POOLE author Frances Maynard, whose debut novel became a best-seller, has been shortlisted for the prestigious Society of Authors’ McKitterick Prize.

Her novel, The Seven Imperfect Rules of Elvira Carr, was published by Pan Macmillan last year and is due out in paperback on July 12.

It is an uplifting, story about the dilemmas faced by a young woman with a mental health condition after her powerful and controlling mother has a stroke and dies.

Elvira is suddenly forced to look after herself. Armed with Seven Imperfect Rules she’s put together and a love of biscuits, she tries to navigate a world full of people she doesn’t understand.

The McKitterick Prize is awarded annually to an author over 40 for a first novel. Previous winners have included Mark Haddon for The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time.

Five books are on this year’s shortlist, which the judges, authors Frances Fyfield, Abir Mukherjee and Aamer Hussein, described as ‘fabulous debut novels’. Frances Maynard’s novel was ‘a quiet, inspirational story’, they said.

Frances, who is also involved with teaching English part-time to adults with learning difficulties, is 65 and lives near Constitution Hill. She is married with one daughter and granddaughter.

‘I am honoured to be shortlisted,’ she said. ‘It is proof that it is never too late to get started on a dream.’

Her novel was short-listed for the Good Housekeeping First Novel 2014, Mslexia 2015 and Lucy Cavendish 2016 awards. It has also been published in the USA and Germany and the rights to publish it sold in Poland.

The Society of Authors’ awards will be presented by Stephen Fry on Thursday July 19.