diff --git a/bookwyrm/connectors/abstract_connector.py b/bookwyrm/connectors/abstract_connector.py
index 5afd10897..86ac74353 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/connectors/abstract_connector.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/connectors/abstract_connector.py
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ class AbstractConnector(AbstractMinimalConnector):
         for author in self.get_authors_from_data(edition_data):
             edition.authors.add(author)
         if not edition.authors.exists() and work.authors.exists():
-            edition.authors.add(work.authors.all())
+            edition.authors.set(work.authors.all())
 
         return edition
 
diff --git a/bookwyrm/connectors/openlibrary.py b/bookwyrm/connectors/openlibrary.py
index 74f76668c..3b60c3073 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/connectors/openlibrary.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/connectors/openlibrary.py
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ def pick_default_edition(options):
     if len(options) == 1:
         return options[0]
 
-    options = [e for e in options if e.get('cover')] or options
+    options = [e for e in options if e.get('covers')] or options
     options = [e for e in options if \
         '/languages/eng' in str(e.get('languages'))] or options
     formats = ['paperback', 'hardcover', 'mass market paperback']
diff --git a/bookwyrm/connectors/self_connector.py b/bookwyrm/connectors/self_connector.py
index 80d3a67d9..8d31c8a1a 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/connectors/self_connector.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/connectors/self_connector.py
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ class Connector(AbstractConnector):
         that gets implemented it will totally rule '''
         vector = SearchVector('title', weight='A') +\
             SearchVector('subtitle', weight='B') +\
-            SearchVector('author_text', weight='C') +\
+            SearchVector('authors__name', weight='C') +\
             SearchVector('isbn_13', weight='A') +\
             SearchVector('isbn_10', weight='A') +\
             SearchVector('openlibrary_key', weight='C') +\
diff --git a/bookwyrm/migrations/0028_remove_book_author_text.py b/bookwyrm/migrations/0028_remove_book_author_text.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..8743c910d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bookwyrm/migrations/0028_remove_book_author_text.py
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+# Generated by Django 3.0.7 on 2020-12-21 19:57
+
+from django.db import migrations
+
+
+class Migration(migrations.Migration):
+
+    dependencies = [
+        ('bookwyrm', '0027_auto_20201220_2007'),
+    ]
+
+    operations = [
+        migrations.RemoveField(
+            model_name='book',
+            name='author_text',
+        ),
+    ]
diff --git a/bookwyrm/models/author.py b/bookwyrm/models/author.py
index 911cc109d..a2eac507b 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/models/author.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/models/author.py
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ class Author(ActivitypubMixin, BookWyrmModel):
     # idk probably other keys would be useful here?
     born = fields.DateTimeField(blank=True, null=True)
     died = fields.DateTimeField(blank=True, null=True)
-    name = fields.CharField(max_length=255)
+    name = fields.CharField(max_length=255, deduplication_field=True)
     aliases = fields.ArrayField(
         models.CharField(max_length=255), blank=True, default=list
     )
diff --git a/bookwyrm/models/book.py b/bookwyrm/models/book.py
index 0a3265915..21311d6c4 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/models/book.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/models/book.py
@@ -51,7 +51,6 @@ class Book(ActivitypubMixin, BookWyrmModel):
     # TODO: include an annotation about the type of authorship (ie, translator)
     authors = fields.ManyToManyField('Author')
     # preformatted authorship string for search and easier display
-    author_text = models.CharField(max_length=255, blank=True, null=True)
     cover = fields.ImageField(
         upload_to='covers/', blank=True, null=True, alt_field='alt_text')
     first_published_date = fields.DateTimeField(blank=True, null=True)
@@ -59,6 +58,11 @@ class Book(ActivitypubMixin, BookWyrmModel):
 
     objects = InheritanceManager()
 
+    @property
+    def author_text(self):
+        ''' format a list of authors '''
+        return ', '.join(a.name for a in self.authors.all())
+
     @property
     def edition_info(self):
         ''' properties of this edition, as a string '''
diff --git a/bookwyrm/tests/connectors/test_openlibrary_connector.py b/bookwyrm/tests/connectors/test_openlibrary_connector.py
index b3d97ba31..e2d54cd36 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/tests/connectors/test_openlibrary_connector.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/tests/connectors/test_openlibrary_connector.py
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ class Openlibrary(TestCase):
 
     def test_pick_default_edition(self):
         edition = pick_default_edition(self.edition_list_data['entries'])
-        self.assertEqual(edition['key'], '/books/OL9952943M')
+        self.assertEqual(edition['key'], '/books/OL9788823M')
 
 
     def test_format_search_result(self):
diff --git a/bookwyrm/tests/connectors/test_self_connector.py b/bookwyrm/tests/connectors/test_self_connector.py
index 4627bc8c8..91857def0 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/tests/connectors/test_self_connector.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/tests/connectors/test_self_connector.py
@@ -25,12 +25,13 @@ class SelfConnector(TestCase):
         self.work = models.Work.objects.create(
             title='Example Work',
         )
+        author = models.Author.objects.create(name='Anonymous')
         self.edition = models.Edition.objects.create(
             title='Edition of Example Work',
-            author_text='Anonymous',
             published_date=datetime.datetime(1980, 5, 10, tzinfo=timezone.utc),
             parent_work=self.work,
         )
+        self.edition.authors.add(author)
         models.Edition.objects.create(
             title='Another Edition',
             parent_work=self.work,
@@ -41,11 +42,12 @@ class SelfConnector(TestCase):
             subtitle='The Anonymous Edition',
             parent_work=self.work,
         )
-        models.Edition.objects.create(
+
+        edition = models.Edition.objects.create(
             title='An Edition',
-            author_text='Fish',
             parent_work=self.work
         )
+        edition.authors.add(models.Author.objects.create(name='Fish'))
 
 
     def test_format_search_result(self):