Literary prize hopefuls booked up for festival dates

Five of the authors on the long list for the 2011 Man Booker Prize for Fiction will be attending the Edinburgh International Book Festival this August, it has emerged.

Alan Hollinghurst, Sebastian Barry, Carol Birch, Stephen Kelman and AD Miller were among the nominees to make the long list, announced earlier this week.

They will be speaking about their novels at the Book Festival in Charlotte Square Gardens, which runs from August 13-29. Nick Barley, director of the Edinburgh International Book Festival, said: "The five authors who will be entertaining our audience in August are representative of the variety in the 2011 Man Booker Long List - which includes previous prize winners and debut authors.

"We are delighted that Sebastian Barry will be launching his nominated book, On Canaan's Side, in Edinburgh and two of the debut authors, Stephen K elman and AD Miller, will be participating in our Newton First Book Award, together with 45 other debut novelists."

Stella Rimington, chair of the panel of judges for the Man Booker Prize, will also be attending the Book Festival together with fellow judge Chris Mullin, who will be launching the third volume of his political diaries.

Tickets for all of the five nominated authors can be booked by logging on to www.edbookfest.co.uk or by calling the box office on 0845 373 5888.