- Social networks, mental health, fast consumer culture and morbidity go hand in hand in this LGTBQI story with overtones of Black Mirror, which has crept into the top 20 of youth sales.

- This couple of writers will meet with their readers tomorrow, November 17, at the Abacus bookstore (Carrer del Poeta Quintana, 5). This book belongs to TBR, the publishing label created by and for young people. Groundbreaking, on-trend and with current themes: fantasy, romance, mystery, urban poetry, feminism, diversity, empowerment, body positive, illustration and much more.

Madrid, November 16, 2023.- The Imperio Building has opened its doors. It hosts the most important live competition in the world, and to win it you only have to do two things: be part of its games and get as many people as possible to notice you. Anything as long as they look at you. Everything is allowed, there are no laws. How far are you willing to go?

This is the premise of the novel Imperio from the TBR label, written by four hands by the renowned authors of Young Adult Fiction literature, Iria G. Parente and Selene M. Pascual, which has just entered the list of the 20 best-selling titles of youth. Tomorrow, Friday, November 17, they will talk about Imperio at the Abacus bookstore (Carrer del Poeta Quintana, 5), at 6:30 p.m.

This Black Mirror-style dystopia confronts the reader with such relevant and topical issues as mental health, the use of social networks, the rapid consumption of content and, of course, morbidity.

The price of reaching "the top" in social networks

In this competition the value is measured by the number of views they manage to obtain. To reach the top, 30 participants must compete to gain the attention of millions of eyes waiting to see their achievements, failures and intimacies. What they don't know is how far they will be able to go in order to achieve success. Because who are you when no one sees you? And you, did you have fun watching?

The authors, Iria G. Parente and Selene M. Pascual, want to make the reader reflect on the fine line that separates reality and fiction when we expose our private lives on social networks. And how that constant exposure, in which you live with haters and negative comments daily, as well as the pressure to show a perfect life, have a direct effect on mental health.

In Imperio the focus is also placed on the public side, from which content is consumed at a frenetic pace, without time for reflection, where things do not last. And how morbidity continues to be used to generate money and even to promote brands and people. So reaching the top in social networks, and in Empire, has a very high psychological cost.

Iria G. Parente and Selene M. Pascual, two authors who move masses in networks

Iria G. Parente and Selene M. Pascual (@iriayselene on social networks) are two authors specialized in youth literature who do not know (nor do they want to) stop writing. With twenty titles published in which they love to explore new genres and characters, they have no plans to stop telling new stories. They have written books such as Paper Petals, Anne Without Filters, We Will Be the Hurricane or the fantasy trilogy Secrets of the Full Moon, and their work has been translated into different languages.

What is TBR?

TBR stands for To Be Read, a hashtag with millions of posts on social media where young people recommend books. TBR was born last March as a youth publishing label with captivating stories from both national and international authors of great literary quality and with very careful editions.

Discover here TBR's new arrivals for the sofa and blanket season.

If you want to read the book or interview the authors, write to comunicaciontbr@tbreditorial.com