YALC ticket sales soar 11%

Ticket sales for the Young Adult Literature Convention (YALC) this weekend have soared 11% compared to last year, according to the organisers.

Saturday tickets have sold out and the number of tickets sold for the Sunday have also increased compared to 2017. In addition, the amount of weekend tickets sold has increased, suggesting people are now committing to coming for the whole weekend rather than just a day, the planning team told The Bookseller.

YALC is returning to London Film & Comic Con for its fifth year and is welcoming speakers such as Frances Hardinge, Lauren James, Louise O’Neill, Melinda Salisbury, Simon James Green, Sally Nicholls, Muhammed Khan, Alice Oseman, Deidre Sullivan and Sally Green.

Highlights include an in-conversation event with Juno Dawson and Melvin Burgess, whose new YA, The Lost Witch, is published this year by Andersen Press, and an appearance from Tom Fletcher and Giovanna Fletcher, who will talk about their latest YA Eve of Man (Penguin Random House Children’s).

Authors Tomi Adeyemi and Dhonielle Clayton are coming over from the US and panel events will touch on friendship, the centenary of the Women’s vote and writing with political intent.

YALC was launched by BookTrust and Malorie Blackman in 2013 and is now a permanent part of London Film & Comic Con, which is run by Showmasters. This year's event is taking place 27-29th July and some tickets are still available online.

Showmasters said: “London Film & Comic Con is the biggest event of the year for us, and having YALC so much a part of it is testament to the wonderful YA community. We have loved bringing YA to life through LFCC and look forward to seeing YALC being very much a part of our event for many more years to come.”