Hi, I’m Lisa Wilkes. I am an author, flight attendant, licensed social worker (LMSW), and animal rescuer. I live in Florida with my spouse and a handful of adorable rescued furbabies. I often joke that I run a mini zoo but, with each passing year, it seems to get less mini! Which is fine by me.

Flight Path is my debut romance novel, published by The Wild Rose Press in 2020.

Callie Schneider, the book’s free-spirited protagonist, doesn’t simply march to the beat of a different drum, she breaks out dancing. And singing. And grabbing a partner to join her as she twirls around.

This whimsical stewardess believes tethers are for boats and roots are for trees. In Callie’s fast-paced, jet-setting world, freedom is the key to happiness. Although her apartment is located in San Francisco, her true home is someplace among the clouds, cruising at a speed of 40,000 miles per hour toward the next amazing destination. Callie is a daydreamer, a creative soul with dreams as wild as her layover in South Florida last month.

Speaking of that overnight, there are a few details Callie can’t remember. It’s not her fault she partied big; her long-time buddy was working that airline trip, and he’s the absolute best bad influence Callie’s ever known. When repercussions from that evening come back to haunt Callie, she is forced to make an uncomfortable decision. One that could cost her everything.

Flight Path is a tale of unexpected love. It explores the power and authenticity of romance—even for those who dodge every relationship, for fear that it might curtail their independence. This whimsical novel reminds us that freedom and love are not mutually exclusive; when pursued with equal fervor, they tend to complement each other quite nicely.

Flight Path is my first published novel, but not the first book I wrote. My previous books (all 12 of them) remain unpublished. I found it nearly impossible to break into the literary industry. Mountains of rejection letters take a toll on a person, even a fiercely optimistic individual like myself. For a few years, I was shattered. My heart had broken one time too many. I lost all hope in fulfilling my childhood dream of being a published author.

Then, in late 2018, I penned Flight Path. I was in grad school at the time and managed to finish the entire book during winter break. Writing a full-length novel in one month is unusual for me! This storyline had been brewing in my mind for ages. I decided, why not? Might as well give this silly writing dream one last shot. I figured if I could return to graduate school in my mid-thirties, with a spouse and a full-time traveling gig and a home full of rescue animals, I could do anything. So, I sucked up my pride and continued chasing that crazy ambition I’d fantasized about since youth.

Flight Path was inspired by my experience in the aviation industry, along with a detailed dream I had while living in Lower Pac Heights, an iconic neighborhood in San Francisco. This was my first novel featuring a flight attendant. I wanted to give the world a glimpse inside the life of a professional traveler. In addition, I aimed to inspire those who break the mold, the ones who believe that life is meant to be savored and enjoyed and appreciated. Risk-takers, daydreamers, and mavericks could revel in this tale of dazzling, breathtaking love…found in the least likely of places.

When it comes to my novels, I’m a planner. I let the concept ruminate in my head for months before setting pen to paper. I outline each novel, although occasionally my well-laid plan is scrapped in favor of an alternate ending. When I write, I become obsessive. Full-throttle mode doesn’t begin to describe my writing style. Books take me anywhere from four to six months to complete, with Flight Path being the rare exception.

On March 31, 2023, my second novel, Mid-Flight was published. Although this book features a different flight attendant, Lexi Brennan works at the same airline as Callie. There are a few obvious similarities between the two books, although Mid-Flight’s plot and genre deviate significantly from those of its predecessor. Mid-Flight is set in 2037/2038. This dystopian thriller/romance hybrid depicts love in a chilling, post-apocalyptic setting. It is a story of loss and redemption. It is also a tale of love’s amazing ability to transform us all.

100% of my royalties from the first week of sales for Mid-Flight, March 31^st through April 6^th, will be donated to Rags to Riches Animal Rescue, Inc., a 501(c)(3) here in Tampa.

Rags to Riches is one of the amazing nonprofits I partner with on a regular basis. They take on the hard cases, never turning down a chance to save an animal in need. I hope to start my own nonprofit someday. In the meantime, I am thrilled to help by contributing my time, energy, and resources to existing charitable organizations. After all, my books are meant to be inspiring, to elicit an emotional response from readers eager to explore worlds unknown. What better way to spread joy than by using those same books, written with a lot of grit and even more heart, to benefit the people and animals who need it most? So, that’s what I intend to do.

You can follow Lisa Wilkes on her website: Books by Lisa Wilkes

Amazon: Lisa Wilkes

Instagram: Lisa Wilkes (@travelisa1984)

Lisa’s animal rescue Instagram page: furever-luvd_fosters-n_flights

Flight Path and Mid-Flight can both be purchased on Amazon.

Flight attendant Callie Schneider doesn’t remember much about her wild South Florida layover. Her one night stand with sexy stranger Andrew was great, but a relationship is the last thing on her mind. Her life, a blend of global adventures and dazzling nights, is already perfect. Repercussions from that night threaten her carefree lifestyle and she is forced to reevaluate what is truly important. Will a bi-coastal romance filled with surprises she could never imagine finally bring her down to earth?