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November 1 is Author Day - a celebration of the writers of great fiction from around the world.

The event was originally set up in 1928 when Nellie Verne Burt McPherson, president of the Bement, Illinois Women's Club had an idea of setting aside a day to celebrate American authors.

She was inspired when recovering from an illness during World War I. She wrote a fan letter to fiction writer, Irving Bacheller, telling him how much she enjoyed reading his story Eben Holden's Last Day A' Fishin.

Its place in the calendar was fully recognised in 1949 when the US Department of Commerce declared it an official day of observance.

Since then the annual event focuses on writers, particularly from America, and their contribution to the written word.

How well do you know your Melvilles from you Murakamis? We've put together this quiz to test your knowledge: