Publishing despite risks in Pakistan

Interview with Peter Calvin, general manager of MIK publishing house As a child, Peter Calvin spent most of his pocket money on storybooks, encouraged by his father’s love for reading. Peter aspired to become an engineer, never fathoming he would one day devote his life to publishing. Now a father himself, Peter’s love of stories
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Pray for MAI

China: Easing of Pressures The Chinese government is tightening pressure on Christian activity. Pray for increased religious freedom in China, and for protection and wisdom for MAI publishing and writing colleagues in the country. (See BBC article on church crackdown) Africa: “Mini-LittWorld” Pray for God’s leading in preparations for a continent-wide training conference for Christian
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One Woman’s Quest

Goading local writers is a task Joanna Ilboudo takes seriously. “I always start with this shocking phrase: ‘Please don’t die without sharing your God-given idea for future generations!'” Not surprisingly, writers in her August workshop have started penning articles. Joanna has doggedly pursued a vision to multiply Christian writers in Burkina Faso for nearly three
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Lebanese Novelist Inspired by Prisoners’ Lives

Author Samy Maarouf of Lebanon often gets inspired by his frequent talks with inmates. “I hear a lot of tragedies and true stories,” he said. In the last five years, five of his novels have been published, including an e-book that was posted online chapter by chapter. His second novel, The Lost Dances, (Dar Al
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Twenty-Year Tribute to John Maust

By Dan Elliott, MAI Board Chair On Saturday, May 12, the MAI Board held our annual meeting at the Awana Headquarters  in Chicagoland. The evening’s schedule called for a relaxed time as we said goodbye to departing member Keila Ochoa Harris and welcomed incoming member Jay Link. What MAI President John Maust did not know
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That fumbling publisher was me!

Will Christian publishing in the Majority World always require subsidies in order to survive? Or can publishers flourish on income generated from their publishing operations alone? This daunting goal may be difficult to achieve, but is possible, according to author Ramon Rocha III, MAI director of publisher development.  In our new book, Profit and Purpose:
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God can have a voice

Last month eight men and women gathered in a secluded hotel for their first-ever clandestine Christian writer workshop. Christianity is not recognized in this Asian nation, and the consequences of following Jesus are daunting. Faith can land believers in prison, exclude them from family and community, and deprive them of employment. Although sharing the Gospel
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Japan: Christian publishing alive and vibrant

“The nail that sticks up gets whacked down,” warns the Japanese proverb. Cultural pressures to conform make it difficult for people to convert to Christianity and to live a Christian lifestyle. But publishers there are taking advantage of Japan’s 99% literacy rate and appreciation of books to create powerful tools to reach society and nurture
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I was tempted to cut it down…

By John Maust, MAI President About 15 years ago I gave my wife, Elsa, a pink dogwood tree for Mother’s Day. The kids and I planted the tiny tree in the front yard and waited impatiently for gorgeous flowers to bloom. One year passed, then two, then three. Still no flowers. We wondered if the
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Scared of digital piracy?

By Ramon Rocha III Is the fear and real possibility of digital piracy stopping you from venturing further into digital publishing? Authors and publishers can protect copyrighted content through Digital Rights Management (DRM). But DRM has a downside. Valid customers may get annoyed by its features, plus DRM does not guarantee your ebook is 100
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