TORONTO -- Renowned writers Margaret Atwood, Thomas King and Dionne Brand are among the finalists for this year's $20,000 Trillium Book Award.

Atwood made the cut for "Stone Mattress" (McClelland & Stewart), a collection of short stories.

King is on the list with the novel "The Back of the Turtle" (HarperCollins Publishers), which won a Governor General's Literary Award.

And Brand is a contender with the novel "Love Enough" (Knopf Canada).

Six English and five French books have been shortlisted for the prize, which was established by the Ontario government in 1987.

The other English finalists are Kate Cayley for "How You Were Born" (Pedlar Press), James King for "Old Masters" (Cormorant Books) and Edmund Metatawabin with Alexandra Shimo for "Up Ghost River" (Knopf Canada).

Three titles are also finalists for the Trillium Book Award for Poetry in English language.

The short list for the Trillium Book Award for Children's Literature in French language also has three titles.

The winners will be announced on June 17 in Toronto.