We're launching the Book Tour for SECRETS OF THEIR PAST by Allie Pleiter

What inspired you to write Secrets of Their Past?

As the final book in the Wander Canyon series, I wanted a story that said a fitting goodbye to the characters I’ve known and loved. My editor and I were talking through plots, and when one of us hit on redeeming a particular character who has been rather unpleasant throughout the books, we knew we had our story.

What do you love the most about this story?

I’m especially fond of how Neal and Tessa find their way to each other despite such a whopping load of obstacles and consequences. They have no idea how much they need each other…until they do.

What challenged you about writing it?

Secrets—especially big ones—can be hard to write. They need to be revealed with just the right balance of pace and surprise. Neal goes through the story trying to confirm a secret, while Tessa uncovers one she never expected. It was a challenge to weave those two journeys together in a way that changed both their lives.

Which character do you most relate to and why?

Tessa’s struggles as a mother are universal. As our children grow away from us—like they are supposed to—so many doubts and worries creep up. Both my son and daughter are adults living away from home now, and still I fret over the space between calls, read things into emails, and generally “mother” them more than they need. I don’t think there’s a mom on Earth who wouldn’t say the same.

What do you hope readers will take with them after they’ve read it?

I hope readers discover that no secret is so huge and heavy that it can’t survive coming out into the open. We often underestimate God’s ability to take a dark secret and turn it into something healing. I think the story also reminds us how love, even in the face of scorn, can restore a relationship.

What do you enjoy doing when you’re not writing?

For me it is ALWAYS knitting! I’m a devoted knitter, and also write a mass-market cozy mystery series for Berkley called the Riverbank Knitting Mysteries. There is almost as much yarn in my home as there are books—maybe even more!