59 Narrative courses in Liverpool delivered Live Online

Explore China’s growing influence in Africa through this in-depth course. Weekly themes blend history, trends, and analysis to unpack the economic, political, and social layers of this evolving relationship. Gain a nuanced view of its impact on Africa’s global role

LOOKING FOR: PICTURE BOOKS / CHAPTER BOOKS / MG / YA / NEW ADULT inc GRAPHIC NOVELS Gyamfia Osei joined ANA in 2023 as a Literary Agent in the UK department. She was previously an agent at The Good Literary Agency, where she began building her list of authors. Recent successes include a ‘significant’ 6-figure pre-empt for Busayo Matuluko’s YA debut ‘Til Death, a 5-way auction for Quiet Storm by Kimberly Whittam and the shortlisting of Ebinehita Iyere’s Girlhood, Unfiltered at the 2023 British Book Awards. She was also a Bookseller Rising Star in 2024! At ANA, Gyamfia is focusing on developing the agency’s list of children’s authors, while also representing a bespoke list of commercial adult fiction and narrative non-fiction. In the Children’s space, Gyamfia would love to find contemporary stories that are full of heart and joy-driven books across all genres (think Clare Weze, Kimberly Whittam and Elle McNicoll). Funny middle-grade and YA horror are currently at the top of her list and she is also keen to read more teen projects (think Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging and Glow Up Lara Bloom) this year. She is very interested in finding a graphic novel or illustrated project for either MG or YA readers. In the older fiction space, Gyamfia enjoys well-plotted, fast-paced narratives with authentic characters who lodge themselves in her mind long after she’s finished reading (think Sadie, Verity and Girl A). She’s open to a broad range of genres, but would be particularly keen to see romantasy, cosy crime, contemporary romance and tightly plotted domestic noir. Please note that Gyamfia doesn’t consider literary fiction and, in the commercial space, she is not hugely interested in very high fantasy, trauma-focused stories or particularly gruesome horror. In the non-fiction space, she would be happy to consider commercial narrative non-fiction and cultural history projects (think Brit(ish), It’s Not That Radical and Everything I Know About Love). She is very open when it comes to Children’s non-fiction but would be particularly interested to consider unique cookbooks aimed at young chefs, books exploring mental health/wellness and projects that bring the experiences of marginalised children to the forefront. Gyamfia would like you to submit a covering letter, 1 page synopsis and the opening three chapters (max 5,000 words). For picture books please send two texts and a covering letter. For non-fiction please supply a cover letter and proposal with up to 5,000 words of your sample text. Please send EITHER picture books OR another genre, not both in one submission. (In addition to the paid sessions, Gyamfia 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: Friday 28th March 2025

Unveil Africa’s political future: Dive into colonial legacies, state-building challenges, democratization efforts, the African Union’s influence, and emerging great power rivalries. Discover sharp, insightful takes on contemporary African politics.

LOOKING FOR: PICTURE BOOKS Barry Timms is a children's picture book editorial consultant with over twenty years' experience. He has also edited preschool books, non-fiction and young fiction works. Barry's editorial roles include senior and managerial positions at Macmillan Children's Book, Walker Books and Little Tiger Group, making commercially successful books of the UK, US and international markets. Barry is also an award winning author of over fifteen picture books. This is NOT a Unicorn!, published by Nosy Crow, won the Stockport Children's Book Award 2022. Barry would like you to submit a covering letter and a maximum of two picture book texts to be discussed. This should be in one Word document with the cover letter at the top. The texts should be for children aged within the 2-6 years age bracket and can be in prose or rhyme. As well as conventional fiction narratives, narrative non-fiction is also acceptable. (In addition to the paid sessions, Barry 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: 12 noon UK BST on Friday 4th April 2025

LOOKING FOR: ADULT FICTION Jade Kavanagh is a Literary Agent at Darley Anderson Literary Agency. She has a degree in English Literature from the University of Westminster then went on to achieve her Masters in Modern and Contemporary Fictions. Alongside assisting Camilla Bolton on her list of clients Jade is building a list steeped in the darker side of fiction, including suspense, thriller, horror and 'horromance' with distinct voices and setting. Across these genres Jade looks for powerful female narratives and dynamic characterisation. She wants female characters like Shiv Roy (Succession), Emily Gilmore (Gilmore Girls), Annalise Keating (How to Get Away with Murder), Buffy Summers (Buffy), Ellen Ripley (Alien), Dana Scully (The X Files), Detective Kima Greggs (The Wire). Jade would love something with a big book club hook that readers devour in one sitting. Setting and atmosphere are of huge appeal. She wants stories with a vivid sense of place and to be immersed in the world of the characters. Jade wants detail down to what shade of lipstick or colour of the lamp on their bedside table and the nature and landscape around them. She loves luxury settings she can get excited about reading and descriptions to lose herself in. Jade also loves dark twists on glamorous concepts and settings. Think The Devil Wears Prada meets Killing Eve, or Real Housewives or Succession meets How to Kill My Family or something akin to White Lotus.  Across the spectrum of horror and speculative fiction, Jade is looking for haunting stories filled with slow build darkness and characters with heart. Think 28 Days Later and The Last of Us. She really wants a dark witchy story… or on the cosier side a fresh take on something like Practical Magic or Charmed. Jade wants heroes to root for, and villains that terrify and enrage her in equal measure. One of Jade's favourite TV shows is Orphan Black; she'd love to see a book series like this. As a proud member of the Twilight generation, (Team Edward forever!) she’d also love to read a modern vampire novel. Show her American Psycho meets Dracula. Give her 2023 Carlisle Cullen in a thriller or a new take on Buffy. Whilst not actively looking for sci-fi novels, Jade would love to see A Scully and Mulder for the 2020s!  Notably, Jade looks for voices from all walks of life. She is incredibly passionate about bringing working-class voices into the commercial fiction space. She would love to hear from new exciting talent, telling stories about everyday people with relatable voices, people she grew up with, people she can imagine. Jade 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, Jade 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 31st March 2025

The package includes the following: Reshaping relationship narratives through therapy Empowering stories in couples therapy Rediscovering connection with Narrative Therapy Exploring alternative perspectives in relationships Overcoming communication barriers through narrative approach Transforming relationship narratives Authentic and empowering couples therapy program Invest in the future of your relationship today and experience the power of Narrative Therapy. Our compassionate therapists are dedicated to guiding you and your partner towards a more authentic, empowering, and fulfilling connection. Take the first step towards transformative change by scheduling a session with us now. 3 x 1 hour https://relationshipsmdd.com/product/narrative-therapy-package/

 Narrative Therapy helps couples re-author the stories they tell about their relationship. By reshaping these narratives, couples can foster a healthier and more constructive dynamic, enhancing their emotional bond and understanding.   Key areas: re-authoring, relationship narratives, emotional bond, constructive dynamic, understanding 3 x 1 hour sessions 

Duration 4 Days 24 CPD hours This course is intended for Successful students have experience and knowledge in IT operations, including networking, virtualization, identity, security, business continuity, disaster recovery, data platforms, and governance. Students also have experience designing and architecting solutions. Before attending this course, students must have previous experience deploying or administering Azure resources and strong conceptual knowledge of: Azure compute technologies such as VMs, containers and serverless solutions Azure virtual networking to include load balancers Azure Storage technologies (unstructured and databases) General application design concepts such as messaging and high availability This course teaches Azure Solution Architects how to design infrastructure solutions. Course topics cover governance, compute, application architecture, storage, data integration, authentication, networks, business continuity, and migrations. The course combines lecture with case studies to demonstrate basic architect design principles. Prerequisites Before attending this course, students must have previous experience deploying or administering Azure resources and conceptual knowledge of: Azure Active Directory Azure compute technologies such as VMs, containers and serverless solutions Azure virtual networking to include load balancers Azure Storage technologies (unstructured and databases) General application design concepts such as messaging and high availability AZ-104T00 - Microsoft Azure Administrator 1 - Design governance Design for governance Design for management groups Design for subscriptions Design for resource groups Design for resource tags Design for Azure Policy Design for role-based access control (RBAC) Design for Azure landing zones 2 - Design an Azure compute solution Choose an Azure compute service Design for Azure Virtual Machines solutions Design for Azure Batch solutions Design for Azure App Service solutions Design for Azure Container Instances solutions Design for Azure Kubernetes Service solutions Design for Azure Functions solutions Design for Azure Logic Apps solutions 3 - Design a data storage solution for non-relational data Design for data storage Design for Azure storage accounts Design for data redundancy Design for Azure Blob Storage Design for Azure Files Design for Azure managed disks Design for storage security 4 - Design a data storage solution for relational data Design for Azure SQL Database Design for Azure SQL Managed Instance Design for SQL Server on Azure Virtual Machines Recommend a solution for database scalability Recommend a solution for database availability Design security for data at rest, data in motion, and data in use Design for Azure SQL Edge Design for Azure Cosmos DB and Table Storage 5 - Design data integration Design a data integration solution with Azure Data Factory Design a data integration solution with Azure Data Lake Design a data integration and analytic solution with Azure Databricks Design a data integration and analytic solution with Azure Synapse Analytics Design strategies for hot, warm, and cold data paths Design an Azure Stream Analytics solution for data analysis 6 - Design an application architecture Describe message and event scenarios Design a messaging solution Design an Azure Event Hubs messaging solution Design an event-driven solution Design a caching solution Design API integration Design an automated app deployment solution Design an app configuration management solution 7 - Design authentication and authorization solutions Design for identity and access management (IAM) Design for Microsoft Entra ID Design for Microsoft Entra business-to-business (B2B) Design for Azure Active Directory B2C (business-to-customer) Design for conditional access Design for identity protection Design for access reviews Design service principals for applications Design managed identities Design for Azure Key Vault 8 - Design a solution to log and monitor Azure resources Design for Azure Monitor data sources Design for Azure Monitor Logs (Log Analytics) workspaces Design for Azure Workbooks and Azure insights Design for Azure Data Explorer 9 - Design network solutions Recommend a network architecture solution based on workload requirements Design patterns for Azure network connectivity services Design outbound connectivity and routing Design for on-premises connectivity to Azure Virtual Network Choose an application delivery service Design for application delivery services Design for application protection services 10 - Design a solution for backup and disaster recovery Design for backup and recovery Design for Azure Backup Design for Azure blob backup and recovery Design for Azure files backup and recovery Design for Azure virtual machine backup and recovery Design for Azure SQL backup and recovery Design for Azure Site Recovery 11 - Design migrations Evaluate migration with the Cloud Adoption Framework Describe the Azure migration framework Assess your on-premises workloads Select a migration tool Migrate your structured data in databases Select an online storage migration tool for unstructured data Migrate offline data 12 - Introduction to the Microsoft Azure Well-Architected Framework Azure Well-Architected Framework pillars Cost optimization Operational excellence Performance efficiency Reliability Security 13 - Microsoft Azure Well-Architected Framework - Cost Optimization Develop cost-management discipline Design with a cost-efficiency mindset Design for usage optimization Design for rate optimization Monitor and optimize over time 14 - Microsoft Azure Well-Architected Framework - Operational excellence Embrace DevOps culture Establish development standards Evolve operations with observability Deploy with confidence Automate for efficiency Adopt safe deployment practices 15 - Microsoft Azure Well-Architected Framework - Performance efficiency Negotiate realistic performance targets Design to meet capacity requirements Achieve and sustain performance Improve efficiency through optimization 16 - Microsoft Azure Well-Architected Framework - Reliability Design for business requirements Design for resilience Design for recovery Design for operations Keep it simple 17 - Microsoft Azure Well-Architected Framework - Security Plan your security readiness Design to protect confidentiality Design to protect integrity Design to protect availability Sustain and evolve your security posture 18 - Getting started with the Microsoft Cloud Adoption Framework for Azure Customer narrative Common blockers 19 - Prepare for successful cloud adoption with a well-defined strategy Customer narrative Capture strategic motivation Define objectives and key results Evaluate financial considerations Understand technical considerations Create a business case 20 - Prepare for cloud adoption with a data-driven plan Customer narrative 21 - Choose the best Azure landing zone to support your requirements for cloud operations Customer narrative Common operating models Design areas for Azure landing zones Design principles for Azure landing zones Journey to the target architecture Choose an Azure landing zone option Deploy the Azure landing zone accelerator Enhance your landing zone 22 - Migrate to Azure through repeatable processes and common tools Customer narrative Migration process Migration tools Common tech platforms 23 - Address tangible risks with the Govern methodology of the Cloud Adoption Framework for Azure Customer narrative Govern methodology Corporate policies Governance disciplines Deploy a cloud governance foundation The Cost Management discipline 24 - Ensure stable operations and optimization across all supported workloads deployed to the cloud Establish business commitments Deploy an operations baseline Protect and recover Enhance an operations baseline Manage platform and workload specialization 25 - Innovate applications by using Azure cloud technologies Follow the innovation lifecycle Azure technologies for the build process Infuse your applications with AI Azure technologies for measuring business impact Azure technologies for the learn process 26 - Prepare for cloud security by using the Microsoft Cloud Adoption Framework for Azure Customer narrative Methodology Security roles and responsibilities Simplify compliance and security Simplify security implementation Security tools and policies Additional course details: Nexus Humans AZ-305T00: Designing Microsoft Azure Infrastructure Solutions training program is a workshop that presents an invigorating mix of sessions, lessons, and masterclasses meticulously crafted to propel your learning expedition forward. This immersive bootcamp-style experience boasts interactive lectures, hands-on labs, and collaborative hackathons, all strategically designed to fortify fundamental concepts. Guided by seasoned coaches, each session offers priceless insights and practical skills crucial for honing your expertise. Whether you're stepping into the realm of professional skills or a seasoned professional, this comprehensive course ensures you're equipped with the knowledge and prowess necessary for success. While we feel this is the best course for the AZ-305T00: Designing Microsoft Azure Infrastructure Solutions course and one of our Top 10 we encourage you to read the course outline to make sure it is the right content for you. Additionally, private sessions, closed classes or dedicated events are available both live online and at our training centres in Dublin and London, as well as at your offices anywhere in the UK, Ireland or across EMEA.

#storytelling#selfdicovery#self#knowyourself#personalisedstories#development#professionaldevelopment#selfdevelopment

LOOKING FOR: ADULT FICTION, NON-FICTION Daisy Chandley joined PFD in 2019 after graduating from the University of Oxford with a BA in Politics, Philosophy and Economics. She is an Associate Agent and assistant to Senior Agent Annabel Merullo and Head of Books Tim Bates as the UK sub-agent for New Directions Publishing in the US. Daisy is actively building a list of both fiction and non-fiction authors across a range of genres. With fiction, Daisy's wishlist roughly falls into three categories – if something feels like it overlaps between them, even better! 1) Sharp, original novels on the literary to upmarket spectrum, all the way from deeply dark and boundary-pushing books like Hurricane Season, Under The Skin or In The Cut to those balancing edge, heart and humour, like Detransition, Baby or A Visit From The Goon Squad. She loves irreverent wit, daring approaches in narrative or form, and seriously unsettling stories in equal measure, and if you can bring a few of those elements into one, it’ll go straight to the top of her. 2) Com-heavy rom-coms, whether in the dry but ultimately sob-inducing vein of Greta and Valdin or a Nora Ephron film, the escapist screwball delight of a Cary Grant classic, or the more unusual, genre-bending style of something like Palm Springs. Daisy is a sucker for Emily Henry and will always be happy to see an innovative take on tropey love stories, but is equally very keen to see to things a bit outside of the box, whether that’s integrating speculative elements, dark humour, or topical issues. In any case, humour and originality are my priority, and affectionately snarky bickering is the best way to make her fall head over heels with a couple. 3) Sleuths! Daisy is not the right person for police procedurals, but loves classic detectives and amateur sleuths. Whether it’s a delightful Knives Out or Nancy Drew homage or an intricate, unputdownable mystery on the darker side, the minute someone finds a good old fashioned clue, count her in! Overall, whether it’s a delightfully fun and scandalous page-turner or something really bold and experimental, if it’s stylish and smart – and maybe even a bit sexy – Daisy would love to see it. Daisy is definitely interested in literary speculative fiction, though not generally looking for hard SFF. Across the board, she is always looking for stories that explore sexuality, race, gender, and disability, and would particularly love to hear from writers whose voices and experiences aren’t given enough space in publishing. On the non-fiction side, Daisy is looking for bold new insights and underrepresented voices on popular science, nature writing, relationships, social issues and politics, and am always especially interested in fresh, playful and exciting writing on pop culture, love and the internet. She’d also love to see illuminating narrative non-fiction, whether a beautiful and lyrical exploration, or an enthralling and explosive deep-dive. A (large) handful of authors past and present whose work Daisy loves include Patricia Lockwood, Toni Morrison, Elif Batuman, Gillian Flynn, Shirley Jackson, Raven Leilani, Max Porter, Carmen Maria Machado, Virginia Woolf, Sayaka Murata, Kiley Reid, Sally Rooney, George Saunders, Joan Didion, Amy Liptrot, Ottessa Moshfegh, J.D. Salinger, Donna Tartt, Bret Easton Ellis, and Fernanda Melchor. Daisy is not the right fit for Children’s or YA authors.  Daisy would like you to submit a covering letter, 1 page synopsis and the first 2,500 words of your manuscript in a single word document. (In addition to the paid sessions, Daisy 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 8th May 2025