Penguin Random House UK

Why I Started Playing Padel I (like many others) have fallen in love with playing padel over the past year or so. I appreciate that not everyone has access to the sport yet and my hope is that this will change in the coming years as more courts get built to meet demand and, hopefully, that will drive costs down and mean that more people can access this wonderful sport. Some of the reasons I play: 1. It is fun! I absolutely love playing. Although I know that the sport is good for my brain and body, the main reason I play is because I love it 2. I am learning a new skill which I know is exceptionally good for my brain. 3. It is a bit like physical chess: lots of strategy and tactics to learn which I find stimulating and rewarding. 4. Sociality is built in to the fabric of the game. You pretty much always play doubles and it is a great way of meeting new people. In my opinion, it is no coincidence that padel is blowing up in the middle of a loneliness epidemic. A few days ago, I was down in London for some work and managed to squeeze in playing at a brand new venue House of Racquet - after playing, I had a lovely catch up with the incredible Lauren van der Westhuizen - this lady is doing incredible things. She used to be a lawyer struggling with burnout and playing padel is what saved her. She has opened the first female founded padel club in the country ( House of Racquet ) and is working hard to make this sport more accessible to all. She also very kindly arranged for me to have a lesson with the wonderful One Bounce whilst I was at her club. Have you ever tried playing before? And if you have not played yet, what are the obstacles? Price? Access? And even if padel is not for you, is there something in your life that you also do because you love it? Remember, people who regularly do things that they love are more resilient to stress!! Let me know your thoughts below

Yesterday, on tube strike day, I attended a HotTopics Studio at Abbey Road. Tube strikes made travel a genuine concern. But I wake, get out of bed and Here Comes the Sun! And a train! One Ticket To Ride and I’m at Marylebone which just meant a walk up a Long and Winding Road to the event. A little worried about how I’d Get Back but for now, I Feel Fine. In My Life I go to many events, but the Hot Topics events stand out, so thanks Doug Drinkwater and Peter Stojanovic , brilliant hosts as always. Of course, AI was Here, There and Everywhere. For a data and AI themed day, it was interesting how often we ended up talking about people. Most attendees called people out as the biggest barrier to AI adoption. There was a strong focus on comms and how to ensure the cascade works from Amit Thawani at Lloyds because we all have to Come Together to start a Revolution. It’s not enough to send transformation messages From Me to You, you need to get out and ensure they land. Dee Houchen and Leanne Kim Fitzpatrick echoed the comms points in a later panel interaction. They were sure We Can Work It Out but were concerned over how often vital comms roles are cut from project business cases. A great question on whether agents appear on the org chart as they start to perform tasks and roles. We really need to define trust, decision accountabilities and a RACI that includes people and agents. At this pace of change, we’ll end up saying I Should Have Known Better, but it’ll be too late. We are for sure in a Helter Skelter period of innovation, with tech moving faster than most of us can keep up. It’s hard enough to work out today, and Tomorrow Never Knows! Abbey Road was a fabulous venue, though at a session after lunch the panel struggled to hear questions, leaving audience members to Twist and Shout to be heard. I need to call out Ffion Waddon who did her best to ensure I could attend and has stuck with me despite being a Nowhere Man right now. She even got me a studio to attend a job interview call in the afternoon – live from Abbey Road! Thanks for keeping me company Helen Blaikie , good to see you again. It’s been a busy and thought-provoking Hard Day’s Night. For this aspiring Paperback Writer, it was time to Let It Be and head home to the keyboard to keep writing…

So excited to be doing my first ever panel next month, especially with such a brilliant Somali-led creative platform! 🎉

💫 It is with great excitement I share that Dottie are now looking for an Account Manager to support sales as the list grows. Further information about the role is below, but feel free to email me with any questions, or to share your cv and a brief bit about you. Please do also share with anyone you think may be interested and a good fit. alice@dottiepublishing.com | dottiepublishing.com - Job Title: Freelance Account Manager Company: Dottie Publishing Location: Remote (UK-based preferred) Contract Type: Freelance (Day Rate + Commission) About Dottie Publishing Dottie Publishing is an independent children’s publisher dedicated to creating beautifully crafted, imaginative, and meaningful books for young readers. With a growing list we are looking to expand our reach across both traditional and non-traditional sales channels. The Role We are seeking an experienced Account Manager to drive sales growth by representing our list across trade and non-trade. This is a hands-on, commercially focused role ideal for someone with strong industry relationships and a proven track record in book sales. Key Responsibilities 📚 Sell Dottie’s list into trade accounts (bookshops, chains, wholesalers, online retailers) 📚 Develop and grow non-trade channels (gift stores, museums, schools, subscription boxes, and other relevant outlets) 📚 Manage and nurture key account relationships, identifying opportunities for growth 📚 Present new titles and seasonal lists to buyers 📚Collaborate with the internal team on strategy, marketing opportunities, and product positioning Skills & Experience 💫 Proven experience in book sales or publishing, ideally within children’s titles 💫 Strong network of contacts across UK trade and/or non-trade channels 💫 Excellent communication, negotiation, and presentation skills 💫 Self-motivated and able to work independently 💫 Commercially astute with a strong understanding of the UK book market Contract & Compensation 🤩 Freelance contract with competitive day rate 🤩 Commission structure based on sales performance 🤩 Flexible working arrangements 🤩 Opportunity to work closely with a growing independent publisher with a distinctive list