Edge Hill author at Manchester Literature Festival

This year's winner of the Edge Hill short story prize Chris Beckett will be reading from his book, The Turing Test, at The Manchester Literature Festival on Saturday 24 October.

He will be alongside James Lasdun, who won the first National Short Story Award in 2006.

Chris Beckett's collection, The Turing Test explores alien worlds, strange planets, genetic manipulation and virtual reality.

The event will be introduced by Edge Hill's Dr Ailsa Cox, a lecturer in Creative Writing and English, and co-ordinator of the University's short story prize.

The Manchester Literature Festival is built from the success of its predecessor, The Manchester Poetry Festival, celebrating writing across all creative and technological media.

The festival's cutting-edge programme of activities challenges the boundaries of what is traditionally understood to be a literature event aiming to promote internationalism, diversity and independence.

The reading will take place between 6-7.30pm at the Friends' Meeting House, Mount Street (just off Albert Square). Tickets are priced at £5.00, concessions £3.00.