As a user-friendly guide to the paranormal, I’m more of a “Lipstick Mystic” than some scary medium who makes shocking predictions. My focus is on empowering people with metaphysical information that’s fun and practical. After all, I figure you don’t have the time to study complicated mystical theories. You’re just interested in feeling better, improving your life, and maybe even hooking up with a soulmate (or two), right? That’s what I’m here to help you with. Consider me the “Dear Abby of the New Age,” a friendly advisor who can respond to your questions about the world of the paranormal with a gossipy “insider” tone.

Many of you know me from my articles and columns. Since 1999, I’ve had over 5000 pieces published in newspapers, magazines, and websites. The one that people are probably most familiar with is my “Lipstick Mystic™ Stars” astrology column (formerly "The Cosmic Butt Kick,") which appears in various arts weeklies across North America. I also make frequent radio appearances, usually on drive-time morning shows in the major markets. “Ladies and gentlemen, the Lipstick Mystic is here with us today!” I've even appeared on a few TV shows, most notably Sightings on the Sci Fi Channel and Real Scary Stories on Fox. For those episodes, I was in ghost hunter mode. "Looks like ya gots yerself a ghostie. Let me take care of that for you."

People are always asking me how they can develop their own psychic talents, and I have to say that, for me, being involved with the creative arts throughout my life has been the key. By the time I was in my teens, I was already working in professional theater, performing in Shakespearean productions, dinner theater, and children’s shows. (Picture a six foot tall woman stumbling around wearing medieval hats in the musical Camelot – that was me.) My intuitive abilities seemed to get sharper as I learned how to focus my mind through performing. I started out by giving hundreds of free readings to fellow actors and friends. Before long, I was being asked to do professional ghostbusting, palm reading, and astrological counseling between casting calls.

While having adventures in the world of the paranormal, I played bit parts in movie and TV productions, including Career Opportunities, a John Hughes movie starring Jennifer Connelly (don’t worry if you’ve never heard of it – nobody saw it) and multiple episodes of NBC’s In the Heat of the Night with Carroll O’Connor. (If you watch the reruns, you’ll sometimes see my butt or the back of my head float across the screen.) Listening to my intuition while navigating through the maze of show business was often helpful, as it guided me to turn down O.J. Simpson’s offer of a dinner date when the two of us filmed a party scene for In the Heat of the Night in 1989. (Note: O.J. is absolutely gorgeous in person and highly charismatic.) Sometimes it pays to be psychic!

At other times, I have to say that my intuition was firing blanks, like when it encouraged me to accept work as a mime, a shoeshine girl, and a dancing panda bear. (But hey, psychics can’t hit a home run every time.)

My psychic counseling practice took off in 1990, the same year that I worked at the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire and trained the psychic readers in the gypsy camp there. After giving readings to over 1,500 people that summer and working at various holistic festivals, my intuitive abilities were a lot stronger, and I was excited as I helped people tap into their own creativity and spirituality. I decided to establish my own private practice.

From 1991 to 1999, I did psychic readings full-time, maintaining an office where I counseled people over the phone and in person. I also taught workshops in psychic development, palm reading, and astrology, and I was a columnist for several New Age magazines and independent newspapers.

These days, I like to function as the “Lipstick Mystic,” highlighting the world of the spiritual with simple stories, workshop exercises, and personal anecdotes. Oh, yeah. And along the way, I’ve also done my share of cult deprogramming, weaning people off of some of the more damaging New Age groups that are out there, helping them to get their feet back on solid ground again. There are a LOT of nasty players out there in the holistic field, I’m sorry to say, and I encourage people to use heavy discernment before following any guru type.

Since I was a little girl, people have always turned to me for explanations about the “weird stuff.” “Why are newspaper astrology columns so bogus?” “How can I learn to meditate?” and “Are guardian angels real?” Hopefully, this website and my book series will answer these frequently asked questions about the wild and wonderful world of mysticism.

As far as my daily life goes, I’m kind of a hermit. (What do you expect? I am a Virgo, after all.) I live quietly with my soulmate husband-unit on a New Jersey farm where we look after an ever-expanding number of cats. (See the cat gallery for more about my feline adventures.) This is a good place to live if you’re a sensitive type like me. From my country retreat, I find that I can talk with the local animals and hug an occasional tree without anybody bothering to take notice. (Or, if they do notice, they’re too kind to say anything about it.)

Mother Nature has much to teach us, but I’ve found that I have to silence the noise in my head and simplify my environment to really tune into her. I’ve learned a lot about the energy of trees, devas, and animals living out here, and I can’t wait to share some of what I’ve discovered in my future writing. So stay tuned to this space! There’s a lot more to be added to the Mystic Zone.

Places To Find Jennifer's Writing:

Redeye - daily youth tabloid published by the Chicago Tribune; look for my sassy "Romance Planet" horoscopes in each Monday's issue

My new weekly romantic horoscopes, Lipstick Mystic Love Forecast, are available for purchase for your newspaper through the McClatchy Tribune newswire. They are included as part of the newswire's new love and relationships package. McClatchy Tribune Direct

Hampton Jitney Magazine - Distributed in New York City and the Hamptons; published from Memorial Day through Labor Day

The Driver Magazine - Driving safety mag available in Toronto and throughout Ontario; published bimonthly

It's Your Life Magazine - Spirituality and health magazine on newstands and distributed through spas throughout North America

Philadelphia Weekly - Arts paper in Philadelphia and surrounding suburbs, PA

Bucks County Herald - Arts weekly in Bucks County, PA

Access Atlanta - Arts weekly in Atlanta, Georgia

Relish - Arts weekly in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Core Weekly - Arts weekly in Madison, Wisconsin

Your Time - Arts weekly in Helena, Montana

Washington Blade - award-winning regional GBLT newspaper in Washington, DC

411 Magazine - Regional gay mag distributed from Orlando to Key West, Florida.

ITT Mag, new gay arts monthly in London

Blue, arts weekly published by Centre Daily Times of State College, Pennsylvania

http://www.gaywired.com,http://www.lesbianation.com. Big supporters of my sassy astrology column. Great news and entertainment sites for the GBLT community.

And don't forget my blog, accessible through "BLOG" link above; updated weekdays with cool links, reflections, and short essays.

For a more extended list of Jennifer's Media credits, click here.