Love, Climate, and Courage: Inside the Launch of The Tide Reclaims ✨ On the Literary Scene with Scribbles and Quills – Celebrating the Books, the Voices, and the Stories that Shape Us. ✨

Written by Radeyah H. Ali

On the warm evening of Saturday 3rd August 2025, filled with conversation, community, and excitement, I had the pleasure of attending the intimate book launch of The Tide Reclaims by Latoyaa Roberts. Hosted against a backdrop of literary passion and environmental awareness, the event blended the magic of storytelling with the urgency of our planet’s changing climate.

The highlight of the evening was a panel discussion where Latoyaa spoke candidly about her writing journey, the inspiration behind her vivid island setting, and the real-world challenges that inspired her fictional Blue Catalyst Initiative. As the conversation unfolded, with Katrina Khan Roberts and Savann Phillip, it was clear that The Tide Reclaims is more than just a love story—it’s a call to action, wrapped in pages of romance, resilience, and hope.

I also had the opportunity to connect with other local authors at this launch, for which I am always grateful.

After the panel, I had the chance to ask Latoyaa a few questions about her book, her process, and her message to readers. Here’s what she had to say:

Radeyah: The island of St. Gyles feels so vivid and alive in The Tide Reclaims. How did you approach crafting such an immersive sense of place, and did you draw inspiration from real locations in your own life?

Latoyaa: Yes actually, St. Gyles is a small uninhabited island off the coast of Tobago. So the inspiration of the book comes from life in Tobago but I didn’t want to use the island’s name. As a result, I choose an island nearby that can still remind me of home as a Tobagonian.

Radeyah: Your characters are driven by both personal connection and a mission to protect their home. What inspired you to weave environmental advocacy so deeply into a romantic storyline?

Latoyaa: I always wanted to write a romance story but I was still searching for something deeper to inspire and create a call for action. So, I thought love for the earth and environment would be a cool mix with a romance story. I also think I want to align with conscious readers who care and want to believe in something so that’s why I went this route in the story.

Radeyah: The Blue Catalyst Initiative in the novel blends science, community, and innovation. How much research did you have to do to portray renewable energy, coral restoration, and sustainable fishing realistically?

Latoyaa: That’ s great question and yes, I had to do lot of research to understand climate change and what is being done. I read a lot of reports, watched Youtube videos and asked friends who worked in the field. But I found the information was so dense. I just wanted an easy and very practical way to break down all the actions that are happening around the world. So I tried to include simple examples that can relate to the common man in the book. Climate change and environmental degradation in real life and we need to ensure that everyone can understand its impact and effects on our lives.

Radeyah: During the launch panel, we spoke about climate change’s tangible effects on small islands. What message do you hope readers—especially those far from the sea—take away about their role in environmental stewardship?

Latoyaa: I think the main take away from the book is collective action and community resilience. We cannot stop the effects of climate change on our own but if each community does small projects and replicate around the globe then humanity has a better chance of saving the earth not only for today but future generations. I want to instill hope in many people just to believe that we are trying and our efforts matter.

Radeyah: The story balances high-stakes action with moments of tenderness and hope. How important was it to you to show that love and human connection can thrive even amidst crisis?

Latoyaa: As with every story there must be some drama or as we locals say “bacchanal”, so I tried to infuse the local village drama and characters that we see in our local community with all the issues we normally raise when humans come together to solve a problem. Even though this story is fictional we can all attest to group dynamics and the challenges humans will face when solving a problem, so I brought out those dynamics in the book from within the corporate boardroom to the fisherman on the side of the bay. But ultimately, the “The Tide Reclaims” brings hope as it demonstrates that all isn’t lost and as humans we need to work together to solve a problem that is greater than all of us. With love we can conquer all odds.

The Tide Reclaims is a story that lingers long after the final page—reminding us that love, like nature, can adapt, endure, and flourish against all odds. Attending Latoyaa Roberts’ launch was a beautiful reminder of the power stories have to inspire both heart and action. If you’re ready for a tale where romance meets resilience and island beauty meets urgent environmental truths, this book deserves a place on your shelf. You can find The Tide Reclaims right here at Scribbles and Quills, where every story finds its tide to rise on. 

About the Author: Latoyaa Roberts is an author, educator, and advocate with a passion for telling Caribbean stories that explore identity, resilience, and social change. With The Tide Reclaims, she brings her love for the ocean and environmental stewardship to the forefront, weaving a romance that is as urgent as it is tender. Her work reflects a deep commitment to inspiring readers to cherish and protect the natural beauty of island life.

This post is part of a blog series on scribblesandquills.com. Stay tuned for more as we delve into the literary scene here in Trinidad and Tobago.

Happy reading.