Whether or not you believe in the hereafter, or in communicating with those who have "passed on," Lisa Williams is a delight to speak with. Her exuberance is catching and her openness is assuring. She doesn't hesitate in her communications; she doesn't evaluate a spin, but lets it all out, not concerning herself with how you'll take it. That's not to say she doesn't care, but she's not preoccupied with convincing anyone. She knows what she is doing is real to her, and if it's not real to others, she's comfortable with their choice.

Not having cable TV, I'd never seen Lifetime Television's "Lisa Williams - Life Among the Dead," but many of my friends had. So, while preparing for my interview I looked to them for questions and explored her website. Below is an edited transcript of a phone interview I had with her on Wednesday, April 30.

City: Do you still do private readings?

Lisa Williams: I was doing private readings up until a month ago, because it's started to get crazy with the book tour and other appearances. It's just so exhausting to do those appearances and all the traveling, that to do private readings on top of that is just too much. I've made a decision recently to not do any more private readings until I get a month off, and I'm not doing large events because physically I just can't do it. You can get a comedian or someone standing on stage and they have an act to do, but obviously, I'm expelling a lot more energy. And then with the traveling, it's just really tiring. I also think that doing the live appearances, you can get to so many more people.

How did you get started and what was your first big break?

I started doing private readings in England about eight to nine years ago in my home, and then I got an office. It started to expand from there and I gave up my full-time job to give readings full-time. I never advertised. My grandmother -- also a medium -- said to me that a good medium should never have to advertise, so I didn't. It was just word of mouth. Then I started working at spiritual churches and in front of live audiences, and it just expanded.

Then we had the opportunity to come over to America for a vacation, and we had to extend our stay for an extra 10 days because I had a health issue. It was in those extra 10 days that I did a reading for someone who worked for Merv Griffin. And I met Merv Griffin the following day and he created the TV show around me. That's how it all came about.

So your health issue became a gift.

There are so many times that my health has set me back, but I've realized I needed the break, or it put me onto a certain pathway, or different area, or it's given me time to like other things. So it's incredible how it happened.

I've talked to some of my friends about this interview, and I've said it has to be more than, "You talk to dead people? I believe you. Done."

You do get a lot of people who are skeptics, but at the end of the day we're all open to our own beliefs. It's up to everyone to find their own, what they believe in. I often say to people that in death you can be so much closer that you were in life.

I heard that wearing your hat keeps the spirits away. Do you find yourself wearing a hat more often than not? Is this a method you devised?

It's a method I devised. I wear my hat more often than not because, one, it hides a bad hair day. But then I had a psychic attack. I shoved the hat on and went off to find some witchy-woo shops and found some crystals and stuff. This woman told me that I put my hat on to block and shut down my aura. She said that I was highly intuitive, and shutting down my aura was my way of shutting down the world. So as much as I thought I was just shutting a metal door across my head, my hat obviously helps as well. That's where that all came from.

You say you hear the spirits. Do you actually hear them talking, or is it more sensing what they're saying?

It's both. I do hear them, and I hear them very clearly. Like I'm talking to you. Then sometimes I only hear snippets of a sentence and I have to put it all together and try to make sense of it. I've started to understand that you can never put logic into what they're going to say, so trying to make sense of it just won't work. So you just give what you get. I use all of my senses. Obviously, my hearing is my more predominant one. Then my sight, so I see them. Then I feel them. Then I have to intuitively interpret what I'm actually hearing, or seeing, or feeling, or saying. And I get the tastes as well, and the smells. You have to really interpret what it is you're getting. You have to use all your senses.

I don't want to know anything [about her clients]. Because if I know something about a client, then I will start to put my own viewpoints into it. That's also the reason why I don't read for family or friends. I get too emotionally involved and start putting my own slant on things.

How do you decide which spirits to listen to in an audience?

Half an hour before I go on stage I meditate. I often find some forceful and pushy spirits coming in. So I sit there with a pen and paper and write down who I've got to communicate with. I take that paper on stage that has the names and details of all the people who've come to me during my meditation.

Sometimes I'll be half-way through a reading and others will come in and I'll have to organize them.

When is your show coming back?

We're in the process of discussing another show idea. Similar to "Life Among the Dead," but different. We're very close to sorting it out. Fingers crossed!

How is your book doing?

My book is doing amazing. I can't believe it. It's been about two to three weeks and it's already sold 7000 copies.

[Following her Rochester appearance, Williams will be available to sign her book. But, BYOBook, as they will not be sold at the venue. "Life Among the Dead" is available at Barnes & Noble and Borders Book Stores.]

If spirits are always around, isn't it just wild that there are no secrets?

[Laughing] There are absolutely no secrets. We have to get used to that. But they're not always watching us. Only at certain moments.

How much hip fat have you donated to the universe to date?

[Laughing] I keep trying to donate it to the universe, but it's not going. It doesn't want to leave. It's driving me insane. I keep doing visualizations, releasing it into the universe. And it will, it will! The universe needs energy. I'm donating my energy!

They may be able to run cars on fat someday.

I know! In that case, I'll just go forever!

Lisa Williams will perform at the Auditorium Theatre, 875 East Main Street, on Wednesday, May 7, at 7:30 p.m. Call 585-232-1900 or go to ticketmaster.com for tickets.