LOOKING FOR: ADULT FICTION Marilia Savvides founded The Plot Agency in 2024. She began her career in publishing at Peters Fraser and Dunlop, where she spent eight years, first as International Rights Agent, and later as Literary Agent, building her own list of authors. In 2019, she joined 42MP, where she worked as Literary Agent for four years, helping to launch and set up the Book Division. She is particularly interested in fiction that is beautifully written and cleverly constructed, but still accessible to a wide readership. She is often drawn to darker tales that weave together excellent characters and an impossible-to-put-down story, from immersive book club novels with a splash of suspense, crime and thrillers, accessible horror, and speculative, genre-bending or dystopian stories. She also adores smart, witty contemporary rom-com in the style of Emily Henry. In the thriller, crime and mystery space she is interested in most areas, except military thrillers and organised crime/ mafia / mob stories. Big hooks and clever set ups are a big bonus! She adores Karin Slaughter (especially her standalone novels) and Gillian Flynn. In the book club / reading group space, she’s particularly drawn to fiction in the vein of Jodi Picoult, Liane Moriarty and Celeste Ng, and absolutely fell in love with Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll, both for the incredible voice, and the exquisite use of structure and time. Complicated family dynamics, empathetic and smart approaches to controversial issues, stand out protagonists (like Elizabeth Zott in Lessons in Chemistry or Bernadette in Where D’You Go Bernadette), long buried secrets, complicity, the road to justice, and impossible decisions, are all themes she finds herself drawn to. In the horror space, she’s a sucker for amazing female-centric stories in the vein of Yellowjackets, and the kind of contemporary, accessible horror that Stephen King always nails. She wants to get lost in a world that feels within reach of ours. In the speculative and dystopian spaces, she’s interested in genius ideas that set up big questions or reflect the most broken (and sometimes hidden) parts of society. She loves Octavia Butler, Margaret Atwood, George Orwell, and also adored The Leftovers, Station Eleven, Wanderers, and The Power. The what-ifs of life and fiction fascinate her. In the grounded sci-fi space, she’d love to find a smart, immersive, and accessible story like The Martian. She doesn’t represent fantasy or romantasy. In regards to sci-fi, unless it’s very grounded and has crossover potential to a mainstream audience, it’s not for her. In the romance space, she’s particularly drawn to smart, complex and witty characters, where the chemistry is jumping off the page. She loves contemporary settings and all the tropes, though the voice and characters must come first to make the reading experience fully immersive. She wants to be cackling, and rooting for the characters with all her heart. She is very hands-on editorially, and loves working with her authors to shape their manuscripts, and brainstorm ideas. The best part of the job is discovering debut authors, and helping them find a home for their books. Marilia would like you to submit a covering letter, 1 - 2 page synopsis and the first 5,000 words of your manuscript in a single Word document. (In addition to the paid sessions, Marilia is kindly offering one free session for low income/underrepresented 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: Tuesday 16th September 2025
The Preliminary Electronic Security Course is an introductory (or revision) course designed to provide participants who have no previous Electrical or Electronics experience with the background skills required to attend the CCTV Installation Course, Access Control Course or Fire Alarm Foundation Course. The course gives both an introduction to electronics and electronic security and shows how the two fields merge together. Ideal for a beginner wishing to learn more about this fascinating area. A large practical content is guaranteed. The day will be an excellent learning experience with a skilled instructor. It is a great introduction to the other courses we provide.
I am a Reiki Teacher in Manchester and one of the few traditionally trained Reiki Masters in the UK who have been trained by international best-selling Reiki author Penelope Quest. My teaching methods use traditional Reiki techniques perfected over many years and you can be assured of my support during and after your course. I teach all three levels of Reiki courses, level 1 reiki. level 2 reiki and reiki master level 3
A workshop on EMDR with clients who are Neurodivergent on 13th of May 2025.
Training - Grants Fundraising: preparing and prospecting Session aimed at charitable trusts, foundations and grants fundraisers FREE for HIGN members | £25 for non-members THIS SESSION WILL NOT BE RECORDED Capacity capped at 50 sign-ups. We will operate a waiting list if we reach this number, and may ask hospices with more than one sign-up to release places. Grants are the most significant source of income for small charities, but what are the key elements underlying a successful grants income stream? In this session we look at those foundational criteria essential to setting your organisation up for a win and tips how to find the best grants. This session is less appropriate for those with mature grant funding programmes. By the end of this session, we aim for you to: · Gain insight into the overall process of grants funding · Understand what fundraisers need to know before writing applications · See how to cost effectively find funders David describes himself as a “product of small charities”. A service user as a child, volunteer since his teenage years and now is helping to payback through training, mentoring and consultancy projects. He started a ranging career in fundraising in 2006, before maturing into a training and consultancy role with small charities some 12 years later. In early 2022, David joined the FSI and re-built their partnership training programme, carrying it forward in his own style with Triceratops Training after the closure of the previous charity. Most of our associate trainers, like David, were also training or consultancy associates for the FSI, NCVO, Lloyds Bank Foundation or DSC. David currently leads training programmes with Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, several funders, CVS and other sector infrastructure organisations across the UK.
Kids in Museums: Chair information session Thursday 18 September 2025, 1pm - 2pm Kids in Museums wants to appoint a new Chair of Trustees to replace Vanessa Eke from December 2025. At an exciting point in our development, the new Chair will play an instrumental role in shaping the charity’s future. Guided by our mission and values, they will collaboratively lead the Board and staff team to embed sustainable organisational development and grow our income to support the charity’s ambitions and the evolving needs of the museum sector. We welcome applications from experienced Chairs and those who would be a leading a Board for the first time. This free informal session aims to provide more information about Kids in Museums’ programme and organisation, our Board of Trustees, the role of our Chair, and our future ambitions for the growth and development of the charity. In this session, you will be able to: hear more about Kids in Museums' programmes, organisation and impact, and how we work with the wider museum sector, meet current Trustees and learn more about our Board and the Chair role, find out more about our future plans, ask any questions you may have about Kids in the Museums and the Chair role. Who should attend? This session is for anyone who is interested in becoming the next Chair of Kids in Museums. The role is a fantastic opportunity for someone with: a deep understanding of the UK museum sector, experience of developing long-term strategies for growth and new ways of working, skills in nurturing strong partnerships, strong experience of income generation. Our next Chair will value Kids in Museums’ unique sector support programme, and will be committed to our work and advocating for the people and organisations we support. This session will be delivered virtually over one hour.
LOOKING FOR: ADULT FICTION / NON-FICTION Ciara McEllin is building her list as a Junior Agent at Watson Little. She reads widely across book club, upmarket and literary fiction. Within these areas, she is drawn to novels that examine family and relationship dynamics, sexuality, identity, and vulnerability. Ciara is keen to hear from writers who take a fresh approach to these themes, whether that be a new perspective on a traditional narrative or a focus on characters and voices that remain underrepresented: think Kairos by Jenny Erpenbeck, Asymmetry by Lisa Halliday or Monkey Grip by Helen Garner. She will always want to read beautifully written novels with a strong sense of place, tangible characters and an essence that stays with you – living deep in your bones – long after you’ve finished reading. Recent reads Ciara has enjoyed include: Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry, Enter Ghost by Isabella Hammad, Close to Home by Michael Magee, Siblings by Brigitte Reimann, Trespasses by Louise Kennedy, The Idiot by Elif Batuman, Highway Blue by Ailsa McFarlane and My Phantoms by Gwendoline Riley. At the moment Ciara is particularly eager to see: - Sexy, sensual and seductive stories that explore desire and sexual boundaries not often represented in literature such as Little Rabbit by Alyssa Songsiridej, Cleanness by Garth Greenwell and Mrs. S by K Patrick - An atmospheric and existential thriller in the vein of Intimacies by Katie Kitamura, In The Cut by Susanna Moore and Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk - An intoxicating coming of-age-tale that captures the aliveness, intelligence and wildness of girlhood like Brutes by Dizz Tate, The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides and The Girls by Emma Cline - Books that are joyful or brutal, particularly those that are both, similar to Headshot by Rita Bullwinkel, Kick the Latch by Kathryn Scanlan and Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan - Stories exploring an Australia or Ireland that is rarely seen in literature for example A Loving, Faithful Animal by Josephine Rowe and Wild Houses by Colin Barrett In non-fiction, Ciara enjoys narrative, memoir and essay collections. She is interested in hearing from experts, academics, critics and journalists writing about society, culture and food, and excited by writers seeking to revise, reshape or revolutionise the conversation in their area of expertise. Some of her favourite non-fiction titles include How To Survive A Plague by David France, The Transgender Issue by Shon Faye, the Living Autobiography Series by Deborah Levy, Last Witnesses: Unchildlike Stories by Svetlana Alexievich, King Kong Theory by Virginie Despentes; and she particularly enjoys the work of M.F.K Fisher, Annie Ernaux, Natalia Ginsburg and Helen Garner. Ciara is not looking for Children’s, YA or Fantasy. Ciara 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, Ciara 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 17th September
Customer service is an organisation's ability to supply its customers' wants and needs. Improved customer service means constantly and consistently exceeding customers' expectations. This course is designed for service industry professionals who aim to maximise their efficiency, develop better customer skills, and increase their value. The focus is on increasing repeat business through customer satisfaction and referrals. Delegates will discover greater levels of productivity, job satisfaction, and potential for advancement. For client-facing service personnel, these areas of development will prove particularly beneficial, leading to increased internal and external customer satisfaction. Throughout the course, delegates will learn how to: Project a UB4me, customer-centred attitude Empower people with respect and control by acknowledging and offering choices Understand customers better and develop emotionally-intelligent methods for managing their fears and reactions Listen more intently to develop the best rapport Communicate clearly with conviction, projecting greater credibility Create positive, diplomatic messages even from negative situations, modelling a problem-solving, can-do attitude Create and refine phone-answering and email templates to appropriately address customer concerns and increase the potential for repeat business This Customer Service Skills course is a 4-hour interactive virtual class for up to 20 delegates. Upon registration, delegates will receive online login instructions prior to the class date. This format allows for a collaborative learning experience from the comfort of one's own home or office.