diff --git a/foodie_utils.py b/foodie_utils.py
index 37359f7..7935c2a 100644
--- a/foodie_utils.py
+++ b/foodie_utils.py
@@ -1151,21 +1151,11 @@ def select_best_author(content, interest_score):
         logging.error(f"Error in select_best_author: {e}")
         return random.choice([author["username"] for author in AUTHORS])
 
-def check_rate_limit(response):
-    """Extract rate limit information from Twitter API response headers."""
-    try:
-        remaining = int(response.get('x-rate-limit-remaining', 0))
-        reset = int(response.get('x-rate-limit-reset', 0))
-        return remaining, reset
-    except (ValueError, TypeError) as e:
-        logging.warning(f"Failed to parse rate limit headers: {e}")
-        return None, None
-
 def check_author_rate_limit(author, max_tweets=17, tweet_window_seconds=86400):
     """
     Check if an author is rate-limited for tweets using real-time X API v2 data.
     Returns (can_post, remaining, reset_timestamp) where can_post is True if tweets are available.
-    Caches API results in memory for 1 minute.
+    Caches API results in memory for 5 minutes.
     Falls back to rate_limit_info.json or assumes 1 tweet remaining if API fails.
     """
     logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
@@ -1177,7 +1167,7 @@ def check_author_rate_limit(author, max_tweets=17, tweet_window_seconds=86400):
         check_author_rate_limit.cache = {}
     
     username = author['username']
-    cache_key = f"{username}_{int(current_time // 60)}"  # Cache for 1 minute
+    cache_key = f"{username}_{int(current_time // 300)}"  # Cache for 5 minutes
     
     if cache_key in check_author_rate_limit.cache:
         remaining, reset = check_author_rate_limit.cache[cache_key]
@@ -1215,19 +1205,31 @@ def check_author_rate_limit(author, max_tweets=17, tweet_window_seconds=86400):
 def get_next_author_round_robin():
     """
     Select the next author using round-robin, respecting real-time X API rate limits.
-    Returns None if no author is available.
+    Persists the last selected author index to ensure fair rotation across runs.
+    Returns an author dict or None if no authors are available.
     """
-    from foodie_config import AUTHORS
-    global round_robin_index
     logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+    state_file = '/home/shane/foodie_automator/author_state.json'
     
-    for _ in range(len(AUTHORS)):
-        author = AUTHORS[round_robin_index % len(AUTHORS)]
-        round_robin_index = (round_robin_index + 1) % len(AUTHORS)
-        
-        if not check_author_rate_limit(author):
-            logger.info(f"Selected author via round-robin: {author['username']}")
+    # Load or initialize state
+    state = load_json_file(state_file, default={'last_author_index': -1})
+    last_index = state.get('last_author_index', -1)
+    
+    # Try each author, starting from the next one after last_index
+    for i in range(len(AUTHORS)):
+        index = (last_index + 1 + i) % len(AUTHORS)
+        author = AUTHORS[index]
+        username = author['username']
+        can_post, remaining, reset = check_author_rate_limit(author)
+        if can_post:
+            # Update state with the selected author index
+            state['last_author_index'] = index
+            save_json_file(state_file, state)
+            logger.info(f"Selected author {username} with {remaining}/17 tweets remaining")
             return author
+        else:
+            reset_time = datetime.fromtimestamp(reset, tz=timezone.utc).strftime('%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S')
+            logger.info(f"Author {username} is rate-limited. Remaining: {remaining}, Reset at: {reset_time}")
     
     logger.warning("No authors available due to tweet rate limits.")
     return None
@@ -1278,7 +1280,7 @@ def get_x_rate_limit_status(author):
             logger.info(f"Rate limit exceeded for {username}: {remaining} remaining, reset at {datetime.fromtimestamp(reset, tz=timezone.utc)}")
         elif response.status_code == 403:
             # Forbidden (e.g., account restrictions), but headers may still provide rate limit info
-            logger.warning(f"403 Forbidden for {username}, but rate limit info available: {remaining} remaining, reset at {datetime.fromtimestamp(reset, tz=timezone.utc)}")
+            logger.warning(f"403 Forbidden for {username}: {response.text}, rate limit info: {remaining} remaining, reset at {datetime.fromtimestamp(reset, tz=timezone.utc)}")
         else:
             logger.error(f"Unexpected response for {username}: {response.status_code} - {response.text}")
             return None, None