Romance courses in Cardiff

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 17th February 2025

LOOKING FOR: ADULT FICTION, YA THRILLER Saskia Leach is an Agent's Assistant at Kate Nash Literary Agency and is currently training to become a Junior Agent. She graduated from Royal Holloway, University of London in 2020 with a BA degree in English and History, before joining Kate Nash Literary Agency in 2021. Saskia loves commercial fiction that features complex and dynamic characters and is fascinated by stories containing document inserts or written from multiple perspectives. Saskia enjoys commercial and book club fiction and is particularly looking for cosy crime from any period (whether contemporary like Janice Hallett and Richard Osman, traditional Golden Age murder mystery or historical), WW2 historical fiction in the vein of Heather Morris or Markus Zusak, twisty psychological thriller with a unique hook, LGBTQ+ romance, underrepresented voices and perspectives, YA thriller or romance, and locked-room thriller. Saskia 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, Saskia 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 to reach I Am In Print by the stated submission deadline and note that I Am In Print take no responsibility for the advice given in your Agent121. The submission deadline is: Tuesday 18th February 2025 at 20:00 UK GMT

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: Monday 17th February 2025

LOOKING FOR: ADULT FICTION, NEW ADULT Rebeka Finch is a Junior Agent at the Darley Anderson Literary Agency. Alongside assisting Darley on his list of authors, Rebeka is building her own list of romance and romantasy authors, specifically for the BookTok hungry new adult/20+ markets. She is on the hunt for messy, cheesy, heartbreaking, relatable, characters and stories with romance at the very heart of the narrative. For those writing romantasy, Rebeka is looking for books that strike the perfect balance of romance, pace, action and world-building, with series potential. Importantly, she looks for strong, diverse, brave and relatable characters in these settings. People that feel like both a friend, a champion and an ally. Rebeka 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, Rebeka 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 20th February 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: Friday 28th February 2025

LOOKING FOR: YA, NA, ADULT FICTION Helen Lane has been an established agent for several years, formerly with the Booker Albert Agency before joining the Ki Agency. She has a BSc in Environmental Science from the University of East Anglia and a postgrad qualification in Acoustics. She lives in London with her family and the world’s naughtiest cocker spaniel. Helen represents (Adult) Fantasy, Sci Fi, Horror, Romance, Action & Adventure, and Thrillers. She also represents select YA Fantasy, Horror, and Sci Fi. Her tastes do run towards the dark and she is slightly obsessed with monster stories in general (especially if they have giant sharks or squids). And stories set in extreme environments such as the arctic, jungle, caves, ocean, and mountains. But she DOES NOT want to read about affairs or abuse in any genre. (Her husband likes her to add here that this is nothing to do with him, she just doesn’t like sad stories). Her favourite authors are Mira Grant, Greig Beck, James Rollins, Matthew Reilly, Darcy Coates, Andy Weir, Clive Cussler, R F Kuang, Patricia Briggs, and Kelley Armstrong. Her comfort movies are: Jaws, Outbreak, The Cave, Sanctum, Scream, Buffy, Grey's Anatomy, Charmed, Vampire Diaries. You can find her on: Bluesky: @helenlane.bsky.social Instagram: hflane_agenting Helen would like you to submit a covering letter, 1 page synopsis and first three chapters (Max 5,000 words) of your manuscript in a single word document. (In addition to the paid sessions, Helen 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 3rd March 2025

LOOKING FOR: PICTURE BOOKS, MG, YA, ADULT FICTION Clare Wallace joined the Darley Anderson Agency in January 2011 and is building both the Darley Anderson Children’s Agency and the Darley Anderson Illustration Agency lists as well as taking on adult fiction for debut authors. Clare is particularly looking for funny chapter books for younger readers at the moment, as well as contemporary MG, YA fantasy, romance, and rom coms, especially with underrepresented protagonists. For picture books she has the widest taste, from daft to lyrical, rhyming to prose. As well as being busy with the children’s and illustration agencies, Clare is open to debut adult fiction submissions that could be described as book club, rom-com, romance, saga, reading group, fantasy or historical fiction. She often doesn’t know what she’s looking for until she finds it (although she is not the person for steampunk or space opera). She represents picture books, middle-grade, teenage and YA and debut adult fiction. The clients Clare represents include Perdita & Honor Cargill, Caroline Crowe, Tom Ellen, Martyn Ford, Stewart Foster, Olivia Hope, A M Howell, Polly Ho-Yen, Rachel Ip, Beth Reekles, J.P. Rose, Lindsay Galvin, Dave Rudden, Deirdre Sullivan and Efua Traoré. Whatever the age range, Clare loves a big hook, a lot of heart, and a standout voice. She loves to discover memorable new characters, bold and unique voices, strong concepts and gripping storytelling. This list gives a good indication of Clare's taste but if your submission doesn’t fit a description here, it doesn’t mean Clare doesn’t want to receive it. Clare would like you to send a covering letter, a one page synopsis and the first three chapters (Max 5000 words) of your manuscript. For picture books, please submit a covering letter and up to three completed texts. Please send EITHER picture books OR another genre, not both in one submission. (In addition to the paid sessions, Clare 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: Thursday 13th March 2025

Explore the captivating world of Medieval literature with our course "Medieval Literature: A Journey with Chaucer and More." Dive into epic poems, romance narratives, and allegorical tales from renowned authors like Geoffrey Chaucer, Beowulf, and Dante Alighieri. Uncover themes of chivalry, courtly love, and religious symbolism while gaining insight into the cultural and historical contexts of the Middle Ages. Join us on this enriching journey through timeless masterpieces and expand your literary horizons.

LOOKING FOR: MG, YA, ADULT FICTION / NON-FICTION Kesia Lupo joined Donald Maass Literary Agency in 2024 after 11 years working across the publishing industry. She started out as an editorial assistant at Pan Macmillan London in 2013, transitioning to children’s fiction in 2015 when she moved to Chicken House (a UK imprint of Scholastic), where she worked her way up from junior to senior editor. Here she acquired and edited bestselling, internationally successful and prize-winning fiction for middle grade (MG) and YA readers. In 2023 she transitioned over to the US and agenting, working with the Bindery Agency before finding a home with DMLA. At DMLA, Kesia is building a list leaning 60/40 towards MG and YA fiction, with the rest consisting of adult fiction and a smattering of adult non-fiction. She is especially, but not exclusively, interested in underrepresented voices, whether BIPOC, LGBTQ+, neurodivergent, disabled writers or other identities not listed here. Across all age-groups, she’s seeking: Fantasy/Science Fiction: High fantasy, low fantasy, cosy fantasy. Particularly interested in fantasy and SF inspired by underrepresented cultures with unique world-building. Romantasy is fine but the fantasy elements MUST be strong! Horror: Psychological and paranormal horror in particular but will consider slashers. Kesia loves gothic horror and is not generally fazed by gory content. Thrillers: Upmarket thrillers with a unique spin. Loves plot twists! Historical: Open to everything with a strong hook and informed by excellent research. Would love to find non-Eurocentric historical fiction. For adult fiction only, she’s seeking: Bookclub/women’s fiction: Voice-driven, high-concept novels across these categories. Romance: Upmarket romance with a great one-line pitch. Happy with spice. For adult non-fiction, she’s interested in accessible political, cultural or historical topics with broad appeal. Please don’t self-reject – if you are unsure about whether your story might be a good fit, Kesia would rather see it. In one single word document, Kesia 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, whichever is shorter. (In addition to the paid sessions, Kesia 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 17th March 2025

Overview The medieval era produced many great creations of literature. Learn about these beautiful works and deepen your understanding of the world of literature with our Medieval Literature Essentials course. This course will help you dive deeper into the masterpieces.  The course will help you explore the great works of the medieval era. Here, you will get a deeper understanding of Beowulf. Then, the course will discuss the famous women writers of that time. After that, the course will provide you with an in-depth understanding of different types of literary works such as 'Romance of Rose', 'The Tale of Genji' and others. You will also get the chance to decode the works of Dante and Chaucer.  After the completion of the course, you will receive a certificate of achievement. This certificate will help you pursue a career in the relevant industry. Join now! Course Preview Learning Outcomes Receive an overall understanding of medieval literature Enhance your understanding of the epic Beowulf Learn about the medieval women writers and their works Deepen your understanding of the 'Romance of Rose', 'The Tale of Genji' and other famous works Understand the works of Dante and Chaucer Why Take This Course From John Academy? Affordable, well-structured and high-quality e-learning study materials Engaging tutorial videos, materials from the industry-leading experts Opportunity to study in a user-friendly, advanced online learning platform Efficient exam systems for the assessment and instant result Earn UK & internationally recognised accredited qualification Easily access the course content on mobile, tablet, or desktop from anywhere, anytime Excellent career advancement opportunities Get 24/7 student support via email. What Skills Will You Learn from This Course?  Medieval Literature Knowledge Who Should Take This Medieval Literature Essentials Course? Whether you're an existing practitioner or an aspiring professional, this course is an ideal training opportunity. It will elevate your expertise and boost your CV with key skills and a recognised qualification attesting to your knowledge. Are There Any Entry Requirements? This Medieval Literature Essentials course is available to all learners of all academic backgrounds. But learners should be aged 16 or over to undertake the qualification. And a good understanding of the English language, numeracy, and ICT will be helpful. Certificate of Achievement After completing this course successfully, you will be able to obtain an Accredited Certificate of Achievement. Certificates & Transcripts can be obtained either in Hardcopy at £14.99 or in PDF format at £11.99. Career Path​ This exclusive Medieval Literature Essentials course will equip you with effective skills and abilities and help you explore career paths such as  Teacher Professor Author Editor Module 01: Introduction to Mediaeval Literature Introduction to Mediaeval Literature 00:13:00 Module 02: Beowulf Beowulf 00:12:00 Module 03: Chrétien de Troyes Chrétien de Troyes 00:10:00 Module 04: Mediaeval Women Writers Mediaeval Women Writers 00:17:00 Module 05: The Romance of the Rose The Romance of the Rose 00:14:00 Module 06: The Tale of Genji The Tale of Genji 00:13:00 Module 07: Norse Sagas Norse Sagas 00:14:00 Module 08: Dante Alighieri Dante Alighieri 00:13:00 Module 09: Pearl and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Pearl and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight 00:17:00 Module 10: Geoffrey Chaucer Geoffrey Chaucer 00:12:00 Certificate and Transcript Order Your Certificates and Transcripts 00:00:00