Blackman and Hardinge to appear at YALC

Malorie Blackman and Frances Hardinge are amongst the authors lined up to appear at this year’s Young Adult Literature Convention (YALC) in July.

Blackman, who set up the first YALC as children’s laureate in 2015, and Hardinge, winner of this year's Costa Book of the Year, will both speak at the event, which is part of London Film and Comic Con, run by Showmasters, which is taking place 28th-31st July.

Also confirmed to take part are US YA authors David Levithan, Nina LaCour and Maggie Stiefvater, as well as radio presenter and author Simon Mayo and two authors on the shortlists for the YA Book Prize 2016 and the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize 2016 - Melinda Salisbury and Lisa Williamson.

Other authors who will appear at this year's event are debut YA author Alwyn Hamilton and Melvin Burgess, whose YA bestseller Junk (Andersen Press) is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year.

Tickets for the event, which is supported by Book Trust and Waterstones, are now available online.

More author names, and full details of the programme, will be announced in due course.