diff --git a/orm/author.py b/orm/author.py
index f2ea7856..ab2e7558 100644
--- a/orm/author.py
+++ b/orm/author.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import time
+import asyncio
 
 from sqlalchemy import JSON, Boolean, Column, ForeignKey, Integer, String
 from sqlalchemy import event, select
@@ -46,9 +47,9 @@ class Author(Base):
 
 @event.listens_for(Author, "after_insert")
 @event.listens_for(Author, "after_update")
-async def after_author_update(mapper, connection, target):
+def after_author_update(mapper, connection, target):
     redis_key = f"user:{target.user}:author"
-    await redis.execute("HSET", redis_key, **vars(target))
+    asyncio.create_task(redis.execute("HSET", redis_key, **vars(target)))
 
 
 async def update_follows_for_user(connection, user_id, entity_type, entity, is_insert):
@@ -74,14 +75,13 @@ async def update_follows_for_user(connection, user_id, entity_type, entity, is_i
 
 
 async def handle_author_follower_change(connection, author_id, follower_id, is_insert):
-    author = connection.execute(select(Author).filter(Author.id == author_id)).first()
-    follower = connection.execute(
-        select(Author).filter(Author.id == follower_id)
-    ).first()
-    if follower and author:
-        await update_follows_for_user(
-            connection, follower.user, "author", author, is_insert
-        )
+    async with connection.begin() as conn:
+        author = await conn.execute(select(Author).filter(Author.id == author_id)).first()
+        follower = await conn.execute(select(Author).filter(Author.id == follower_id)).first()
+        if follower and author:
+            await update_follows_for_user(
+                connection, follower.user, "author", author, is_insert
+            )
 
 
 async def handle_topic_follower_change(connection, topic_id, follower_id, is_insert):
@@ -96,24 +96,24 @@ async def handle_topic_follower_change(connection, topic_id, follower_id, is_ins
 
 
 @event.listens_for(TopicFollower, "after_insert")
-async def after_topic_follower_insert(mapper, connection, target):
-    await handle_topic_follower_change(connection, target.topic, target.follower, True)
+def after_topic_follower_insert(mapper, connection, target):
+    asyncio.create_task(handle_topic_follower_change(connection, target.topic, target.follower, True))
 
 
 @event.listens_for(TopicFollower, "after_delete")
-async def after_topic_follower_delete(mapper, connection, target):
-    await handle_topic_follower_change(connection, target.topic, target.follower, False)
+def after_topic_follower_delete(mapper, connection, target):
+    asyncio.create_task(handle_topic_follower_change(connection, target.topic, target.follower, False))
 
 
 @event.listens_for(AuthorFollower, "after_insert")
-async def after_author_follower_insert(mapper, connection, target):
-    await handle_author_follower_change(
+def after_author_follower_insert(mapper, connection, target):
+    asyncio.create_task(handle_author_follower_change(
         connection, target.author, target.follower, True
-    )
+    ))
 
 
 @event.listens_for(AuthorFollower, "after_delete")
-async def after_author_follower_delete(mapper, connection, target):
-    await handle_author_follower_change(
+def after_author_follower_delete(mapper, connection, target):
+    asyncio.create_task(handle_author_follower_change(
         connection, target.author, target.follower, False
-    )
+    ))