THREE of the region’s authors could go head-to-head in a battle to win the Carnegie Medal after nominations were announced for the literary award.

North Yorkshire writer Ali Lewis has made the longlist for her debut coming-of-age novel, Everybody Jam, while former children’s laureate Anne Fine is in the running to become the first author to win the accolade three times after being longlisted for The Devil Walks.

Award-winning Northumberland writer David Almond, who has previously won the medal, has also been longlisted for My Name is Mina.

The award was established as a legacy to Scottish philanthropist and steel magnate Andrew Carnegie, who set up more than 2,800 free libraries.

It is awarded by the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals and judged by children’s librarians.

The winner receives a gold medal and £500 worth of books to donate to a library of their choice.

Ms Lewis, from Thirlby, near Thirsk, North Yorkshire, said she was delighted.

“I am over the moon,” she said. “When I was sitting in a cold shed in the depths of winter, writing, not even knowing if it would get published, I never dreamed this would possibly happen. It is the icing on the cake.”

The former Northern Echo journalist, now working on her second novel, which is also aimed at teenagers, has also been shortlisted North- East Teenage Book Awards, and longlisted for the UKLA Children’s Book Award 2012 and the Coventry Inspiration Award.

Ms Fine, who lives in Barnard Castle, County Durham, has won the award twice, been highly commended three times, shortlisted a further twice and long-listed numerous times.

She said the award meant a great deal to her and highlighted the need to maintain public libraries.

“Without libraries, I would not be able to do what I do. All my books as a child came from libraries,” she said. “My local library in Northampton was a Carnegie library.

The shortlist will be announced in March and the winners in June.