Psychic? Try Madam Zara...

With Halloween just around the corner and talk of the Sweetwater fortune teller making the rounds, we received several inquiries about Madam Zara, the psychic secretary. Today, we bring you an exclusive interview with her.

SS: Hi, Zara. Is Zara Goldstein your real name?

ZG: Well, it's a real name; it was my grandmother's name. I choose to use it when I get in character as a means to honor her.

SS: I know you must hear this often, but I detect an accent. You're not a Shoals native?

ZG: No, I'm like that other picante sauce--I'm from New York City, but my family has lived in Huntsville and Florence for the past 30 years.

SS: Now, the hard stuff; how did you gain a claim for being psychic?

ZG: Actually two ways. When I attended Columbia University, I worked in the library as a secretary (that's where I took the name for my blog). It was my job to pull the vendors' files on the days they came to see the director. If I noticed one hadn't been around in a while, I'd pull his file as well. For whatever reason, they usually showed up that day, so the girls I worked with started to call me psychic and ask me about their love life. Then when I became a mother, my children definitely thought I was psychic, so I always played that up for them. Kept them out of a lot of trouble.

SS: So, you don't really claim any supernatural powers?

ZG: No, just common sense. That's what I try to use when I get questions from readers.

SS: Do you get a lot of questions? From what areas?

ZG: Not a great many. When ET started this blogging group, he asked me to do an entertainment blog, thinking we would get quite a few responses, but so far we haven't. Then again, we really haven't advertised Madam Zara very well. Several of the questions I've gotten have obviously been jokes, but a few have tugged at the heartstrings. I always try to answer in a positive way, using a common sense approach, and I always ask those who have real problems to keep in touch with me.

SS: You don't take money for your services, right?

ZG: That's absolutely right. I stress it's just entertainment. If you're approached to pay money to Madam Sheila or whoever is at Sweetwater or anyone else, remember if they were 100% in their abilities, they wouldn't be there, but on the New York Stock Exchange. For people like them, it's mainly some well placed questions and a lot of good acting.

SS: Okay, Zara, here's my question: Is there going to be a match up between James Hall and Carole Medley for the Lauderdale District judgeship, and if so, who will win?

ZG: You don't ask much do you? I live in Lauderdale County, so I'm interested in the election. I'm not sure who may join the fray later, but think it will boil down to those two. As for who will win...well, I don't claim to be that psychic. Give me some time and I'll think about it.


To read Madam Zara the Psychic Secretary or to ask her a question, visit this link.

Shoalanda