3409 Courses

LOOKING FOR: ADULT FICTION Laura studied law at university and spent over 20 years at Virgin Atlantic which allowed her to indulge her passion for reading whilst travelling. On deciding to pursue a career in publishing, Laura joined the Darley Anderson Agency where she worked across the Women’s Fiction list, reading submissions, handling contracts and supporting authors on their path to publication and beyond. She co-founded Greenstone Literary with Tanera Simons in 2024 and is excited to build a list of authors. Laura is looking for commercial crime, thriller, suspense, bookclub, historical and romance fiction as well as select non-fiction. Above everything she wants to be entertained. Laura is looking for a book you can’t wait to talk to someone about, in the same way as a new film or the latest release on Netflix. A book that engrosses her from the first page to the last, desperate for someone she knows to read so they can discuss as soon as possible. It will always be an original hook that draws Laura in, a whole concept that can be summed up in one line that immediately stops her in my tracks and makes her think. Character and voice is also crucial. Laura is a huge fan of Mick Herron’s Jackson Lamb, Richard Osman’s Thursday Murder Club cast and Lynda La Plante’s Jane Tennison. She would really love to see more strong, memorable women in crime. In bookclub fiction, voices that have stayed with her are Adduni in The Girl With The Louding Voice, Cyril in The Heart’s Invisible Furies and Molly in The Maid. Recently, Kitty in How To Kill Men and Get Away With It had Laura secretly rooting for her serial killer antics. Laura loves to be engrossed by a pacy, twisty, surprising plot. It doesn’t need to be overly complex – sometimes the simplest ideas are the best. She wants to be thrown curveballs she never saw coming and be kept guessing until the last page. Books Laura has devoured are Nightwatching, The Housemaid, The Last Mrs Parrish, Fourth Wing, None of This is True and American Dirt. Books that play with genre also capture Laura. Novels such as Wrong Place, Wrong Time which combined a crime mystery and the story of a mother’s love with a speculative element and The Time Traveller’s Wife, a high-concept love story which crossed time and age. Laura is a huge fan of true crime and would love to read a fiction version of podcasts she has been gripped by. She really enjoys cold cases being reopened as a result of new evidence or technology which exposes past injustices such as on Bone Valley, In The Dark or Who Killed Emma? She is particularly drawn to stories of deep deception or ‘scams’ such as those by Anna Delvey or Coco Berthmann, Tinder Swindler or Fyre Festival. Laura is always intrigued by anything involving investigation into cults, such as in BBC Sound’s World of Secrets. She also loves nothing more than sobbing her heart out over a book and being left emotionally wrung-out! Whether it be a devastating historical tragedy or star-crossed lovers torn apart by destiny. Books that have broken her heart include The Bridges of Madison County, The Kite Runner, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, Birdsong, My Sister’s Keeper, Cilka’s Journey and Four Winds. In non-fiction, Laura is looking for an untold story or perspective or an unexplored area where you have expertise or real-life experience. As a reader of non-fiction she wants to be engaged in a relatable, accessible way. She loved the evocative settings and personal journeys in The Salt Path and The Wild Other. The laugh-out-loud More Than A Woman had her ordering this for many friends. Three Women and Educated are brilliant examples of non-fiction books that read like fiction. The awe-inspiring Do No Harm stayed with Laura long after reading.  Laura is not looking for poetry, novellas, screenplays, or children’s books. Laura would like you to submit a covering letter, 1 page synopsis and the first 5,000 words of your completed manuscript in a single word document. (In addition to the paid sessions, Laura is kindly offering one free session for low income/under-represented writers. Please email agent121@iaminprint.co.uk to apply, outlining your case for this option which is offered at the discretion of I Am In Print).  By booking you understand you need to conduct an internet connection test with I Am In Print prior to the event. You also agree to email your material in one document to reach I Am In Print by the stated submission deadline and note that I Am In Print take no responsibility for the advice received during your agent meeting. The submission deadline is: Thursday 12 September 2024

LOOKING FOR: YA, ADULT FICTION, NON-FICTION Laura Williams is literary agent at the Greene and Heaton Literary Agency. She is seeking literary fiction, commercial fiction, psychological thrillers and high concept Young Adult. Laura is actively building a fiction list and a small non-fiction list. She is currently looking for literary fiction, edgy commercial fiction, psychological thrillers and high-concept contemporary young adult, as well as narrative non-fiction of all types. Her taste is quite dark, and she loves gothic, ghost stories, horror and anything sinister. She also loves books that make her cry, from big love stories to intense family dramas. She is open to historical or horror YA, but not magical or fantasy.  Meditative or moving novels about modern life, appeal to Laura, sad stories with love and the importance of caring for each other shining through. She also loves stories about female friendships or conversely groups of women who don't get on, such as the hugely fun BAD SUMMER PEOPLE by Emma Rosenblum. She is always on the lookout for a big tragic love story to make her cry happy or sad tears. At the more commercial end of fiction, think funny novels with warmth and romantic comedies with a bit of depth – think Marian Keyes. Most of all Laura is looking for novels she hasn’t read before – something unusual structurally or thematically, something that shines a light on a subject the author is passionate about, something that’ll break her heart or raise her blood in an entirely new way. Laura is always looking to promote diverse voices from across the globe, and is particularly keen on LGBTQI+ stories. Laura would like you to submit a covering letter, a 1-2 page synopsis and the first 5,000 words of your completed manuscript in a single word document. (In addition to the paid sessions, Laura is kindly offering one free session for low income/under-represented writers. Please email agent121@iaminprint.co.uk to apply, outlining your case for this option which is offered at the discretion of I Am In Print).  By booking you understand you need to conduct an internet connection test with I Am In Print prior to the event. You also agree to email your material in one document to reach I Am In Print by the stated submission deadline and note that I Am In Print take no responsibility for the advice received during your agent meeting. The submission deadline is: Thursday 19 September 2024

Watercolour Techniques for All - 4 week Online Course Tuesday Evenings Via Zoom

Phoenix Pottery and Art Studio offers adult and family pottery classes and art and crafts. Close to Warrington, Wigan and Surrounding Northwest area. Easy access from the motorway network . Only 20 miles from Manchester and Liverpool.

LOOKING FOR: MG, YA AND ADULT SCI-FI / FANTASY, CHILDREN'S NON-FICTION After graduating from St Andrews University with a degree in English Literature and Art History, Maddy followed her love of literature to an internship at non-fiction literary agency Graham Maw Christie. At GMC, Maddy worked her way up to Agent and built a list of authors who wrote for both for adults and children, spanning history, tarot, and nature writing. An avid reader of anything magical, Maddy joined Madeleine Milburn in 2022 to build a list specialising in SFF. Maddy would like to see SFF across all genres for all ages, including: grim dark, thriller, historical, romance, cosy fantasy, sci-fi, epic, YA fantasy, dark academia, contemporary fantasy, fantasy middle-grade, mythology, fairy tale and queer fantasy. Inspiring children’s non-fiction. She loves worlds to get lost in, adventures that transform what it means to be a hero, and unique magic that offers as many problems as solutions. She likes books that make her cry and books that change her mind. Above all, when she finishes a story about another world, she wants it to have taught her a lesson which helps her live in this one. She loves all fantasy, but favours richly imagined, complex worlds with a history to discover and a future to protect. Worldbuilding is one of her favourite aspects of this genre and she is always looking for a new, dense world with series potential. Think Brandon Sanderson’s Cosmere or the Marvel Cinematic Universe – the bigger the better! She also likes character-driven fantasy with a diverse cast to root for (or root against) and she wants to see a range of different relationships depicted authentically. She particularly like epics that dip into big, universal themes such as grief, climate change, or war and which ask impossible questions in the vein of R.F. Kuang or N.K. Jemisin. She is also excited by authors that play with form and language in a fantasy setting. In YA, she is looking for much the same as in an adult fantasy, but with younger protagonists and a closer focus on relationships. She wants to see the tropes she knows and loves in new and exciting forms and her favourite YA books often centre around belonging and becoming. She likes a dash of romance in everything, because she is sentimental that way, but it’s particularly important in the YA space. Sci-fi is a big passion of hers, especially when it comes with a strong hook. She is a huge fan of Becky Chamber’s The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet and Michaiah Johnson’s The Space Between Worlds. She likes space as a metaphor, and would love something that explores different alien species. Please send her your space operas and sci-fi romances which combine space, magic and mayhem! In fantasy middle grade, she favours whimsy and animal companions; she would love to follow a group of kids through magic school. She tends to look for plenty of humour with a strong friendship at the centre, and she wants middle grade stories which engage with the concerns of children growing up as well as offering an all-important escape (preferably on a dragon/unicorn’s back). She is also looking for children’s non-fiction for all ages. In this space, she wants something as creative as it is informative, and thinks diverse voices are increasingly important. Maddy would like you to submit a covering letter, one page synopsis and the first three chapters (Max 5000 words) of your completed manuscript in a single word document. (In addition to the paid sessions, Maddy is kindly offering one free session for low income/under-represented writers. Please email agent121@iaminprint.co.uk to apply, outlining your case for this option which is offered at the discretion of I Am In Print).  By booking you understand you need to conduct an internet connection test with I Am In Print prior to the event. You also agree to email your material in one document to reach I Am In Print by the stated submission deadline and note that I Am In Print take no responsibility for the advice received during your agent meeting. The submission deadline is: Monday 16 September 2024

Nicola will help us to explore how our language and imagery for God plays out in prayer and spirituality, taking into account feminist and other critiques of dominant patriarchal and hierarchical God language and imagery. The evening will include input from Nicola, use of prayer and poetry, conversation in small groups and interaction with the speaker. Nicola Slee is a theologian, writer, poet and spiritual director. Nicola has wide-ranging experience of adult education and has a particular interest in feminist theology, practical theology and the role of poetry and the arts in Christian education and life. She has written numerous books and articles, exploring feminist theology, liturgy, spirituality, and much more. She is Professorial Research Fellow at the Queen's Foundation for Ecumenical Theological Education, Birmingham; Professor of Feminist Practical Theology (the Queen’s chair) at The Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, and Visiting Professor at the University of Chester. The main input will be recorded and made available on request. A reading list will be made available after the event.

LOOKING FOR: YA, NEW ADULT & ADULT ROMANCE Born to two bibliophiles, Isabel Lineberry could not have grown up to be anything else. She was born and raised in the Southwest United States but always knew she wanted to move to the UK. In high school she set her sights on a job in the publishing industry and hasn’t blinked since. Isabel graduated in 2021 from Barrett, the Honors College at Arizona State University, with dual degrees in English Literature and Business Entrepreneurship. Just a few months later she was in Scotland pursuing an MLitt in Fantasy at the University of Glasgow. She wrote her Masters thesis on Tamora Pierce and is a fan of Ray Bradbury, Octavia Butler and Samantha Shannon.  At Pérez Literary & Entertainment, Isabel looks after foreign rights and audio rights inquiries, assists the Managing Director and is building her own client list of contemporary stories and fantasy, across the YA and New Adult genres and any teen / Adult fiction that features a prominent romantic plot, in any guise. Isabel is particularly interested in Contemporary Romance, Romantasy and Fantasy and is always attracted to the character and voice first, so give her romantic tension that has her giggling, a villain who is as charming as they are evil or a group of characters who have her watching their conversations as if it’s a tennis match. More specifically, Isabel is looking for: Romance –– For YA, updated Meg Cabot or John Green. Those were favorites for her as a teenager but she wants new takes––LGBT characters, diverse backgrounds, complex character development and a deep-dive into what it means to be a teenager in the current world. Give her relatability that doesn’t sacrifice a character’s unique traits. She is looking for the middle ground between the manic pixie dream girl and the buttoned-up character who just needs to take off their glasses. In New Adult, Isabel is a big fan of authors like Elle Kennedy, C. W. Farnsworth, Elsie Silver and Morgan Elizabeth. BookTok romances are the perfect escapism for readers of all ages but especially for college students and young professionals like myself. Her all-time favorite tropes are Grumpy/Sunshine, Fall First/Fall Harder and all the Spice! She is not a fan of cheating storylines, accidental pregnancy, step-sibling romance or unnecessary miscommunication tropes.  Romantasy –– Send her romance with sufficient fantasy worldbuilding. The romantic plot should be the main event but the worldbuilding needs to be able to stand up to scrutiny. The reader should accept the customs and specifics of your fantasy without too much confusion. Recent titles Isabel has loved include Fourth Wing and League of Gentleman Witches.  As for the romance, Isabel loves tropes (especially: Enemies to Lovers, Who Hurt You?), morally grey characters and kick-ass heroines. She loves training montages and dueling as foreplay. Show her spice during high-pressure situations, quick kisses stolen in battlefields, and fantastic banter. She would also love a return to the paranormal romances that dominated the 2010s. Think the 2020s twist on Twilight, Beautiful Creatures, Shiver or Vampire Academy. Isabel is most definitely on the hunt for Romantasy and paranormal romance featuring queer and underrepresented voices. Fantasy –– The worldbuilding absolutely must be believable and purposeful. Fantasy should be a mirror held up to the real world, offering a differing perspective that allows us to examine something about ourselves or our lives in a new light. Isabel has a masters degree in Fantasy from the University of Glasgow so can be a bit of a stickler when it comes to this! The magic/training/military school trope has been nearly exhausted, so be creative with the setting. Her favorite fantasy author is Tamora Pierce - she would love a “girl has to pretend to be a boy to get her knighthood” storyline that Pierce couldn’t do in the 80s such as LGBT representation (although Alanna was definitely gender fluid and Kel was 100% ace), a deeper dive into the social and political implications (no white saviorism!) and more spice. Some of her other favorite fantasy novels include Howl’s Moving Castle, Good Omens, Kindred and Golden Compass. Isabel does not want Tolkien-esque hard worldbuilding with 100k+ quests; instead focus on the pacing and how it can grab the reader. She wants a fantasy plot that compels me to keep reading even if it’s past her bedtime! She adores fairytale retellings, dark fantasy, alternate histories and historical fantasy, and the occasional steampunk/dystopia. When not working, Isabel can usually be found reading or wandering a bookstore. Some of her favorite books include The Hunger Games, Pride and Prejudice and The Mysterious Benedict Society.  Isabel would like you to submit a covering letter, 1 -2 page synopsis and the first 5,000 words of your completed manuscript in a single word document. (In addition to the paid sessions, Isabel is kindly offering one free session for low income/under-represented writers. Please email agent121@iaminprint.co.uk to apply, outlining your case for this option which is offered at the discretion of I Am In Print).  By booking you understand you need to conduct an internet connection test with I Am In Print prior to the event. You also agree to email your material in one document to reach I Am In Print by the stated submission deadline and note that I Am In Print take no responsibility for the advice received during your agent meeting. The submission deadline is: Monday 16 September 2024

Learn how to make multi-coloured screen prints with artist and printmaker Lou Davis at The Arienas Collective in central Edinburgh