When it comes to finding your next 5-star read, TikTok has become a go-to resource for avid bookworms and new readers alike. Over the past few years, #LeabharTok has turned the publishing industry on its head, invigorated book lovers of all ages, and provided a platform for readers and writers alike to discover, review, and connect. 

In this illuminating discussion, Zai Sylla (@zai_rambles), Joseph Murray (@josephmurraywrites) & Leona McKernan (@ateachersguidetoreading) come together to discuss how the platform has encouraged their own reading habits and helped them to inspire a new generation of book lovers. 

Moderated by Susan Moss and featuring keynote speaker Aodhán O’Ríordáin.

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Zai Sylla is an actress and creator championing Black movies, tv shows and books. She has worked with Prime Video, Netflix, Mubi and Apple books to promote Black stories. She teaches her community about the importance of Black representation in the media and literature worlds.

Joseph Murray (@josephmurraywrites) is an Irish writer from Gibbstown, a small Gaeltacht area in County Meath. When the Covid pandemic hit in 2020, Joseph began making TikToks, amassing a following of over 90K with his unique brand of comedy sketches. He also used this time to write his debut novel Fling, an Irish Rom-Com that has enjoyed success on BookTok.

Leona McKernan (@ateachersguidetoreading) is a History teacher by day and a self-professed fiction fanatic by night. When she’s not teaching, or wrangling two kids, two dogs, two cats and one husband, she can be found scrolling social media and furiously adding to her larger-than-life TBR pile. Leona would love to publish a book and is chipping away at the first draft of her contemporary romance novel featuring fictional cowboys and representation for those living with cardiac conditions.

This event is presented in partnership with and is sponsored by TikTok.