Books for Life Live: Top Christian authors gather for Cheltenham's alternative literature festival

Pete Grieg is to speak at Books for Life Live in Cheltenham.

The Cheltenham Literature Festival is the UK's premier literary event, with authors from all around the world descending on the gracious Regency town at the foot of the Cotswolds each October.

This year, however, a specifically Christian event has been arranged to coincide with the Festival. It's the brainchild of Dr Krish Kandiah, whose 'Books for Life' initiative features monthly feature-length video interviews with Christian leaders who talk about three Christian books that have influenced them and why.

Now he's organised a live event, Books for Life Live, to take place on October 11 in the town's Trinity Church, known for its vibrant ministry and 1,000-strong congregation. Among the speakers lined up are Pete Grieg, author of God on Mute and Red Moon Rising. Grieg said: "If you're too busy to read a book then you probably are too busy, because you're going to truncate your own spiritual development and if you're too busy for that you're going to be a bonsai tree, you're going to be a mini-version of the person you were created to be. It's important to learn from others."

Also speaking are Dr Elaine Storkey, author of Scars Across Humanity, Dr Paula Gooder, author of Body: Biblical spirituality for the whole person, and Siku, the Marvel Comics graphic artist and author of the Lion Comic Book Hero Bible.

Other contributors include Justyn Rees Larcombe, Brian Draper and Michele Guiness.

Tickets for Books for Life Live are available here.