A Willesden Green author's tale of a young girl's journey from the Caribbean has been nominated for an award.

Yvonne Bailey-Smith's book The Day I Fell Off My Island has been shortlisted for the Authors' Club's Best First Novel Award.

Mum to three hugely successful children – author Zadie Smith, actor Ben Bailey Smith and rapper and writer Luc Skyz – Yvonne said it felt "well cool to be on a shortlist".

The story follows Erna Mullings, a teenage Jamaican girl uprooted from her island following the sudden death of her beloved grandmother.

Erna is sent to England to be reunited with her siblings, but she dreads leaving behind her elderly grandfather and the only life she has ever known.

Yvonne said: "I am really thrilled that the book has been recognised in this way.

"I feel I'm with excellent company as so many fantastic books have been written over the past couple of years.

"For every older person out there who believes they have a book waiting to get out, go ahead and write it because dreams can really come true."