diff --git a/.github/workflows/tests.yaml b/.github/workflows/tests.yaml
index 2cab57e..5753f07 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/tests.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/tests.yaml
@@ -23,10 +23,10 @@ jobs:
 
     steps:
       - name: Checkout
-        uses: actions/checkout@v3
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
 
       - name: Prepare java
-        uses: actions/setup-java@v3.5.0
+        uses: actions/setup-java@v4.5.0
         with:
           distribution: 'adopt'
           java-version: '11'
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Install clojure tools-deps
         uses: DeLaGuardo/setup-clojure@master
         with:
-          lein: 2.9.10
+          lein: 2.11.2
 
       - name: Execute clojure code
         run: lein test
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 8041cc9..3ac30e4 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -1,51 +1,108 @@
 # pg-embedded-clj
 
-Embedded postgres for clojure - based on https://github.com/zonkyio/embedded-postgres
+A Clojure library that provides embedded PostgreSQL for testing and development purposes. Based on [zonkyio/embedded-postgres](https://github.com/zonkyio/embedded-postgres), this library makes it easy to spin up and tear down PostgreSQL instances in your Clojure applications.
+
+[![Clojars Project](https://img.shields.io/clojars/v/org.clojars.bigsy/pg-embedded-clj.svg)](https://clojars.org/org.clojars.bigsy/pg-embedded-clj)
+
+## Features
+
+- Simple API for starting and stopping PostgreSQL instances
+- Configurable port and logging options
+- Support for different PostgreSQL versions and architectures
+- Perfect for integration testing and local development
+- Automatic cleanup of resources
+
+## Installation
+
+Add the following dependency to your `project.clj`:
+
+```clojure
+[org.clojars.bigsy/pg-embedded-clj "latest-version"]
+```
+
+## PostgreSQL Version Configuration
+
+By default, this library uses the standard Zonky PostgreSQL version. For most use cases, this default version is sufficient.
+
+To use a specific PostgreSQL version or architecture, include an additional dependency from [zonky-postgres-binaries](https://mvnrepository.com/artifact/io.zonky.test.postgres). For example:
+
+```clojure
+;; For PostgreSQL 17 on Apple Silicon
+[io.zonky.test.postgres/embedded-postgres-binaries-darwin-arm64v8 "17.0.0"]
+```
 
 ## Usage
 
-[![Clojars Project](https://img.shields.io/clojars/v/org.clojars.bigsy/pg-embedded-clj.svg)](https://clojars.org/org.clojars.bigsy/pg-embedded-clj)
-### Development:
+### Development Mode
 
 ```clojure
-(require 'pg-embedded-clj.core)
+(require '[pg-embedded-clj.core :refer :all])
 
-;; Start an embedded pg with default port:
+;; Start PostgreSQL with default settings (port 5432)
 (init-pg)
 
-;; another call will halt the previous system:
-(init-pg)
+;; Start PostgreSQL with custom configuration
+(init-pg {:port 5433
+         :log-redirect "postgres.log"})
 
-;; When you're done:
+;; Stop the PostgreSQL instance
 (halt-pg!)
 ```
 
-### Testing:
+### Testing
 
-**NOTE**: these will halt running pg-embedded instances
+The library provides convenient fixtures for integration testing:
 
 ```clojure
-(require 'clojure.test)
+(ns your-test-namespace
+  (:require [clojure.test :refer :all]
+            [pg-embedded-clj.core :refer [with-pg-fn default-config]]))
 
-(use-fixtures :once with-pg-fn)
-
-(defn around-all
+;; Using the fixture with custom configuration
+(defn test-fixture
   [f]
   (with-pg-fn (merge default-config
-                           {:port 54321
-                           :log-redirect "wibble.log"})
-                    f))
+                     {:port 54321
+                      :log-redirect "test.log"})
+              f))
+
+(use-fixtures :once test-fixture)
+
+;; Your tests here
+(deftest your-integration-test
+  (testing "Database operations"
+    ;; Your test code here
+    ))
+
+;; For ad-hoc testing blocks
+(deftest another-test
+  (with-pg default-config
+    ;; Your test code here
+    ))
+```
 
-(use-fixtures :once around-all)
+## Configuration Options
 
-;;; You can also wrap ad-hoc code in init/halt:
-(with-pg default-config
-	,,, :do-something ,,,)
+The following configuration options are available:
+
+```clojure
+{:port 5432          ; PostgreSQL port (default: 5432)
+ :log-redirect nil   ; Log file path (default: nil for no logging)
+ :data-dir nil}      ; Custom data directory (optional)
 ```
 
-### Other useful clojure wrapped embedded testing libs
-* https://github.com/Bigsy/dynamo-embedded-clj
-* https://github.com/Bigsy/redis-embedded-clj
-* https://github.com/Bigsy/s3-clj
-* https://github.com/Bigsy/elasticmq-clj
-* https://github.com/Bigsy/sns-clj
\ No newline at end of file
+## Related Libraries
+
+Check out these other useful embedded testing libraries for Clojure:
+
+* [dynamo-embedded-clj](https://github.com/Bigsy/dynamo-embedded-clj) - Embedded DynamoDB
+* [redis-embedded-clj](https://github.com/Bigsy/redis-embedded-clj) - Embedded Redis
+* [s3-clj](https://github.com/Bigsy/s3-clj) - Embedded S3
+* [elasticmq-clj](https://github.com/Bigsy/elasticmq-clj) - Embedded ElasticMQ
+* [sns-clj](https://github.com/Bigsy/sns-clj) - Embedded SNS
+
+## License
+
+Copyright © 2024
+
+Distributed under the Eclipse Public License, the same as Clojure.
diff --git a/project.clj b/project.clj
index ffb1d17..612d92a 100644
--- a/project.clj
+++ b/project.clj
@@ -1,13 +1,13 @@
-(defproject org.clojars.bigsy/pg-embedded-clj "1.0.1"
+(defproject org.clojars.bigsy/pg-embedded-clj "1.0.2"
   :description "Embedded postgres for clojure"
   :url "https://github.com/Bigsy/pg-embedded-clj"
   :license {:name "Eclipse Public License"
             :url "http://www.eclipse.org/legal/epl-v10.html"}
-  :dependencies [[org.clojure/clojure "1.11.1"]
-                 [integrant "0.8.0"]
-                 [io.zonky.test/embedded-postgres "2.0.4"]
-                 [org.clojure/tools.logging "1.2.4"]
-                 [org.clojure/tools.namespace "1.3.0"]
-                 [org.slf4j/slf4j-jdk14 "2.0.1"]]
+  :dependencies [[org.clojure/clojure "1.12.0"]
+                 [integrant "0.13.1"]
+                 [io.zonky.test/embedded-postgres "2.0.7"]
+                 [org.clojure/tools.logging "1.3.0"]
+                 [org.clojure/tools.namespace "1.5.0"]]
+
 
   :profiles {:dev {:dependencies [[org.clojure/java.jdbc "0.7.12"]]}})
diff --git a/src/pg_embedded_clj/postgres.clj b/src/pg_embedded_clj/postgres.clj
index 636f1d7..d3a66f1 100644
--- a/src/pg_embedded_clj/postgres.clj
+++ b/src/pg_embedded_clj/postgres.clj
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 
 (defn ->pg [port pg-log]
   (let [pg (-> (EmbeddedPostgres/builder)
+               (.setLocaleConfig "locale", "en_US.UTF-8")
                (.setPort port))]
     (when pg-log (let [log-redirector (ProcessBuilder$Redirect/appendTo (io/file pg-log))]
                    (-> pg
@@ -21,4 +22,6 @@
   (->pg port log-redirect))
 
 (defmethod ig/halt-key! ::postgres [_ pg]
-  (halt! pg))
\ No newline at end of file
+  (halt! pg))
+
+(->pg 9999 nil)
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/pg_embedded_clj/custom_test.clj b/test/pg_embedded_clj/custom_test.clj
index c7467cc..4bd12b6 100644
--- a/test/pg_embedded_clj/custom_test.clj
+++ b/test/pg_embedded_clj/custom_test.clj
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@
                    first
                    :version
                    extract-postgres-version)
-           "14.8")))
+           "14.10")))
 
   (testing "using custom log redirect"
     (is (= true (.exists (io/as-file "wibble.log"))))))
diff --git a/test/pg_embedded_clj/default_test.clj b/test/pg_embedded_clj/default_test.clj
index 5353445..c3b5eba 100644
--- a/test/pg_embedded_clj/default_test.clj
+++ b/test/pg_embedded_clj/default_test.clj
@@ -32,4 +32,4 @@
                    first
                    :version
                    extract-postgres-version)
-           "14.8"))))
+           "14.10"))))