LOOKING FOR: MG, YA, ADULT FICTION, ADULT NON-FICTION, NON-FICTION FOR 7+ Megan Carroll is looking for writers in a variety of areas, and from a wide range of backgrounds – she is particularly keen to hear from Black, Asian, and LGBTQIA+ writers. Her main areas of focus this year are adult fiction and non-fiction, as well as non-fiction for 7+, and MG and YA fiction. In Fiction, Megan is keen to see high-concept love stories (think The Flat Share or The Lock In) for both commercial and reading group readers. She’d love to see those familiar romance tropes – enemies to lovers, friends to lovers, love triangles, forbidden love etc. – with underrepresented characters at the centre. She is also looking for historical fiction and gothic horror (think Laura Purcell, Stacey Halls and Silvia Moreno-Garcia) – anything that has a creepy, uneasy undertone is likely for Megan’s list. Megan is also actively looking for upmarket fiction and would love to see layered family drama, contemporary stories about life today and darkly comic novels that explore a specific time, place or experience. In Non-Fiction, Megan is keen to hear from experts in their field talking about topics relating to film, music, true crime, popular culture, history and issues from largely unrepresented perspectives. She is keen to see memoir, narrative non-fiction and essay collections. In Children’s and YA, she is keen to see contemporary YA with humour, and romance at the heart – fun and emotional stories that appeal to the interests and issues of the teenage readers. She’d also love to see thrillers and horror stories for this age group too. It’s unlikely that high fantasy novels for YA readers will be right for her, but she is keen to see stories with fantasy elements in a real world setting. On the younger end, Megan is looking for funny, contemporary middle grade – think Louise Rennison and Karen McCombie – and anything creepy and spooky for 8-12 year old readers too. She’d love to find something like Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events and is keen to find original adventure stories in both fantasy and realistic settings. Megan would like you to submit a covering letter, 1 page synopsis and the first three chapters or 5,000 words of your manuscript in a single word document. (In addition to the paid sessions, Megan 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: Wednesday 25th June 2025
Come and join Janine at Stitching Kitchen for a one day quilt top course learning how to make a disappearing nine patch quilt. This workshop will take place over one full day. It is suitable for total novices, taking you through everything you need to know to build confidence in quilt-making. If you are a more experienced quilter, you will enjoy learning a new technique that has so many creative possiblities, and you can benefit from Janine’s years of experience to pick up tips and tricks for a professional, polished quilt. Your tutor Janine also holds monthly long-arm clinics at Stitching Kitchen that you'd be welcome to drop into if you'd like any further pointers, or would like to outsource the quilt finishing to her! What you will learn/achieve 1. Understanding the Nine Patch Block Structure You will learn how to create a traditional 3x3 Nine Patch quilt block, focusing on color placement and fabric contrast to maximize visual interest after the transformation. 2. Cutting and Rearranging Techniques You will then practice the “disappearing” technique: cutting the finished Nine Patch into quarters and rearranging the sections to create a new, more complex-looking block. 3. Design Variations and Layout Possibilities Janine will encourage you to explore different layout options using the same block pieces, discovering how rotating and rearranging the quarter blocks can produce unique quilt top designs. 4. Precision Sewing and Pressing for Accurate Blocks The workshop will emphasise best practices for accurate piecing and pressing, which are crucial for achieving clean lines and proper alignment after cutting and reassembling the blocks. What's included Tuition: full instruction and support in a small class (maximum of 6). Written instructions that you can take away and refer back to at home. Use of all the tools you will need during the workshop. Use of the Pfaff and Janome sewing machines in Stitching Kitchen's fully equipped studio. Tea and cake. What to bring Fabrics to make your disappearing nine patch blocks. We will send you a materials list, but just give us a call or drop in to the studio if you would like further advice, and we can also make suggestions about where to purchase quilting fabric. Stitching Kitchen has thread available to purchase. You won’t need to bring anything else and you can leave your sewing machine at home. Stitching Kitchen is fully equipped with Pfaff and Janome sewing machines and all the quilting tools and sewing kit for use during the workshop. Stitching Kitchen also stocks a full range of haberdashery, batting and quilting tools if you discover anything you would like to purchase to use at home. Please note that this workshop is held in our light and spacious first floor studio at Stitching Kitchen, which is accessible by stairs. About your tutor Your tutor is Janine from TheFatQuarter Quilting https://thefatquarter.co.uk Having dabbled at patchwork and quilting when her children were babies, Janine moved on to develop a love for learning everything patchwork and quilting. In recent years she has owned a patchwork and quilting shop, living and breathing patchwork each day. Nowadays Janine is a professional Longarm Quilter and Patchwork Tutor with a love for sharing her wealth of experience. If you have any questions, please feel free to get in touch.
LEARN TO FOCUS ON INTERPERSONAL SKILLS, BEHAVIOR, AND ENVIRONMENT AND HOW TO PROMOTE DIVERSITY-POSITIVE INTERACTIONS. You will be able to focus on interpersonal skills, behavior, and environment, to see how they promote diversity-positive interactions, as well as learn causes for discriminatory practices and create an action plan for increasing workplace acceptance and harmony. Uncover and discard beliefs and attitudes that foster or block progress. By discovering your strengths as well as liabilities, you can build on the positive and move toward minimizing the negative. As a result, you will gain greater personal and professional satisfaction. PART I – BROADENING THE VIEW Find new perspectives and ways to turn challenges into opportunities. Become skilled at ways to further develop self-awareness and sensitivity. PART II – FAIR STANDARDS Learn about how attitudes expressed in speech and behavior promote or hinder a positive work environment. Determine and apply steps for getting past prejudice for greater productivity. PART III – ORGANIZATIONAL UNITY Discover value in diverse perspectives and personalities and their benefits. Strategize ways to strengthen relationships and turn negative into positive interactions. ATTENDEES WILL BE ABLE TO: Discover new ways to “see things differently;” Use Emotional Intelligence to strengthen relationships and increase awareness of self and others; Define Diversity and uncover ways in which it is significantly useful in an organization; Develop best practices (rooted in honor and law) to use Diversity in planning, problem solving, and decision-making); Manage conflict through unity, using the organization’s mission, vision, values, and goals; and Understand and communicate value to staff. Online Class—Diversity – Building a Thriving Business Environment is a 4-hour interactive virtual class. Register for this class and you will be sent ONLINE login instructions prior to the class date. Improving Communications brought our organization to realize how important our employees—our people—are to Baystate Dental. By helping us to develop a more thoughtful and sensitive nature, we now relate better with each other and our patients. Dr. Kevin Coughlin, DMD, FAGD, MBABaystate Dental
MECC for Mental Health This course will provide you information about how to use the Making Every Contact Count (MECC) approach, talking about mental health and where to direct people to within those conversations Aims of the Course On completion you will understand: How mental health and wellbeing affect people in every day settings. How to feel confident in discussing mental health and wellbeing. How to start and have a mental health and wellbeing conversation. Mental health in the workplace. Available mental health and wellbeing support and resources. Who is the course aimed at ? The course is not only aimed at people supporting people with their mental health and wellbeing, but also those whose roles might not traditionally have any mental health training but have the opportunity to discuss mental health and wellbeing. This could include settings such as libraries, gyms, charity support services, hairdressers, and other public facing settings. The course could also be used in the induction of new staff and volunteers across a variety of workplaces.
FAA Level 3 Award In Supervising First Aid For Mental Health (RQF) Classroom (two day course), Virtual (6 x 2 ½ hour sessions) Gives learners knowledge of Mental Health First Aid and associated conditions This course is especially suitable for managers, supervisors and other staff that have the power to make changes in the workplace Course Contents: What is Mental Health? Why people develop mental health conditions What the role of a mental health first aider is Knowing how to provide advice and practical support Knowing how to recognise and manage stress Understand the impact of substance abuse on mental health Understand the first aid action plan for mental health and be able to put it in place Know how to implement a positive mental health culture in the workplace Recognising a range of mental health conditions: Depression Anxiety Psychosis Eating disorders Suicide Self-harm PTSD Personality disorders Bipolar disorder Schizophrenia Benefits of this course: 37% of all work-related ill-health is due to mental health problems Problems with mental health cover 45% of all working days lost A whopping 12.8 million working days, or 49, 042 years, were lost due to mental health problems in 2018/19 602,000 workers suffered from work-related stress, depression or anxiety in 2018/19 One in four people will have a mental health problem at some point during their lives Whether work is causing or aggravating mental health problems, employers have a legal responsibility towards their employees Work-related mental health issues must to be assessed to measure the levels of risk to staff Where a risk is identified, steps must be taken to remove it or reduce it as far as reasonably practicable This two day r employees' mental health and wellbeing Accredited, Ofqual regulated qualification Our Mental Health First Aid Courses are nationally recognised, Ofqual regulated qualifications accredited by First Aid Awards Ltd in association with NUCO Training. This means that you can be rest assured that your Mental Health First Aid Certificates fulfill the upcoming legal requirements and are a very good way to make sure you and your employees have a supporting workplace to deal with staff's mental health conditions. The Ofqual Register number for this course is 603/3770/9