Diana Athill to interview Alice Munro at Toronto authors festival

Beloved Canadian short story writer Alice Munro will launch her new collection, Too Much Happiness, at the International Festival of Authors in Toronto this October.

The event brings together two acclaimed veterans of the writing world Munro, 77, will be interviewed by British novelist and memoirist Diana Athill, 91.

The appearance is Munro's only stage interview this fall, according to organizers. CBC personality Bill Richardson will lead the discussion, which is part of the opening night gala by writers' freedom organization Pen Canada.

Munro, a three-time winner of the Governor General's Literary Award for her tender depictions of women's lives, was also awarded the Man Booker Prize in 2009 for lifetime achievement.

Athill, author of Stet and Somewhere Towards the End, also plans to launch a book at the annual festival. Life Class is a collection of four of her memoirs.

Athill worked with some of the most important writers of the 20th century, including Philip Roth, Norman Mailer and Mordecai Richler as editor of the small, influential U.K. publishing house owned by Andr Deutsche (now part of Carlton Publishing).

The IFOA includes readings, panel discussions and interviews with writers from around the world.

Canadian authors to appear include:

• Margaret Atwood.
• Barry Callaghan.
• Anne Michaels.
• Miriam Toews.
• Leon Rooke.

The event includes poetry, crime fiction from Linwood Barclay and a memoir from international recording star Anne Murray.

Eoin Colfer will present the 6th installment in Douglas Adams' Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

Among the writers bringing new works:

• John Irving.
• Nicholson Baker.
• Tash Aw.
• Paul Theroux.
• Sarah Waters.

IFOA takes place October 21-31 at at Harbourfront Centre in Toronto.