Those Somers Nights
LOLLY: We are back with another interview for one of our newest readers! Shelby, how are you?
SHELBY: I’m good, how are you?!
L: I’m good! Welcome to Illuminate Your Spirit! So you just started in June and it was really just to fill in for the day, right?
S: Yep, it was. Then I ended up messaging Shelly and told her if she ever needed help again, I wouldn’t mind and she offered me a spot. I’m there a couple Sundays a month now.
L: That’s awesome! So it’s not just filling in, you’re actually there–what, every other Sunday?
S: Yeah, it should be every other Sunday, but I will pick up one or two if she needs me to.
L: Okay! And I am really glad, because I had asked Tiffany of Moonlit Mystic–which is your sister! I had asked her if she could do the fill-in and she recommended you. I thought, “That’s great” because I got a reading from you last summer and I loved it.
S: Oh!
L: Do you remember that?
S: I remember reading for you, for sure! I loved reading for you. It’s funny, when I talked to Tiffany about it, she made it seem like you had brought it up on your own so it’s surprising news that she recommended me. That is really nice.
L: Of course! She’s gotta support her girls! I love that we can be friends with other shops that people assume would be our competitors. But you’ve seen the difference. We are two very different places. Obviously, we focus more on Tarot and Moonlit focuses more on crystals, physical sales, and art, even. It’s really nice to have a full local network of this kind of thing.
S: For sure, I like when people within the same industry can not compete but like, actually refer each other and support each other because, you know, realistically, one business isn’t going to be able to cater to the entire world. I think it’s nice to have support everywhere.
L: It truly is. So, Tiffany being your sister… How do I even describe her?! The biggest witch in the Metro-Detroit area?! She’s really one of the most well-known practitioners in the area though, truly.
S: Yep!
L: Her being who she is, do you feel like she inspired you to do what you do or do you think it runs in the family?
S: I have always been drawn to the mystical stuff and everything like that but I would say for sure that it was her that inspired me to actually dive into it. It didn’t happen all at once. Early on, like right before she started her business, me and her and our cousin would do Tarot readings together. We kind of all started together. We made a pendulum board, all kinds of things. Then we basically went our own ways. My cousin helped my sister with her store and I just did my own thing, which wasn’t in this realm at all. It was just me listening to paranormal podcasts and just mostly watching things. I wasn’t actually practicing anything. But then, I would say, probably around 2023 is when I started getting more into it, and Tiffany definitely helped me with that–having her business and having the connections she has. I’ve always been inspired by her. She has me help her with some of her events, sometimes. I think helping her with her events is what really pushed me further into it.
L: That’s fantastic. I mean, really. You’re talking about Vanessa, right, when you say your cousin?
S: Yep!
L: So you’re all in the industry, you’re all in this business… I would go ahead and say it does run in the family, haha! You know? That’s so cool. And so cool that she–again, just like with Illuminate and Moonlit–with you and your sister, there’s no competition. You’re sharing networks, you’re sharing information, you’re sharing the skillset, and helping each other grow in so many ways because you helping her with the events was beneficial to her and her helping you with your business and even with your practice was helping you so it’s very refreshing that it is so non-competitive because I don’t even think that’s typical of this industry. I think there’s a lot of competition within the industry. We just genuinely have that good of a community and you have a really good family. We love all of them. When it comes to how long you’ve been doing this, you would say about the last three years is when you started to take it seriously?
S: So… actually… The end of 2024. It was like December of 2024. I did a birthday party with Rikki McDonald–Tiffany knows her.
L: Yeah, I've met Rikki. We did an event together last October.
S: So she came and did a reading for us for my birthday. That’s when I started studying astrology in December after we got a reading from her. Not that she does astrology, but astrology was my gateway. During that reading, she had looked at me and said, “anybody can do it.” You know, like be a psychic, be a medium, tap into your intuition. Somehow, that just sparked something in me so, that’s when I really started getting into astrology and the beginning of 2025, I just intuitively started doing stuff that would help me tap into my intuition and just snow-balled from there.
L: Wow. That’s crazy, because I got my reading from you in August of 2025 and I knew that you were new to the business and new to actually putting yourself out there at events and stuff, but I would have never guessed that you were that new at readings because there were little details you picked up on that I was like, “Pfft, I don’t even wanna talk about this right now!” Hahaha, I don’t even wanna say what it was but there was something in particular that I’m still like, oh geez. I remember you calling me out about that.
S: I don’t remember all of the reading I gave you but I remember some significant parts but I was very nervous for that because it was my first time doing them in person. I was really nervous so I’m glad your reading resonated and didn’t feel super generic.
L: I still have your magnet on my fridge.
S: Oh, that’s awesome!
L: It is! It’s a great design. So, in order to book a reading with you, we really have to follow socials and wait for the announcements? Probably our best bet?
S: Yeah. Illuminate will announce when I’m at the shop.
L: And the question I ask everyone! What’s your favorite deck?
S: Okay, so, I don’t traditionally read Tarot because I haven’t memorized it or anything. I do astrology-based Oracle. My deck that I use for people, my astrology deck, it’s the Heavenly Bodies by Lily Ashwell. For my own personal readings–for myself–I actually do use a Tarot deck and I like the Curious Creatures deck by Chris Ann.
L: Those sound like good decks! Very interesting. I’m intrigued. When is the next time you’re in the shop?
S: September 13th,12-4pm.
L: Perfect, so look out for Shelby in a couple weeks! If you wanna come get an astrology-based reading, which I think is really underestimated. I’m pretty sure the only other reader in the shop that offers astrology is Patty and hers is more Numerology than Astrology so very cool, something different.
S: I mostly do psychic mediumship and I’ll add the astrology cards in if people want it.
L: If you wanna book with Shelby, call the shop! She comes recommended by me, by Tiffany, by Danielle–she got a reading from you, too, I think.
S: Yep!
L: We all loved ‘em! Totally worth it. You gotta come check Shelby out.
S: Thank you.
L: Thank you! And thank you for talking with us today. I hope I get to run into you sometime but I don’t see very many people up there. I see Sue and Libby and Danielle, haha. Sometimes Sheri.
S: I haven’t met many people yet, I’ve really only worked with Mick so far.
L: Good people over there! Hopefully we get to have a little get together with the readers soon.
S: I would enjoy that.
L: I hope it goes well for you and you are still around for a while because it’s great having you.
S: I love it! You have all been really welcoming. There’s a nice atmosphere there.
L: We’ll be looking forward to hearing more from you.
S: Bye!
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