\ncolor:black;\n}\np.prnews_p\n{\nfont-size:0.62em;\nfont-family:\"Arial\";\ncolor:black;\nmargin:0in;\n}\n.prngen2{\nPADDING-RIGHT:0.17em; PADDING-LEFT:0.17em; VERTICAL-ALIGN: BOTTOM; BORDER-TOP:black 1pt; BORDER-RIGHT:black 1pt; BORDER-BOTTOM:black 1pt; BORDER-LEFT:black 1pt\n}\n.prnml4{\nMARGIN-TOP:0em; MARGIN-RIGHT:0em; MARGIN-BOTTOM:0em; MARGIN-LEFT:0.33em !IMPORTANT\n}\n.prnbcc{\nBORDER-COLLAPSE: COLLAPSE\n}\n]]><\/style>\n<div class=\"xn-content\">\n<p><b>The actor, producer, and activist delivers a profound and gripping story about an immigrant and the power of a dream.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"xn-location\">NASHVILLE, Tenn.<\/span>, <span class=\"xn-chron\">April 8, 2024<\/span> \/PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE\/ &#8212; Today Harper Select announced they will publish <i>An American Story: Everyone&#8217;s Invited, <\/i>the debut memoir from <span class=\"xn-person\">Wilmer Valderrama<\/span>, on <span class=\"xn-chron\">September 17, 2024<\/span>. The book tells the remarkable true story of a young immigrant from <span class=\"xn-location\">Venezuela<\/span> who had a dream to change the world, a talent for entertaining, and a determined spirit to build a new life, taking as many as possible with him on the journey.<\/p>\n<div id=\"prni_dvprnejpg0a6aleft\" dir=\"ltr\" style=\"width: 100%; text-align: left;\"><img decoding=\"async\" id=\"prnejpg0a6aleft\" title=\"Courtesy of Harper Select, an imprint of Harper Collins Focus.\" src=\"https:\/\/mma.prnewswire.com\/media\/2381647\/Image1.jpg\" alt=\"Courtesy of Harper Select, an imprint of Harper Collins Focus.\" align=\"middle\"\/><\/div>\n<p><i>An American Story<\/i>\u00a0weaves Valderrama&#8217;s personal stories with those of the remarkable people he&#8217;s met along his philanthropic journey. This isn&#8217;t just Valderrama&#8217;s story though. It&#8217;s a view of America through an immigrant&#8217;s eyes, in both its stunning unmatched wonders and all its native challenges.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I&#8217;ve long been a fan of\u00a0Wilmer&#8217;s talent and have now become even more impressed with his overall character and heart for service,&#8221; said <span class=\"xn-person\">Matt Baugher<\/span>, SVP at HarperCollins and Publisher of Harper Select. &#8220;Whether he&#8217;s on the set of a major tv show or onstage at one of his more than 50 USO appearances around the world, his ebullient optimism inspires all around him.\u00a0 I can&#8217;t wait for readers to know his full story. The American Dream is alive and well.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>His new book, <i>An American Story,<\/i>\u00a0goes back to the beginning, delving into Valderrama&#8217;s upbringing in <span class=\"xn-location\">Venezuela<\/span> where he was raised by two hard working parents as they navigated their family through a rapidly changing country and the rise of <span class=\"xn-person\">Hugo Chavez<\/span>. With the economy crashing around them and their livelihood disappearing, the family decides to flee the country. Suddenly, the young boy had to grow up quickly, journeying as a teenager from a tiny little pueblo in <span class=\"xn-location\">Venezuela<\/span> to the big city of <span class=\"xn-location\">Los Angeles<\/span>.<\/p>\n<p>After being cast in a school theatre production, Valderrama immediately knew he had found his calling and began thinking of ways to help support his struggling family. To do this, he would attempt the impossible: find work in <span class=\"xn-location\">Hollywood<\/span> as an unproven Latino actor. Following countless auditions and frequent criticisms of his accent, he created the personality that would eventually land him the role as Fez on the hit series\u00a0<i>That 70s Show,<\/i>\u00a0which catapulted him to stardom.<\/p>\n<p>It was however through service to others and his first USO trip, where Valderrama found his expanded calling, entertaining and encouraging US troops around the world. Through his work, Valderrama hopes to demonstrate his love and gratitude for the country that changed his life.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;As a little boy growing up in <span class=\"xn-location\">Venezuela<\/span>, I never thought I would write a book, let alone be able to fill it with such complex and triumphant stories about a 25-year career in entertainment, philanthropy, and everything in between.\u00a0This is my thank you to my younger self for seeing beyond the expected,&#8221;\u00a0said Valderrama. &#8220;Thank you to my family and every person who has been a part of this whirlwind journey. This is\u00a0my tribute to the country that gave me a shot, this is for all of us.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><i>An American Story <\/i>will be released simultaneously in both English and Spanish. Both editions of the book will be available in hardcover, eBook, and audiobook with Valderrama narrating. You can pre-order today at <a href=\"https:\/\/c212.net\/c\/link\/?t=0&amp;l=en&amp;o=4135723-1&amp;h=2688415385&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.harpercollinsfocus.com%2Fharper-horizon%2Famerican-story&amp;a=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.harpercollinsfocus.com%2Fharper-horizon%2Famerican-story\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">https:\/\/www.harpercollinsfocus.com\/harper-horizon\/american-story<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><b><u>ABOUT <\/u><\/b><b><u><span class=\"xn-person\">WILMER VALDERRAMA<\/span>:<br \/><\/u><\/b>From his breakout role as Fez on the Emmy-nominated series That <i>&#8217;70s Show<\/i> to playing <span class=\"xn-person\">Nick Torres<\/span> in the number-one TV drama <i>NCIS<\/i> on CBS, actor, producer, and activist <span class=\"xn-person\">Wilmer Valderrama<\/span> has been making audiences laugh, listen, and think for more than two decades.<\/p>\n<p>On the big screen, he lent his voice to the Academy Award-winning Disney animated film <i>Encanto<\/i>, which became a cultural phenomenon. Behind the camera, in 2006, Wilmer established his production company, WV Entertainment, where he continues to develop and produce projects in the alternative and scripted spaces.<\/p>\n<p>Valderrama is active in several philanthropic agencies. He&#8217;s the co-founder of Harness, a group dedicated to connecting communities through conversation to inspire action, serves on the board of <span class=\"xn-person\">Voto Latino<\/span>, and sits on the National Hispanic Media Coalition&#8217;s (NHMC) Visionary Alliance, which aims to foster opportunities for Latinx talent in the entertainment industry through the Series Scriptwriters program and the Latinx Stream Showcase. Wilmer is deeply involved with the military community, serving as a USO Global Ambassador, and participating in various shows worldwide.<\/p>\n<p>Born in <span class=\"xn-location\">Miami<\/span> and raised in <span class=\"xn-location\">Venezuela<\/span> until the age of thirteen, Valderrama is fluent in Spanish and English. He and his family reside in <span class=\"xn-location\">Los Angeles<\/span>.<\/p>\n<p><b><u>ABOUT HARPER SELECT:<br \/><\/u><\/b>Harper Select, based in <span class=\"xn-location\">Nashville, TN<\/span>, publishes an exclusive number of hand-selected memoirs\u00a0and narrative nonfiction\u00a0each year. Recent NYT Bestsellers include books from <span class=\"xn-person\">Joanna Gaines<\/span>, <span class=\"xn-person\">Mark Harmon<\/span>, <span class=\"xn-person\">Leon Carroll, Jr.<\/span>, and Loyola Chicago&#8217;s Sister Jean.<\/p>\n<div>\n<table border=\"0\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"1\" class=\"prnbcc\">\n<tr>\n<td class=\"prngen2\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\">\n<p class=\"prnml4\"><span class=\"prnews_span\">Contact:\u00a0 \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<td class=\"prngen2\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\">\n<p class=\"prnml4\"><span class=\"prnews_span\">Kevin Smith<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"prngen2\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"><\/td>\n<td class=\"prngen2\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\">\n<p class=\"prnml4\"><span class=\"prnews_span\">Senior Publicity Director, Harper Select<\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"prngen2\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"><\/td>\n<td class=\"prngen2\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\">\n<p class=\"prnml4\"><span class=\"prnews_span\"><i>Tel: 615-902-1738<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"prngen2\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\"><\/td>\n<td class=\"prngen2\" colspan=\"1\" rowspan=\"1\">\n<p class=\"prnml4\"><span class=\"prnews_span\"><i>Web:<\/i>\u00a0<a href=\"mailto:kevin.smith@harpercollins.com\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"prnews_a\" rel=\"nofollow\">kevin.smith@harpercollins.com<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<div id=\"prni_dvprnejpgea39left\" dir=\"ltr\" style=\"width: 100%; text-align: left;\"><img decoding=\"async\" id=\"prnejpgea39left\" title=\"Courtesy of Harper Select, an imprint of Harper Collins Focus.\" src=\"https:\/\/mma.prnewswire.com\/media\/2381637\/Harper_Select_An_American_Story_spanish.jpg\" alt=\"Courtesy of Harper Select, an imprint of Harper Collins Focus.\" align=\"middle\"\/><\/div>\n<p>Photo &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/c212.net\/c\/link\/?t=0&amp;l=en&amp;o=4135723-1&amp;h=71935577&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fmma.prnewswire.com%2Fmedia%2F2381636%2FHarper_Select_An_American_Story_final.jpg&amp;a=https%3A%2F%2Fmma.prnewswire.com%2Fmedia%2F2381636%2FHarper_Select_An_American_Story_final.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">https:\/\/mma.prnewswire.com\/media\/2381636\/Harper_Select_An_American_Story_final.jpg<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Photo &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/c212.net\/c\/link\/?t=0&amp;l=en&amp;o=4135723-1&amp;h=1387817660&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fmma.prnewswire.com%2Fmedia%2F2381637%2FHarper_Select_An_American_Story_spanish.jpg&amp;a=https%3A%2F%2Fmma.prnewswire.com%2Fmedia%2F2381637%2FHarper_Select_An_American_Story_spanish.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">https:\/\/mma.prnewswire.com\/media\/2381637\/Harper_Select_An_American_Story_spanish.jpg<\/a><\/p>\n<p>SOURCE  Harper Select<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"xn-content\">\n<p><b>The actor, producer, and activist delivers a profound and gripping story about an immigrant and the power of a dream.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"xn-location\">NASHVILLE, Tenn.<\/span>, <span class=\"xn-chron\">April 8, 2024<\/span> \/PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE\/ &#8212; Today Harper Select announced they will publish <i>An American Story: Everyone&#8217;s Invited, <\/i>the debut memoir from <span class=\"xn-person\">Wilmer Valderrama<\/span>, on <span class=\"xn-chron\">September 17, 2024<\/span>. The book tells the remarkable true story of a young immigrant from &lt;span&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":265686,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-265685","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-interes-humano"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hispanicprwire.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/265685","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hispanicprwire.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hispanicprwire.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hispanicprwire.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hispanicprwire.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=265685"}],"version-history":[{"count":"1","href":"https:\/\/hispanicprwire.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/265685\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":265697,"href":"https:\/\/hispanicprwire.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/265685\/revisions\/265697"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hispanicprwire.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/265686"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hispanicprwire.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=265685"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hispanicprwire.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=265685"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hispanicprwire.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=265685"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}