An earlier post referred to 7 March as being the day when a number of eminent writers share a birthday.  It seems that a similar astrological alignment occurs  today, 24 August, as writers whose work we might admire of envy prepare to blow out the candles on their cake.  So let’s hear it for –

Alexander McCall Smith

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Ali Smith

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A S (Antonia Susan) Byatt

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Linton Kwesi Johnson

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Stephen Fry

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Paulo Coelho

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(Bonus marks if you’ve read any of their works.)