MAI formed close ties with emerging Christian publishers after the fall of Communism in East and Central Europe by holding four LITT-WORLD conferences in England during the 1990s. MAI-Europe formed to help grow these relationships. Men and women whom MAI has trained over the years now serve as trainers in our international network.

MAI has served in Albania, Austria, Bulgaria, England, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Switzerland, Ukraine and former Yugoslavia.

 

 

Here's how we've helped...

• Trained writers of childrens books in Russia
• Mentored a start-up publisher in Russia
• Held writer training in Poland, Albania, Hungary, Serbia, Bulgaria and Switzerland
• Led publisher and editorial training seminars in the Balkans
• Mentored start-up book and magazine publishers in Russia, Poland, Albania and Bulgaria
• Awarded David Alexander Author Scholarship to Croatian writer finishing first novel
• Conducted a "publishing realities" seminar in former Yugoslavia

DAY EIGHT: Friday, 25 September 

100 miles done! Oxford city traffic is stopped on the busy Folly Bridge to take this picture!   

Thank you everyone for your support. Over £5,500 raised so far - keep telling the story to your contacts and direct them to this website. Could we hope for a total of £7k plus?

 Home now for hot baths and caring wives to nurse our wounds and lots of sympathy!

 

 

More of God's creation bringing glory to Him.

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

The path ahead on day 8. We are reminded that He is faithful in all of His ways and He directs our steps when we commit our ways to Him.

 

 

 

 

Day 8 and Oxford clearly on the radar 5 miles outside of Abingdon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We entered Dorchester at the medieval abbey.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

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DAY SEVEN: Thursday, 24 September

 

Great hospitality and a hearty breakfast gets us off to a good start on day 7. The landlady kept a copy of our flyer to show her other guests.

 

 

 

 

 

The weather has been very kind to us so far, but day 7 was to prove spectacular.

 

 

 

 

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wot no horse! An 18th century Oxford-to-London coach

 

 

 

 

 

We have now walked 85 miles. Our legs and blisters are a reminder that we are becoming but shadows of our former selves! Can you guess which shadow belongs to whom?

 

 

 

 

 

 

The magnificence of God’s creation reminds us that we are created in His own image and that all of His works are for His glory.

 

 

 

 

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DAY SIX: Wednesday, 23 September

Seventy miles now walked and a welcome recharge without cost at the end of day 6!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

His rod keeps us on track and His staff guides us in the way we  should go.

 

 

 

 

 

  

 Arrived in Pangbourne on day 6 at the home where Kenneth Grahame wrote Wind in the Willows, H G Wells, The History of Mr. Polly and Jerome K Jerome, Three Men in a Boat, the book title we ripped for “Three Men in their Boots”!

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

Rivers of living water for all of God's creation: A short break during a 12-mile walk to Wallingford on day 6.

 

 

 

 

 

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 DAY FIVE: Tuesday, 22 September

 

Proof we were there and on track: First sign to Oxford

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

A more appropriate home office for MAI-Europe

 

 

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DAY FOUR: Monday, 21 September

 

Still in good shape at start of day four despite Rod`s mega-blister!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The walk from Marlow to Henley - just 10 miles to go today

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Conserving energy near the half- way point!

 

 

 

 

We were welcomed to Henley on Thames  by friendly pirates on their way back to Oxford. They were hunting out funds for their cancer charity. End of day 4 and almost 50 miles walked.

 

 

 

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DAY THREE:  Sunday, 20 September 

 

"Come on, Rod, it's only day three and still 10 miles to Marlow!"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now only two men wearing (both) their boots

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sharing the story with fellow travelers and getting more sponsors on the way!

 

 

 

 

 

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DAY TWO: Saturday, 19 September

 

"Arrived in Windsor just in time for tea with HM Queen!"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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DAY ONE:  Friday, 18 September

"Almost ready for the start of our 100-mile walk from Greenwich, the place where time rules the world!

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

   "We are on our way!"

 

Using their legs to raise training scholarships for European publishers, three trustees of MAI-Europe will undertake a sponsored 100-mile walk along the Thames River in England.

From September 18-25, Graham Wilson, Rodney Shepherd and Tony Wales will trek from Greenwich, just east of London, to Oxford. The men have coined their fundraising walk, “Three Men in their Boots,” after a classic humorous novel titled Three Men in a Boat, featuring the same stretch of river.

Sponsors can support this walk by pledging money per mile or with a one-time gift. Money raised by will specifically benefit writers, editors and publishers from Eastern Europe hoping to attend the next European Publishing Forum in 2010, which will be in the U.K. Many from Eastern Europe would not be able to attend without assistance because of limited financial resources.  Christian publishing is especially difficult in these countries, where Christians are an often persecuted minority.

Donate now.

For more info, email maieurope@toucansurf.com 

Download a brochure pdf.

Read testimonials from the last Europe Publishing Forum.

Photo: The River Thames in Oxford. Source: Wikipedia, licensed by Creative Commons.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Maximizing the Market in Times of Change, Transition, and Crisis

6-10 September 2010, High Leigh Conference Centre, UK 

The world is changing; indeed, the world is in crisis.  Are we meeting the challenge? Yesterday’s solutions won’t fit today’s – or tomorrow’s -- problems. We need new ideas, and new ways of reaching our readers.

Marketing covers all the practical steps we take to get books and magazines into the hands of readers. In lectures, workshops, seminars, formal and informal discussions, the Forum will address these topics:

• Know your market: practical ideas for staying in touch
• Publishing the right books
o Finding, developing, and briefing writers
o Reading the signs of the times
o Marketing-minded editors
• Active and passive selling
• Selling well in a downturn
• Internet marketing
• Design with market appeal
• Cash flow in a crisis
• Pricing for sustainable publishing
• Planning effective advertising, publicity, and promotion
• Extending your market
• Co-operation and competition
• New media:  audiobooks, e-publishing, and more
• How to persevere through hard times 

More information and registration details will be forthcoming.