LOOKING FOR: ADULT FICTION, NON-FICTION Donald Winchester began his publishing career at Penguin Press – working on a variety of non-fiction titles – before moving to A P Watt, then the world’s oldest literary agency. There he worked for five years with a number of acclaimed and prize-winning authors and began building a list of fiction and non-fiction for adults. He joined Watson, Little as an agent in 2013. Donald is building his list and is interested in literary fiction and well-written commercial fiction, particularly debut authors, as well as memoir. He is particularly interested in literary fiction which maintains a high level of prose, pushes boundaries of style, while retaining emotional heart and a sense of plot. He’s also looking for upmarket fiction which builds a fully-formed plot with a satisfying emotional arc, whether that be historical or contemporary – and the mixing of tropes from genre fiction (crime, sci-fi, romance, etc) also interest him. In non-fiction, he is keen to see writing on history, popular science, social issues, nature, music, sport, film and technology. In all these areas he’s looking for experts in their fields who can convey their expertise and enthusiasm to a wide audience in an appealing way. Donald would like you to submit a covering letter, 1 - 2 page synopsis and the first three chapters of your manuscript in a single word document. (In addition to the paid sessions, Donald 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 4th July 2025
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LOOKING FOR: MG / YA / ADULT FICTION & NON-FICTION Steven Evans is an Agent and the Company Manager at Eve White. He grew up in Newcastle upon Tyne and studied French & Italian at Queens’ College, Cambridge. After completing an MPhil in Comparative Film & Literature, Steven lived in Paris, where he worked as a university language assistant and a freelancer for various scouting agencies. He joined Eve White Literary Agency in 2021. Steven reads fiction and non-fiction of all kinds. The non-fiction books he loves most often shed light on under-represented perspectives, communities and histories, while in fiction he seeks novels which might explore new ideas, challenge the reader or play with style, form, character and/or plot. Above all, he likes writing which has a sense of purpose, and likes to be taken by surprise. Items on Steven's wish list might include: Fiction (Adult) : Crime/thriller – might be regional or with an unusual hook/high-concept. Might have a speculative element (think Stuart Turton). A spy thriller appeals. Cosy crime with an original setting/protagonist is also welcome. Literary fiction – worlds, characters, perspectives and histories which haven’t been written about before. Might be formally or stylistically innovative (but with a sense of purpose that links back to the story/characters). Historical fiction – themes and ideas relevant to our current moment are on the list. Might be revisionist. Romance – contemporary: either very heartfelt, cosy, perhaps with older characters. Or, spicy, funny, tapping into current trends. Horror – on the literary end, perhaps with a folk tale element. Fiction (YA) : Thrillers Romance Fiction (MG) : Fun, historical adventure exploring contemporary issues. Might be tied into the national curriculum, though without being didactic. Quirky detective/mystery series. Funny and warm-hearted family-/relationship-based drama with a strong voice. Non-fiction : Voice-driven narrative non-fiction ; memoir ; big ideas. Most of all, Steven just loves to be taken into a world and surprised by what he reads! Steven would like you to submit a short covering letter, 1 page synopsis and the first 5,000 words of your novel in a single Word document. (In addition to the paid sessions, Steven 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 3rd July 2025
QA Level 2 Award In Food Safety (Refresher) (RQF) Face to Face: Half day course Virtual Classroom: Spread over 2 sessions of 2½ hr duration Suitable for those who have previously done an Ofqual regulated course in Food Safety in Catering, for Retail and for Manufacturing Reminds learners about the importance of Food Safety and how to ensure food is safe for consumption Course Contents: Responsibilities of food handlers Types of contamination Causes of cross contamination Types of Contamination and the Associated Risks Keeping the work area and equipment clean and tidy Pest control Sources of food poisoning People at higher risk of food poisoning High risk foods Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) Personal hygiene in food safety Safe temperatures for food processing Food spoilage Storage and deliveries Benefits of this course: Businesses have a duty to their customers to produce food that is safe for consumption. There are one million cases of food poisoning in the UK each year. How much can you remember from when you did your original course? From our experience, people remember very little one year later - let alone longer than that The Food Standards Agency says that 'Food business operators are required by law, to ensure that food handlers receive appropriate supervision and instruction/training in food hygiene in line with their work activity and should enable them to handle food safely’. Our QA Level 2 Award in Food Safety (Refresher) (RQF) is a nationally accredited qualification especially suitable for people working in, or planning to work in, the food retail industry, and complies with the training regulations. Doing this Ofqual regulated, nationally accredited course ensures that nothing of importance is left out of your memory, and that you are able to produce or sell food that is fit for human consumption Accredited, Ofqual regulated qualification: Our Food Safety in Catering training course is a nationally recognised, Ofqual regulated qualification accredited by Qualsafe Awards. This means that you can be rest assured that your Food safety in Catering certificate fulfils the legal requirements and is a very good way to make sure your employees are trained in Food Safety. The Ofqual Register number for this course is 603/4311/4
LOOKING FOR: YA/NA FANTASY, SFF, HORROR, ADULT FICTION John Baker (he/him) joined the Bell Lomax Moreton agency in 2019, cultivating a list shaped around his passion for science fiction, fantasy, and horror, though has lately also branched out into action/adventure fiction. John focuses on authors writing in the Adult, New Adult, and YA spaces. John leads the wider agency's film & TV desk, is the Secretary of the Association of Author’s Agents, and the co-chair of the AAA’s Bridge Committee. He also serves on the Kingston University MA Publishing Advisory Board. Under the umbrella of speculative fiction, John is looking for fantasy, science fiction, horror, romantasy, or literary speculative fiction. He has built a reputation as a champion of underrepresented voices and stories, be it from creators hailing from the global majority and their diasporas or neurodiverse authors, and naturally gravitates towards this kind of storytelling. In short, if he’s never read a story like yours before, he wants to see it. Adult fantasy: John loves beefy epic fantasy, especially non-Anglo Christian-inspired. Give him an immersive world, a fresh magical or mythic system, and an exciting cast of characters and he’ll be happy. He is a broad church in the genre so loves a political fantasy, swords and sorcery, courtly intrigue, monster hunting and dastardly villains. John is keen to find an urban fantasy that feels fresh and fun and he’s a sucker for a heroic quest narrative. He’s also very open to fantasy that isn’t easily categorised, but it is playing in that world. John is keenly hunting for more historical fantasy, especially inspired by modern history. He’s had fun with mythological retellings in the past, but as ever, let’s make sure it’s shining the spotlight on new stories. He would also love fantasy that centres on types of relationships less celebrated in fantasy, such as established and secure married couples, or siblings. NA/YA fantasy: In this genre, most importantly, John wants to have a good time, whether it’s swoon-worthy kisses in lush ball gowns, or gruesome gore and monsters, so send him pacy, plot-filled adventures. He’d love more books that teenage boys would love: Skullduggery Pleasant forever! Romantasy: The thriving new romantasy genre comes with its own set of challenges, so John wants to know what makes your romantasy different; what will set it out from the (very crowded!) market. Give it completely barmy stakes, cool and unique new settings, or a love story that will make your jaw drop. To be clear, he’s happily sorted for a human person meets a fae creature in the spooky woods. Also, cosmic romance is the genre of the future. Give him romantasy in space. Easy. Horror: John and horror are old friends. He loves horror inspired by myth and folklore, subversive weird horror that leaves your eyebrows in your hairline, historical horror that pulls from ghastly true stories, and anything that you’ll be reading with the light on. He also loves a gothic element and is particularly looking for horror with a strong romantic throughline, fun YA horror, and female & NB horror authors. Science fiction: SF is coming back! And John has been shouting about that. He loves to see an adventurous found-family romp through space or an epic, crunchy space opera. Speculative near-future is fun too, in the vein of Black Mirror’s more uplifting episodes, (e.g. San Junipero). He loves YA science fiction as well; the more creative the better. Literary: John is open to finding more rich magical realism or something character-led yet supernatural and would love a high-concept mystery, in the vein of Stuart Turton. He also loves spec fic that uses the speculative lightly as a way of confronting a deeper truth in society today. Weird stuff: John wants books that will blow people’s minds and defy categorisation. This is hard to describe, but think Gideon The Ninth, The Library At Mount Char, This Is How You Lose The Time War. John loves a pitch that leaves the editors baffled but intrigued. Action/Adventure, Historical Adventure, Espionage: John is branching out into non-speculative adventures, such as John Le Carré, Lee Child, Ian Flemming, and Mick Herron. More as his taste develops, but the hunt is on! Not looking for: military sci-fi or hard SF, or anything with biblical “character wakes up in purgatory/heaven/hell” narratives. The right comedic fantasy has yet to hit his inbox, but please don’t comp Douglas Adams or Sir Terry. John would like you to submit a covering letter, 1-2 page synopsis and the first two chapters of your manuscript in a single word document. (In addition to the paid sessions, John 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 15th July 2025
Managing people and teams is consistently the biggest challenge raised by new managers (and even many experienced managers). This short 3-hour course is aimed at introducing new and existing supervisors and managers to key supervisory skills, allowing them to develop their competence as supervisors. The course covers: Understanding your role as a supervisor SRA obligations and competence expectations Setting expectations and effective delegation Monitoring progress and quality Managing performance in difficult situations Top tips for impactful feedback By the end of this course participants will have had an opportunity to consider their current skills; develop new skills; and think about further development needs. Target Audience This online course is aimed at managers, team leaders and other supervisors. Please note that this course does NOT meet the LAA requirements as a Supervisor Course. If you need a Legal Aid Supervisor course, then please check out our 6 hour 30 minutes Supervision & Managing Performance Course. Resources Course notes will be provided to all delegates which may be useful for ongoing reference or cascade training. Please note a recording of the course will not be made available. Speaker Matthew Howgate, Consultant, DG Legal Matt is a non-practising solicitor who has considerable experience in regulatory issues and advising on complex issues of compliance and ethics. He is also an expert in data protection, UK GDPR and on the civil legal aid scheme. Matthew is a lead trainer on and co-developed the LAPG Certificate in Practice Management (a training programme for legal managers and law firm owners) as well as regularly providing training on legal aid Supervision, costs maximisation, data protection and security and on general SRA compliance.
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 8th July 2025
CRRUK equips professionals with the concepts, skills and tools to build conscious, intentional relationships, and to coach relationship systems of any size.