AN AMERICAN author will link up with fans over Skype as she takes part in a question and answer session in York.

Madeline Miller will be talking about her Orange Prize-winning novel, The Song of Achilles, live from the East Coast of the US when she is beamed onto a big screen at Acomb Explore, next Thursday, from 7pm to 8pm.

The American writer is a classical specialist and her book is a very human retelling of the Ancient Greek tale of Achilles and his lover Patroclus, hero Hector and the siege of Troy.

The Song of Achilles was her first novel and was awarded the 2012 Orange Prize for Fiction, and was a New York Times bestseller. It has been translated into twenty-three languages including Dutch, Mandarin, Japanese, Turkish, Arabic and Greek.

Fiona Williams, chief executive of Explore York Libraries and Archives, said: “This is our first event by Skype and we are privileged that it is with such an amazing author. Using this technology opens up the whole world to us and we will be using it lots more in the future.”

Tickets cost £5 and can be bought from any Explore library.