NORTH ROYALTON, Ohio -- Mary Ann Winkowski's paranormal experiences as a ghost buster for hire have inspired CBS to place "Ghost Whisperer" in its fall lineup, with Jennifer Love Hewitt in the title role.
Winkowski, a paid consultant to the series, is booked four months in advance to chase unwanted ghosts from people's homes.
"I never would have thought 20 years ago this would have been a full-time job," Winkowski said. "I don't advertise or drum up business. People call me. I don't call them."
Winkowski is matter-of-fact about what she sees, discussing it as plainly as she does her former pet-grooming business, which helped pay the bills before ghost busting.
She says she can talk to only those spirits who have not crossed over into the afterlife. Most hang around for just a short time.
Winkowski is often hired to attend funerals to tie up loose ends ("Where did Dad leave the will?") or to help relatives have one last conversation with a loved one.
"The ladies will always walk over and check out the flowers," she said of female spirits. As for the male ghosts, "They have to count how many cars are in the funeral procession."
Spirits who refuse to cross over are the ones that keep Winkowski busy. She charges $100 or more to guide them to the white light.
Hollywood became aware of the 57-year-old woman's work through her friend, best-selling medium James Van Praagh, the subject of the CBS miniseries "Living With the Dead."
"I looked right past her at first because she's the least likely ghost-busting person," said John Gray, executive producer of "Ghost Whisperer." "She's from the Midwest. She's friendly. There's no mystique."
Winkowski first met with Gray a year ago. Gray recalls they went for coffee and he asked where they could go to find ghosts.
"She said, 'There's people here right now.' "
