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Ghost Writer
The other Bodine talks about his childhood as a paranormal prodigy in Edina
Michael Bodine was just 7 when his family figured out that he, his mother, and two of his siblings were psychic. (Yes, those Bodines; Echo is Michael’s sister.) What’s it like to grow up clairvoyant, let alone as a member of a haunted household in a strait-laced suburb in the 1960s and ’70s? We asked Michael Bodine for the backstory behind his new memoir, Growing Up Psychic: From Skeptic to Believer.
You talk a lot in the book about growing up as an Edina “cake-eater.” Now you’ve moved back to the area, living on France Avenue, right on the edge of Edina. Does Edina have strong psychic energy?
No—God no! We came back because of the house. When we toured this place, it looked like a haunted house. The guy who owned it hadn’t raked in like, 17 years, and everything was all overgrown. It even had a skeleton key to get in. And the guy died in the house. It just seemed like the place to be.
Seriously? Isn’t that asking for a ghost infestation?
No, it’s insurance against ghosts. The houses where we’ve gone ghostbusting look totally normal and boring, like Gabberts. Places like this—and graveyards—have almost no ghosts.
You talk in the book about your two kids having developed psychic abilities of their own. Is your mom happy about that?
Are you kidding? She’s thrilled. She loves to have them over to her house. She teaches them tarot cards and she likes to talk to them about Native American spiritually. She likes to go up into the mountains naked with just a book of matches, that kind of thing. I try to keep them away from my mother as much as I can.
In the book, you talk about a reading that your mother got, where she was told that three of her four children would use their psychic abilities. Which of you didn’t? Lance Bodine, your brother, or Nikki Bodine, your sister?
Lance. He’s a totally normal guy. He works construction and is like this conservative, McCain-all-the-way kind of guy. He doesn’t come around much. Nikki came to her abilities rather late, but she’s really good.
You mention in the book that you’ve done some readings for local business people. Did you ever work with Tom Petters?
We were introduced, and it was suggested that I could help him, and we talked about it. But then we both kind of decided we shouldn’t open that door. Whatever happened, I’m glad I didn’t get involved. What if I had seen that he was doing all kinds of weird stuff? It’s not like a psychic can go to the authorities, right?
Fair enough. Speaking of your psychic power, I brought along this list of gubernatorial candidates.
Oh, God....
Anyone look like a future governor?
Hmmm…. That’s interesting. I keep thinking [state Senator] John Marty. I get a strong sense that the people behind him, his staffers, know what they’re doing.
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Reader Comments:
Michael is an amazing ghostbuster, and an awesome, and accurate psychic. I can't wait to read his book!
I am reading Michael Bodine's book now and I love it. It's a page turner and has me laughing as well. I would love to meet this guy. Does he do readings for anyone or is he just doing readings in his area?
I read the book and have to say, it was a joy to read. Micheal has been through a lot growing up. On that note this book has helped me a lot to help me understand what my daughter and niece are going through. Growing up with a gift like that and not understanding it. It is hard for the person with the "gift". Most people think it is awsome and amazing even interesting. Wishing they had a "gift" like that. But think about it.... You feel, hear, see things other people can't. You don't realise that you are the one out of many that feel, hear,see things other people don't. Till you have the stamp of beeing a freak. Growing up with it you think everybody is the same. How would you deal with a burden like that of carrying that stamp. And knowing you are different but you can't talk to anybody about it..
Years ago I had a reading by Michaels' mother and was totally iumpressed to say the least. She had encouraged me to then have a group session with Michael...which I did. He was two hours late for the readings due to a job of ghost-busting. That only added more intencity to the evening. My son in particular was extremely blowen awy from his reading. All, to this day still talk about that night.