56 Ligature courses

LOOKING FOR: ADULT FICTION Nicky Lovick has worked as an editor for over twenty years, working for top five publishers. She is now an agent at WGM Talent, building the books list. She is looking for commercial fiction, from upmarket women’s fiction, bookclub, romance, domestic noir and psychological thrillers, to crime series. She loves hooky stories such as Freida McFadden’s The Housemaid and Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware set in confined settings, such as hotels. She’s always on the lookout for romcoms with a fresh, contemporary feel to them such as Emily Henry’s Book Lovers. Also historical fiction with a twist and sweeping family sagas. Nicky wants you to make her laugh, make her cry or keep her hooked.  Nicky would like you to submit a covering letter, 1-2 page synopsis and the opening three chapters of your manuscript in a single word document.  (In addition to the paid sessions, Nicky 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: Monday 21st April 2025

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: Thursday 24th April 2025

LOOKING FOR: ADULT FICTION, NON-FICTION Julie Gourinchas (she/they) is developing a selective list focused on upmarket and literary adult fiction across a wide variety of genres. Writers she represents have been nominated for the British Book Awards, the Hugo Awards, the BSFA Awards, and the Saltire National Book Awards, among others. In fiction, she's drawn to a uncommon voices, and striking, intelligent writing – whether vibrant and floral or tense, quick, and sparse – as well as texture in both tone and setting (particularly anything with a strong aesthetic). Above all, she is looking for hooky, high-concept work, but her taste can perhaps be best summarised as "the weird, dark, and gruesome." While literary-speculative is her sweet spot, she considers herself genre agnostic within upmarket/literary fiction, and remains open to compelling and well-executed genre overlap. These include: upmarket and literary horror: especially featuring feminist or cultural themes, body horror, mangled nature, or cosmic, Lovecraftian vibes and looking for a fresh, literary take on vampires. Think Mona Awad, Lucy Rose, Julia Armfield, Jade Song, Stephen Graham Jones. dark and spiky literary dramas with high emotional stakes - think Eliza Clark, Julia May Jonas. razor-sharp dark academia particularly with something to say about the complex and exploitative systems within academia, more The Secret History, less The Atlas Six. gothic fiction, specifically regional gothic anchored in an evocative sense of place in the vein of Alexis Henderson and Alix E. Harrow. grounded fantasy or otherwise speculative fiction with coherent, sharp worldbuilding that feels recognisable and familiar, or directly set in our world. Play with magic, faith, and technology in your story like Babel, or a more literary version like Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries, Blood Over Bright Haven, Metal From Heaven. Searing contemporary fiction centred on themes of identity and belonging: think Sally Rooney, Torrey Peters, or what Saltburn should have been. dark westerns, in particular any that play with the truth and false hopes of the American Dream. magical realism both whimsy with a touch of darkness, and darkness with a touch of whimsy. unhappy romances anything -punk: steampunk, solarpunk, silkpunk, clockpunk, dieselpunk, cyberpunk and more of these! Suffice to say: if you can successfully and smartly comp to Arcane, Julie wants to see it! character-focused historical fiction with a literary edge: think Lauren Groff, Anthony Doerr, Eleanor Catton, particularly in the 19th and 20th centuries; including and indeed encouraging alternate history. Stylistically, Julie loves uncommon, thought-provoking experimentation with both prose and form, and anything spiky, toothy, and dark. Happy endings, to her, should feel earned. In all things, compelling character development should come first. First person narration is not impossible, but hard to sell. A smart genre blend is always welcome, as is any fresh-eyed approach to a well-trodden trope. Julie is also very much looking for her first romantasy – especially one that approaches this exciting new genre from a fresh, bold perspective. She is keenly interested in hearing from authors traditionally underrepresented in the industry, including but not restricted to writers of colour; queer, trans, and nonbinary writers; working class writers; disabled writers; etc. Her enduring favourite books include All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr, Do Not Say We Have Nothing by Madeleine Thien, The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton, and Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials series. More recent favourites include the masterful Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin, Babel by R.F. Kuang, Detransition Baby by Torrey Peters, Matrix by Lauren Groff, Tell Me I’m Worthless by Alison Rumfitt, Brother Alive by Zain Khalid, and Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Armfield. In non-fiction, Julie is keen to read in the narrative and “big ideas” spaces, particularly in the realms of politics, history, and the social sciences. Please note: Julie is not looking for young adult, middle grade, and children’s books. Strictly no AI-generated content of any description. Please also bear in mind that, despite a deep and abiding love for all things Tolkien and Star Wars, she is not typically the right fit for epic or high fantasy, nor space-faring science fiction. She would also prefer to avoid pulpy crime and straightforward romance/romcoms. Julie would like you to submit a covering letter, 1 page synopsis and the first 5,000 words of your manuscript in a single word document.  (In addition to the paid sessions, Julie 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: Tuesday 29th April 2025

LOOKING FOR: ADULT FICTION Kate Barker has worked in publishing for over twenty years as an agent, commissioning editor and ghostwriter. Before setting up her own company, Kate Barker Literary Agency, she spent ten years at Penguin, where she was an Editorial Director for Viking, acquiring fiction and non-fiction. She has also worked for Orion, Curtis Brown and for digital publisher Bookouture. She is looking for commercial and reading group fiction for adults and would love to find an unputdownable thriller like Rosamund Lupton's Three Hours, a funny, heartbreaking contemporary novel like Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams or a romantic comedy with a unique premise like The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary. She also loves historical fiction and series crime. Kate would like you to submit a covering letter, one page synopsis and the first three chapters (Max 5,000 words) of your completed manuscript in a single word document. (In addition to the paid sessions, Kate 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: Tuesday 29th April 2025

Dry needling course part 2, course is designed for all manual therapists including osteopaths, chiropractors, physiotherapist and sports therapists. To attend part 2 of the course you must have completed part 1.

LOOKING FOR: ADULT FICTION / NON-FICTION Upon joining Curtis Brown in 2018, Ciara Finan worked with senior agents Jonny Geller and Sheila Crowley on their lists of bestselling and prize-winning authors such as Lisa Jewell, Susanna Clarke, David Nicholls, Jojo Moyes and Nigella Lawson. Now as an agent she is representing a wide range of fiction and non-fiction writers. Ciara would consider her reading tastes to be quite broad and ever-growing, but is constantly drawn to books that have a decisive voice, unforgettable characters, an unexpected story, or can subvert and reconstruct the conventional narratives of love, friendship, family, loss and coming-of-age. In particular, she is looking for Adult and YA fantasy and romantasy, rom-coms and book club romance. In the wider fantasy genre, Ciara is keen on finding romantasy, cozy fantasy, dark/light academia, and anything with political intrigue. She seeks novels that will keep her reading into the early hours of the morning. She wants to be consumed by the world, the plot and the characters. Think authors like Leigh Bardugo, Tamsyn Muir, R.F. Kuang, Sangu Mandanna, Hannah Nicole Maehrer, Deborah Harkness, Chloe Gong, Ava Reid or Sabaa Tahir. In romcoms and romance, Ciara is looking for something that explores the complicated nature of romantic relationships - think Seven Days in June by Tia Williams, The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston or anything by Taylor Jenkins Reid. She would love to find a brilliantly witty workplace romance or anything that will leave her in tears. 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 30th April 2025

LOOKING FOR: ADULT FICTION Francesca Riccardi is a literary agent at Kate Nash Literary Agency. She has previously worked in sales roles at HarperCollins, Constable & Robinson, Atlantic Books (where she was recognised as a 2017 Bookseller Rising Star), and most recently was sales and marketing director for Canelo. She has worked with authors including Holly Seddon, Rachel Lynch, Cesca Major, Robert Fabbri, Marion Todd, M C Beaton, Catherine Ryan Howard, and Phil Rickman. Francesca is looking for character-driven popular commercial adult fiction across all genres. She loves books with a strong voice and sense of place, and is particularly interested in stories that are high concept, appealing to a millennial audience, and showcase lesser known experiences and/or female and diverse narratives. Francesca would like you to submit the first 5000 words of your manuscript, a synopsis and your cover letter in that order in one single Word document. (In addition to the paid sessions, Francesca 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 30th April 2025

LOOKING FOR: ADULT FICTION, NON-FICTION Rachel Neely began her publishing career in 2016 at HarperCollins, before moving to Hachette where she worked as an editor for the next six years, specialising in crime and thrillers along with book club novels and contemporary fiction, most recently as a Commissioning Editor at Orion. Rachel joined Mushens Entertainment at the start of 2022 as an Associate Agent, assisting Juliet Mushens with her client list, including multiple Sunday Times and New York Times bestselling authors. Simultaneously she began signing her own clients. In August 2023 she was promoted to Literary Agent and in 2024 achieved Bookseller Rising Star status. In actively growing her list, Rachel is looking for book-club fiction, dark academia, rom-coms, tragic love stories, crime and thrillers. Please note she is not the right agent for sci-fi, espionage novels, YA or children’s books. She signs both commercial and literary authors, and is always looking for a distinctive voice matched with a compelling plot. She also is especially drawn to darker stories that centre characters with tragic fates, dark pasts or buried trauma. She is also keen to find authors from underrepresented groups who can bring a fresh perspective to well-worn story arcs, or capture experiences shared by many but, as of yet, underexplored in fiction. She would love to see a commercial locked-room thriller in the vein of The Midnight Feast, The White Lotus or with shades of Succession; novels about cults such as The Girls; a voice-led serial-killer thriller reminiscent of How to Kill Your Family; compelling dark academia to rival The Secret History; a high-concept but tragic love story that will make her ugly cry in the vein of The Time Traveller’s Wife or One Day; and anything that has an outsider trying to break into the world of the privileged and morally bankrupt. Besides those above, her favourite novels include The List, The Talented Mr Ripley, The Lovely Bones, Other People’s Clothes, The It Girl, The Girl Before, Notes on an Execution, My Dark Vanessa and My Sister the Serial Killer. Rachel would like you to submit a covering letter, 1 - 2 page synopsis and the first 5000 words of your manuscript in a single word document.  (In addition to the paid sessions, Rachel 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: Friday 1st May 2025

LOOKING FOR: ADULT FICTION, NON-FICTION Imogen Pelham has been at Marjacq since 2015, and has worked as a literary agent for more than a decade. She represents literary fiction and some upmarket commercial fiction, as well as a wide range of non-fiction. Imogen's looking for fiction with a strong premise, a surprise twist, or sharp humour. Recent favourites include Leave The World Behind by Rumaan Alam, Early Morning Riser by Katherine Heiny, and Sorrow & Bliss by Meg Mason. Her non-fiction list includes history, memoir, medicine and psychology. She is particularly interested in identity, the arts and investigative journalism. Imogen would like you to submit a covering letter, 1 - 2 page synopsis and the first 10,000 words of your manuscript in a single word document. (In addition to the paid sessions, Imogen 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 5th May 2025

LOOKING FOR: ADULT FICTION, SCIENCE FICTION / FANTASY After several years spent within publishing houses Bookouture, Canelo, Avon, One More Chapter and Head of Zeus, Hannah Todd became a Literary Agent at the Madeleine Milburn Literary, TV & Film Agency, before joining Janklow & Nesbit in January 2025. Her clients include Kirsty Greenwood, Charlie Gallagher and Leah Mercer. Hannah is keen to see commercial fiction across the board, but with a particular focus on romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy & mystery novels. She is drawn to books with exemplary characterisation, voice and strength of feeling. But don't let your characterisation overshadow the need for impeccable plot and if you can make her laugh or cry then you're onto a winner! Across the full light-dark spectrum Hannah especially loves SFF that features an unlikely band of heroes, like the Six of Crows series by Leigh Bardugo, Scott Lynch's Gentleman Bastard series, Becky Chambers' The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet, T. Kingfisher's Nettle and Bone,and the cosy themes/settings offered by Heather Fawcett and TJ Klune. Hannah's advice is make sure you have a clear USP and hook: If you are sending your reader to a magical academy, or if we're riding dragons or waving wands, that's great! But what makes your book feel different and fresh? An excellent voice is key, but what else makes your take on these tropes stand out? An example of a phenomenal book that has turned the magical academy trope on its head, with layers of excellent world building, a unique magic system and plot twists galore is The Will of the Many by James Islington. If you have something crafted this beautifully then Hannah wants to see it! Romantasy of varying spice levels, accessible to both romance and fantasy readers, is on Hannah's wishlist. And you can whisk her away with contemporary romance novels, romcoms, sweeping love stories that redefine the genre. Romcoms with great disability rep and LGBTQIA+ stories that focus on the joy of falling in love are high on Hannah's agenda. She particularly loves Emily Henry, Laura Wood and Abby Jiminez. Think more Nicholas Sparks than Sally Rooney, and Bonnie Garmus rather than Gabrielle Zevin. In this space, she is a big fan of Emma Donoghue, Bonnie Garmus and Jojo Moyes. Meet with Hannah to discuss your crime and high-concept thrillers with an unsettling ‘it-could-happen-to-me’ feeling, coupled with a twist that's unseen until its delivery. The book she most wants to find in this space is something like Three Hours by Rosamund Lupton in both its themes (real-world emotional suspense) and its execution. A mystery series that feels like a real 'romp' is something she loves to escape with too. With regards to all genres, Hannah is particularly interested in voices from underrepresented backgrounds: such as writers of colour, indigenous communities, the LGBTQIA+ community, and those with disabilities. Hannah does not the right agent to give advice on: Re-imaginings of the classics Books that feature characters putting on Shakespeare plays! Historical fiction Children's, middle-grade and YA Hannah would like you to submit a covering letter, one page synopsis and the first 5,000 words of your completed manuscript in a single word document. (In addition to the paid sessions, Hannah 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: Tuesday 6th May 2025