Please help me welcome today’s guest, Lisa Wilkes…
10 Moments That Changed My Life:
1 – Becoming a flight attendant in 2010. My best inspiration for novels comes from my adventures in new cities, plus I met my spouse and my closest friends through this whimsical traveling gig.
2 – Completing my master’s degree in 2022. This was the proof I needed that it’s never too late to chase your dreams and prove to yourself just how much you are capable of.
3 – Becoming a foster parent in February of 2026. While extremely difficult, this experience has also taught me a lot about myself, my spouse, and the transformative power of compassion and patience.
4 – Rescuing my first cat (as an adult), KitKat Sushi Wilkes, in 2017. I grew up with pets, and I’ve always loved animals deeply! But choosing to adopt a kitty as an adult, even with my unique work schedule and lifestyle, opened the door to becoming a foster parent and advocate for animals in need. I currently assist with two local nonprofits and I serve on the leadership board for my airline’s animal rescue team.
5 – Moving back to Florida in 2022. After graduating from the University of Florida with my bachelor’s degree in 2007, I lived in Arizona, Georgia, California, Colorado, and Texas. Returning to Florida was never really on my radar, yet life tends to take some unexpected turns and I ended up moving to Tampa Bay with my family—a decision that worked out for the best.
6 – The publication of my first novel, “Flight Path,” in 2020 was a transformative experience. The road to becoming a published author was not an easy one, but the sense of achievement and pride I experienced when I held my first book in my hands was worth all the stress and rejection along the way.
7 – Surviving the back-to-back deadly hurricanes of 2024. Nothing can prepare a person for watching their entire community crumble overnight, and then having to evacuate (with seven rescue pets, no functioning vehicle, and nowhere to go) less than eight days later. But there were bursts of joy amid all that despair. I watched friends and neighbors come together to assist those with the greatest need. This served as a crucial reminder that, even while navigating unthinkable loss, recovery and repair are possible.
8 – Connecting with students through my role as the Director of Mentorship for UF’s LGBTQ+ Alumni Association. These young adults embody a fierce, unyielding sense of self-awareness and pride that I certainly didn’t have at that age. They are strong and powerful, even when faced with hostility or unwarranted aggression.
9 – Completing AmeriCorps in 2004 and again in 2008. I’ve always had a heart for philanthropy, but doing full-time community service for two years (in separate cities and fields) really solidified that desire to give back and help to folks battling really difficult situations.
10 – Publishing my first children’s book, a charitable tale about a disabled rescue kitten, in 2023. I’d always vehemently asserted I would never write a children’s book, so this event proved that it’s kind of silly to entirely swear off any specific action/pursuit in life. It was an absolute blast to write this series, plus the books support a worthy cause. Now, I’m open to composing additional children’s books in the future.
She exposed a crime at thirty thousand feet. Now they want her grounded—for good.
Excerpt:
Something slid across Ella’s neck, either a strand of hair or a bug or a piece of debris floating in the wind. She pawed at the side of her face but came up empty. Maybe it had been nothing at all, just her fried and dysfunctional neurons playing a trick on her.
Ella gasped for air. She was losing her mind for sure: memories were tangible forces, vicious little creatures with sharp teeth. Reality, on the other hand, felt like a faded old photograph. Blurred lines, fraying edges.
Aunt Taylor asked a question. She sounded so far away.
A quick pinprick drew Ella’s attention. She glanced at her right hand as a bumblebee deposited its stinger in the fleshy area near her thumb. She swiped a finger over the bump, which oozed a single drop of blood.
The world rushed back to Ella with a powerful whoosh. Whiplash, disorientation.
“Did you report it? Has your scalp healed? Let me help,” Aunt Taylor said. This time her voice was clear, with a pleading edge to it. “I told a supervisor in the crew room, but she claimed I was making it up for attention.”
Ella batted her eyelids, dissolving the liquid that pooled in the corners. Hadn’t she cried enough over this? “I sent an email to a different supervisor that night. No response.”
Her phone buzzed again, another text illuminating the splintered screen. Picking out your burial plot? You’ll be in a casket soon.
“Jesus. Don’t let those texts upset you,” Aunt Taylor muttered, nodding at Ella’s phone. “I’ve heard worse. Took me a long time to realize those comments reflect the speaker, not the recipient. Remember that.”
Ella wanted to take Aunt Taylor’s reassurances to heart, she really did. But the texts felt personal. They were spot-on, in so many ways. Despite her best efforts, Ella had achieved nothing. She was a monumental screw-up, like the Team of Terrorists constantly reminded her.
“Yep. Thanks, Aunt Taylor.” Ella deleted the message and glanced around the empty cemetery. Who the heck was watching her? Did the man on the train follow her?
A few months back, Ella disabled the geolocation services on her phone. But it made no difference. She had also changed the password to her FliCrew airline portal, at Parker’s urging. Her employee info, including her work schedule, was hidden from coworkers. Yet Pat’s mafia continued to stalk her. New passwords didn’t faze them.
Taylor sighed and stared blankly ahead, her vacant gaze slicing through Ella’s heart. For years, Aunt Taylor had endured hostility from people who didn’t know a thing about her, not one single thing. She’d patiently waded through their unwarranted aggression. No outbursts, no complaints.
But things had escalated this year. Protective walls could only sustain so much before crumbling. Strong as she was, Taylor Gearson had her limits. And Ella would not allow Pat’s Team of Terrorists to push her aunt past her breaking point.
Buy links: https://a.co/d/002zAKpz or my website, http://www.lisamichellewilkes.com
About the Author:
Lisa Wilkes is a licensed social worker (LMSW) and flight attendant who draws on firsthand experience to craft high-stakes, emotionally resonant fiction. She began writing as a teenager, first publishing editorials on compelling local issues before transitioning into copywriting for nonprofits and, ultimately, complex and inspiring books.
Her previous novels, Flight Path (2020) and Mid-Flight (2023), were published by small presses, with Mid-Flight praised by readers for its powerful queer heroine. Lisa is also the author of two children’s books featuring celebrity rescue cat Wisp, I Love You Even if You’re Stinky (2023) and Stay Stinky (2024), with all proceeds supporting animal welfare organizations. You’re Safe Here, Ella (2026) is her first suspense novel, and 50% of profits are donated to the student scholarship fund at the University of Florida.
As a queer woman, dedicated animal rescuer, and fierce advocate for human rights, Lisa writes the kind of stories she once searched for—propulsive tales where dynamic characters thrive, grow, and take up space unapologetically.
Author Alicia Dean 