The finalists for the Melbourne Prize for Literature have been announced.

[[email_logo_medium]] The annual Melbourne Prize runs on a three-year awards cycle, alternating between books, music and urban sculpture. 2012 sees the focus return once again to literature and the finalists in the two categories have been announced - The Melbourne Prize for Literature, which awards $60 000 to a Victorian writer for an ‘outstanding contribution to Australian literature’ and The Best Writing Award, which presents $30 000 to a Victorian writer for an outstanding work across all genres.

Judges this year are Brian Matthews, Hannie Rayson, Christos Tsiolkas, Michael Williams and our very own Mark Rubbo, and the full shortlists are as follows:

The Melbourne Prize for Literature

• Alison Lester
• Robert Manne
• Alex Miller
• Joanna Murray-Smith
• Peter Temple

The Best Writing Award

• Blood by Tony Birch
  
• Piano Lessons by Anna Goldsworthy
  
• The Children of the King by Sonya Hartnett
  
• How to Make Gravy by Paul Kelly
  
• The Cook by Wayne Macauley
  
• Outside by David McCooey
  
• Past the Shallows by Favel Parrett
  
• The Amateur Science of Love by Craig Sherborne
  
• Mateship with Birds by Carrie Tiffany
  
• The English Class by Ouyang Yu
  

All the finalists are in the running to win the $5000 Civic Choice Award, as voted by the public, of which Readings is thrilled to be a sponsor, along with Hardie Grant Books. Vote for your favourite

The winners will be announced on November 7.