Ever since her very public involvement with the Circle Murder investigation, we’ve been overwhelmed with requests for information about Lire Devon, clairvoyant and owner of Supernatural Talent & Co. here in Seattle. Today, we’re thrilled she’s been able to take time out of her busy schedule to talk with SpiritedInSeattle.com about being a clairvoyant, her thriving paranormal business, and some of her more remarkable readings.

Lire, thanks for spending some time with us. You lead an … unusual life. What do you think is the most common misconception people have about clairvoyants?

I only get to pick one? <laughs> That’s tough. I suppose the one that comes up most often is the notion that I only have to worry about touching things with my hands. People see the gloves and they seem to think my fingers are the only way I link with something. They don’t consider that I’m affected by anything or anyone that comes into contact with my bare skin, anywhere on my body.

Pardon the understatement, but that can’t be an easy thing to live with.

Well, it certainly makes my life more complicated. Things have gotten easier since I was a kid though. Psi-free products have made all the difference. Being able to buy everyday items that haven’t been touched by human hands has changed the world for those of us who are touch sensitive. Bed sheets, clothes, food, even cosmetics. Think about it … <laughs>

Where did you grow up and how did you end up here in Seattle?

Until I was five, I lived with my parents and older sister in Hillsborough, near San Francisco. Starting in kindergarten, I spent my school years at Coventry Academy. It’s a boarding school for the magically gifted here in the Northwest. When my parents divorced, my Dad moved to Queen Anne Hill. If there was a place I called home, that would have been it.

Why did you decide to start a paranormal services business?

I love antiques and discovering their stories. When I was a kid, there were all these funky little shops near my Dad’s house in Queen Anne. There was one called Gibson Antiques. (Still is, actually. If you stop by, be sure to tell Ben I sent you.) I used to go into the shop just to touch stuff. Antiques can harbor such fascinating histories! It didn’t take long for Ben [Gibson] to figure out what I was doing and of course he immediately realized the provenance a paranormal reading could offer his customers. People don’t just love antiques because they’re pretty to look at. They want to own a piece of history. Until I started doing psychic appraisals, it could be hard or even impossible to confirm a piece’s origin. But a good reading can reveal precise details about who owned the item, when it was made and of course the stories of the people who’ve handled it. It’s like traveling in time. I can’t think of anything more exciting.

Not to put too fine a point on it, but how do your clients know you’re not just making it all up?

They do their homework. I’m accredited by the Paranormal Regulatory Commission. I’m also licensed and bonded. All of my readings are guaranteed. If another accredited clairvoyant or antiques expert disputes any of my readings, they can appeal to the PRC for a forensic investigation. If any improprieties are found, I'd stand to lose my accreditation, not to mention my license. I also encourage my clients to get a traditional appraisal. While I can give them the historical facts about their piece and establish provenance, I can’t tell them how much it’s worth or how rare it might be. And yes, it’s true that a reading by a PRC accredited clairvoyant often increases an item’s value. People tend to pay more at auction when something has an interesting past.

What do you do in the course of a typical day at work?

If I’m not writing up reports for customers, then I’m usually at Sotheby’s downtown, working with Veronica Michaels, the acquisitions coordinator. It really depends on the day. The thing I love about my job is that every day is different. Lately, I’ve been working with the Seattle Art Museum and the Seattle Museum of History and Industry. And once in a while I’ll get a request for help from the police or the FBI.

Why aren’t more clairvoyants helping the police with their cases? Wouldn’t it be easier just to read a victim’s clothes or something and then go arrest whoever you see?

Well, for a couple of reasons, but mainly because touching an object can be physically and emotionally dangerous, especially if it was associated with something really horrible. If a clairvoyant isn’t strong enough to handle the influx of memories, the effect can be catastrophic. The major hospitals around the country have psi-wards for a good reason. A bad reading can put someone like me in a coma. Or maybe worse.

And of course there are still plenty of people who simply don’t believe what we read, accreditation be damned. That, by the way, includes a fair number of people in law enforcement.

What is the most unusual thing you’ve been asked to read?

A bedpan. <laughs>

Did you do it?

I did! In spite of myself, I think. It was from the late 1700s and the client was very passionate about his collection. He had to sweet talk me a little, but I’m not sorry. It ended up being an interesting reading.

Are there things you won’t read?

<pauses> Yes. Dead bodies, bones. Anything purportedly from Marilyn Monroe’s death bed or Elvis’ bathmat or Princess Diana’s car seat—or wherever any famous person supposedly died. They don’t deserve to be treated that way. I’m not interested in refuting conspiracy theories or giving people some voyeuristic blow-by-blow account of some celebrity’s personal life. Or anyone's life, for that matter. The idea of divulging the intimate details of someone's thoughts for sport or financial gain makes me sick.

What’s the most interesting object you’ve ever read?

Oh, gosh. That’s a hard one. But a few years ago I was invited to Monticello by the senior curator. The historians wanted a more personal window into Jefferson’s life and the lives of his slaves. It was an eye opening experience for all of us.

I hear you’ve been approached to take part in a reality show. Are we going to see you on television soon?

Oh, God. No! <pauses> I don't know about the reality show thing, but I suppose if the boys from Pawn Kings needed my help authenticating something, that might be kind of fun.