Chris Beckett, senior lecturer in social work at the Faculty of Health & Social Care has been short listed for the 2009 Edge Hill Short Story Prize. The annual prize, which was launched by Edge Hill University three years ago, is the only competition in the UK for the best short story collection by a single author. The prize is co-sponsored by Blackwell's bookshop.

The short listed author's were announced on 5 May at the Writing on the Wall Festival in Liverpool. Competing for the £5,000 first prize along side Chris's entry (The Turning Test) are Gerard Donovan - Country of the Grand, Anne Enright - Yesterday's Weather, Shena Mackay - The Atmospheric Railway and Ali Smith - The First Person and Other Stories.

This year's judges are James Walton, journalist and chair of BBC Radio 4's The Write Stuff; Claire Keegan, last year's winner of the Prize and Mark Flynn, Vice Chancellor of Edge Hill University

James Walton, Chair of the judges, commented:

'I'm delighted to be judging the Edge Hill Short Story Prize, especially at a time when short stories are making such a comeback - as you can see from all the distinguished writers on the shortlist.'

The winning author will be presented with the £5,000 prize at the Bluecoat, Liverpool on 4 July.

The second prize winner and the readers' prize will also receive £1,000 each. The readers' prize is judged primarily by Get into Reading, an organisation that gives people who might not normally think of joining a reading group a chance to enjoy stories and poems together