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Resisting Generative AI: A Writer’s Perspective

Dear readers,

It has been quite a while since I’ve published a longer blog piece. This is because I have been so lucky to be very busy in my literary corner of the world. If you follow me on Instagram @katelovesliterature, then you’ll be as up-to-date as one can be. I’ve been reviewing lots of books for Children’s Books Ireland as usual, and I’ve gotten to be a Book Doctor at some CBI Book Clinics which is such a pleasure. I feel so privileged to get to speak to young readers about books that they love.

It’s been a creative time in many ways. I’ve been watching many movies as always, I’ve been writing, and I’m so thrilled that we have relaunched Your Book or Mine?

In our latest episode, Seán, my co-host and I, discussed all things fantasy as we chatted all about A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas. You can listen now on Spotify.

Alongside general literary chats, if you follow me on Instagram then you will know that I am very passionately anti-AI. Over the past few months, I’ve had the opportunity to write about this topic and express my thoughts and concerns about the use of generative AI specifically.

I am very thankful that my experience and my qualifications in the realm of English literature have given me the platforms that allow me to highlight my concerns around this topic, especially highlighting my issues with the decline in media literacy, and while I feel that it is important that our imaginations are preserved rather than having generative AI use pushed on us through false assertions that using AI is the same as being creative and writing or articulating ideas ourselves.

I created and shared this post on @katelovesliterature a while ago. It has been viewed over 14 thousand times, and I feel it really sums up my feelings on this topic.

I really encourage you to read further and learn about why so many people, particularly those of us who are writers, editors, illustrators, and creatives, feel so strongly about why using generative AI is incredibly disappointing. There are many wonderful pieces out there, and I am lucky enough that I have been invited to share my perspective on more than one occasion.

You can read my first article “Why We Should Resist Generative AI” on writing.ie https://www.writing.ie/resources/resist-generative-ai-kate-obrien/

I was also delighted to be invited to contribute to DCU’s MA in Children’s and YA Lit blog.

I’m very proud of the time I spent studying at DCU, and this MA programme truly made me feel fulfilled. I loved my time on the course. I have remained connected with my classmates, I’ve gotten to explore brilliant opportunities, and I’ve forged some fantastic connections through my time on this MA programme in DCU’s School of English, so I was honoured and proud to be invited to contribute.

Not only have I gotten to further delve into this topic that I’m passionate about, but I have been allowed to explore this topic in a three-part series that will be published on DCU’s MA in Children’s and YA Lit blog. I’m very proud of the work that has gone into this series, and very grateful for the collaboration that took place with Alex at DCU. We went back and forth to make sure the pieces were just right.

You can read part one titled “Respecting Literature for Children and Rejecting Generative AI” now. https://dublincityuniversitychildrensandyaliterature.wordpress.com/2025/10/14/part-1-respecting-literature-for-children-and-rejecting-generative-ai/

I look forward to seeing parts two and three being published soon, and I hope to return to writing longer literary discussions here on Katelovesliterature.com very soon, but for now, I’m enjoying being so busy in my own little literary corner. If you know that reference, please do leave a comment!

If you’re satisfied with a draft that was spat out in seconds then I fear you don’t love writing as much as you think you do.

I could not resist sharing this quote from my first blog post in the series. It has resonated with a few people so far, and I hope it continues to. May we always keep our wonder.

Kate xo.

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Balancing Passion Projects and Real Life in 2025

Happy New Year! I hope everyone has had a lovely and merry festive season. Before Christmas I decided to take a break from writing long-form literary discussions. I’ve stayed active on Instagram in the meantime, but now that we are heading into a new year, I think it is time to try to get back to one of my most favourite things – talking about literature.

I’m not going to start the year with promises. I’ve always talked about how writing for my website is my passion project, but it is not my “real-life” job. This is still the case. I am very lucky to be able to say that I really enjoy my “real-life” job, and while I feel it is always important to maintain balance and fit in time to do things such as work on passion projects, sometimes the schedule gets very busy and full of events, and there have been some long-form topic ideas that I was really looking forward to writing, but I had to put them aside and take a break because there is only so much time in the day and you can only spend so long typing and looking at screens. (My “real-life” job involves writing too. I am one with my keyboard at this stage!)

So, while I would love to say that I will be publishing one long-form discussion every month here on Katelovesliterature.com, I don’t want to promise that and not be able to maintain it.

My aim for 2025 is to publish a discussion at least once a month. I’m planning to write longer pieces as publishing will be less frequent than it once was.

I will still be posting mini reviews/literary thoughts on Instagram so make sure you follow @katelovesliterature if you don’t already as my literary lover grid is the place to see what movies I’m loving, my current reads, theatre trips and much more. I love the bookish corner of Instagram, so when I’m not writing here on Katelovesliterature.com, I am more frequently active there.

I am going to kick off 2025 with a reading recommendation.

The Third Gilmore Girl: A Memoir by Kelly Bishop was one of my most loved books of 2024.

In this book, the witty, incredibly intelligent, resilient, and loving force of talent that is Kelly Bishop aka Emily Gilmore of Gilmore Girls, shares her life story. From her earliest days of falling in love with dance classes as a child, to her performing days in Las Vegas and of course her Tony winning run on Broadway, to her Hollywood credits including Dirty Dancing and of course Gilmore Girls, Kelly Bishop shares the ins and outs, the ups and downs of her life. Her professional life and her personal life, and even if you have never watched one single episode of Gilmore Girls, this is a must read. Kelly Bishop is an incredible storyteller, and her memoir is so open, honest, funny, and very moving. I think I read this book in three days. I couldn’t put it down.

I don’t read memoirs very often, but I loved every page of this one. It is refreshing to read about a woman who knows her own mind so well, because as you go through this book, with every chapter it becomes clearer and clearer that Kelly Bishop is a woman who knows herself. Even if she later decides that something was not the best decision, she knows exactly why she made the decision at the time. She talks about herself, her experiences, and the people in her life, at work and at home, with an amazing sense of clarity. It is impressive and it is a skill I’d love to further develop. There are also some absolutely beautiful photographs included in the book. It was stunning to see someone’s creative life displayed and celebrated in such striking shots.

I highly recommend The Third Gilmore Girl: A Memoir by Kelly Bishop to anyone who is a fan of the theatre, of dance, of Gilmore Girls, because this is a book that you will love. I would also encourage any reader to give this a go, because Kelly Bishop’s life story is a fascinating, entertaining read and I think anyone who sits down to read this book will enjoy it.

Here’s to 2025. Here’s to more literary chats.

Wishing a very happy, healthy new year to you all.

Kate xo.

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Mini Media Reviews

Dear readers,

I have been away from my desk more often than I would like to be. While I still absolutely love discussing all things literature, and I am sad to have to pause some long-form discussion ideas for a while, I have decided that a break is needed.

Katelovesliterature.com has always been my passion project. I love my little website, and I love putting thoughts, ideas, and discussions about the wonderful world of literature and the arts out there for anyone to enjoy, and it is so lovely to see people engaging with thoughts I’ve published. It is hard to admit that a break is needed, because I am a person who enjoys doing many things at once, but my full-time, real life job involves writing every single day (I love it!), and so it is getting harder to find the needed time to put the effort I want to into pieces for my passion project. I’ve never just thrown out unfinished thoughts. I like to write notes on the ideas, the points I want to make, and then I write a first draft, I proof it, etc., etc.

I could be less strict about that process, but I never want to just throw anything online. That is not how I do things. If I am going to publish a review, or any kind of literary discussion, then I want to take the time needed to write it properly.

I am taking a break from publishing long-form discussions for the time being. I’m not sure when I will publish a piece here on Katelovesliterature.com again, but I will be remaining active on Instagram. I plan to publish mini reviews on my grid, and you can always follow along with what I am reading and watching as I share on stories frequently. While Instagram is not an overly serious social media platform, I do ensure that any kind of review I post there is well thought-out too, so if you do enjoy my longer discussions here (thank you!), hopefully you will also like my mini media reviews too.

You can follow along @katelovesliterature

Thanks so much to everyone who has ever left a comment or sent me a lovely message following a piece, you know who you are. I appreciate everyone who has followed along as I have built up my portfolio of reviews and literary discussions.

P.s.

Happy Halloween! Be safe, have fun.

Kate xo

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The dandelion’s tale: An allegory of migration by Margaret Anne Suggs.

A review by Kate O’Brien.

Sometimes it is the most simple stories that pull on our heartstrings the most.

I often find that the books that are created with young readers in mind are the books that tell the most touching, poignant stories. Maybe that is because young readers are often the most open, accepting, and curious about different ideas. I do believe that cynicism attempts to take up more space as we get older, and I make a point to try to retain that open sense of childhood wonder. I never want to scoff at a new idea, instead, I want to try to embrace it with the same inquisitiveness that I would have when I was seven or eight.

In The dandelion’s tale, through her use of beautiful watercolours, and lighthearted storytelling, Margaret Anne Suggs has created a lovely, much needed book that parents, guardians, and teachers can use when starting to have conversations with young readers about how sometimes, people must leave their homes and find somewhere else to live.

One of my favourite pages can be found near the very end of this book. Margaret Anne Suggs has taken the time to share just how important dandelions are, and how they hold a valuable place in the world. I feel that this book is not just a tool to help children learn about migration, I also feel that this book could be used to encourage people, especially young children, who have taken the journey to a new place just as the dandelions did.

I cannot speak from personal experience about migration, but it is not hard to imagine that having to leave one’s home because it is no longer safe and trying to find stability in a new place is not easy, and it must be especially hard for children who do not fully understand the extent of what is happening to them. I think having a book that represents their journey and highlights how important they are is a wonderful thing. If young readers get to see how strong and resilient the dandelions are, they can also think about how strong and resilient they have been.

I speak about the power of books very often. I always discuss how books expand horizons by allowing us to understand other people, other places, and other experiences beyond our own.

I believe it is very important to introduce bigger topics to younger readers in a way that they can manage, because I think the more we know, the more we can do, even at an early age. Children experiencing migration firsthand and children who are learning about it, deserve to be given high quality learning materials to help them understand what is going on in the world around them. The hope would be that the more they understand the different experiences that people face, the more understanding and caring they will be towards each other.

Margaret Anne Suggs has created a story that can give readers flexibility. It can be a beautiful, quite literal story about the strength, beauty, and resilience that is found in nature, and as we open ourselves up more to viewpoints, and as young readers get that little bit more advanced, the book can be appreciated further, as we introduce young readers to wider conversations about migration in a very age-appropriate way.

I want to thank Graffeg Books for sending me a copy of this book in the post, and I want to congratulate Margaret on a beautiful story. Those of you who follow me on Instagram will know that I have had the pleasure of working with Margaret before, so it is wonderful to see more of her creativity come to life, however it is important to note that all opinions discussed above are my own, and this is not a paid for review, nor is it sponsored in any way.

I would recommend this book to readers aged 6+.
For more updates about what is coming up next, you can stay up-to-date on Instagram @katelovesliterature

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Introducing Your Book or Mine?

Introducing Your Book or Mine?

Today’s piece is a bit different. I will be sharing my New York travel diary next week, and after that I will be sharing my Frankfurt travel diary so there are lots of literary adventures coming soon. If literary cities are your cup of tea then stay tuned, and if you have not already read my previous travel diaries, why not check them out now? I hope you’ll find some travel inspiration.

Today I am introducing a new literary project that I am very proud of.

If you follow me on Instagram you may already know my news…

Today is the official launch day of my brand new podcast Your Book or Mine?

I have co-created and I will co-host this brand new, book club podcast alongside my fellow book lover Seán. Each month we will be reading a different book, alternating between classics and new, modern reads to discuss on the podcast.

Our inaugural episode is officially OUT NOW on Spotify.

Listen here … https://open.spotify.com/show/4v4EUXExWofeK4NFhQMcVU

We’ve discussed the twists and turns of Jane Austen’s Emma, as this is a novel that is filled with gossip, scandal, secrets, heartbreak, and romance.

We hope you will #jointhebookclub and follow us on Instagram.

You can find us @yourbookorminepod

We hope you will read alongside us and let us know all of your thoughts on the book chats we’re having.

I’m very proud of this new project, and I’m so excited that the first episode is finally available for everyone to enjoy. A new episode will be airing once a month, and we are delighted to have the opportunity to discuss a broad range of brilliant books.

I love presenting and speaking about all things literature. At Beehive Books, I’ve had the wonderful opportunity to host the ‘Interviews with Authors’ miniseries. Chatting to various authors about their books, published by Beehive Books, has been an excellent experience and you can tune in every other week on Spotify. https://open.spotify.com/show/7r1cKcwvLTeAZ9opibdREc

I have wanted to create a literary podcast for a long time now, and I am so happy that I have found the perfect person to collaborate with. Seán is a fellow book lover, he is a fantastic writer, he has created videos about all forms of media on his YouTube channel @CicadaWave … He enjoys horror, ghost stories, classics, and anything with a touch of the macabre. Our different points of view, combined with our shared interests that have a great way of balancing each other out makes for a really fun, really interesting dynamic, and I look forward to co-hosting Your Book or Mine? with him this year.

I have a feeling that 2024 will be a great year. There are so many things that I am looking forward to, and many things that I am excited to do. I’ve received so much encouragement, support, and lovely feedback about the new podcast already. Thank you so much to everyone who has reached out, you know who you are.

I hope you will all enjoy Your Book or Mine?

Join the book club. Follow us on Instagram. Listen on Spotify.

You can also get in touch – yourbookorminepodinfo@gmail.com

#JoinTheBookClub