(laughs) J.F. is a sweet lady, but she's hoping I'll be flattered enough to finally tell her the secret ingredients to her favorite appetizer and mixed drink.
Tell us a little about yourself?
I am the owner, head chef and bartender of the Fellhaven Tavern in the small southern city of Waynesboro, Virginia. Actually, I'm half owner; my wife Jen is the other owner. She runs the front of the place, when she's not keeping the staff on their toes. I'm a native of the area, have traveled all over the U.S. and a few places beyond. What else do you want to know?
It sounds like J.F. is a regular at your establishment: Or do you only remember the favorite orders of writers?
Nah, I remember all my regulars' preferences and have even taught a few of them what their favorites are. Although, J.F. looks like she could be sisters with my wife, which makes it easy to give her a priority (laughs).
There was an incident at your tavern not long ago where a patron was attacked in the parking lot. Does that happen often?
Oh, so that's why J.F. asked me to do this! You want to talk about Fiona Wells, not Ms. Posthumus. Fine, no one else wants to talk about the weird stuff, but I'm game.
So, you acknowledge the circumstances surrounding the attack were out of the ordinary?
(silence) I'm not the kind of person that ignores what he sees. A car exploding isn't out of the ordinary when a ball of flame hits the gas tank. Not a missile or even one of the fireworks you see launched at the Fourth of July, mind you: There was no smoke trail or a device to launch anything like that with. The ball of flame just appeared in front of the guy's hands and flew at Fi(ona). Simple as that. I don't have any explanation that you'd feel fit to print.
We're a progressive website. Try me.
Alright; I will. People are always arguing about what Heaven and Hell, God and the Devil are like. Different names for them, different ideas on what they are and want. Others believe in what's still called the Supernatural: Magic, spirits, ghosts, monsters, that kind of stuff. Why isn't the universe big enough to encompass all of that? If you see something that someone might call magic, or sorcery, happening with their own eyes, why couldn't it be just that? Why can't angels be among us, or devils, and why do they have to be the only ones? Because someone doesn't believe? There are a lot of artists and inventors in history who had plenty of people not believe in their art, or ideas. Yet we have their work and successes all around us.
So you are claiming that someone attacked Fi, as Fiona Wells prefers to be called, with magic?
It looked like a wizard out of a book or movie conjuring a magic fireball and throwing it at her. Is that what happened? I'm not the ultimate authority of truth; no human is. I will happily listen to any explanation anyone wants to give me. I've been offered plenty since it happened, but not a single one, aside from what I just suggested, fits with what I and others actually saw. Most just would rather have an explanation that doesn't scare the hell out of them.
The idea of a wizard running around and attacking people with magic doesn't scare you?
Sure it does, same as a maniac with a weapon and a desire to hurt people scares any sane person. But I'm not going to run away from answers or deny things that don't suit me. But hey, I'm just a bartender with an imagination. You want some wild stories? Hang out at Fellhaven about an hour before closing: You get some amazing tales, then. Had an ex-boyfriend of Fi's tell me that her dad was the right-hand man of the Devil himself. Said that made Fi at least half demon. Now, is that something he found out and wouldn't confess otherwise, or was it the nine shots of Jack Daniels melting his brain?
Were you interviewed by Raziel Elwyn, the detective that was also investigating the death of Ms. Wells boss?
He was the first officer on site when Fi was attacked, so yeah. And Fi's boss was murdered. People don't fold themselves backwards into shipping crates and just stop breathing for fun. No, I'm not taking Fi's word on that being what happened. Half the cops in town were in my bar that night, freaked out over the condition of the body and trying to drink the memory down.
Aren't you pretty chatty for a bartender?
I'm not behind the bar right now! (laughs) Spend all your working hours listening and nodding to other people, sometimes it makes a person want to run off endlessly when given a chance to actually speak. And for someone who wanted to know about me in the beginning, you sure are asking a lot of questions about everything but me, my place, or what I do.
Fair enough. What's the most popular mixed drink at your tavern right now?
The same one it's been since the first month we opened: The Fellhaven Punch. One part lemon-lime soda, one part Cosmopolitan, a splash of raspberry mixer, and two parts rum. Best when shaken over ice. We fill old slushee machines with ice and the ingredients and crank 'em up to have plenty on hand. Still have to refill the machines at least once a night to keep up with demand.
Why should the readers be interested in your story?
I don't really have a story that would interest people. Now, what happened to Fi Wells - that's a story I'd like to read.
Some deals are to die for…
Computers, especially printers are from Hell and Faith Wells would know. At her IT job Fi discovers her former boss dead and packed up ready for shipping. The detective on the case is, literally, an angel. Not to mention drop dead gorgeous. This presents a small problem for Fi, since her dad is the right-hand of Satan. Add in the killer targeting her next, and she's got a busy week ahead of her.
Look for Deals with the Devil releasing from Musa Publishing March, 22, 2013.
J.F. Posthumus was that quiet kid that sat up front in class. You know; the one that had most of the answers that the teachers were looking for, but didn’t socialize very well. Living through those awkward school years, she poured herself into a love of computers, video games, world- building writing and putting her own creations through difficulties. J.F. later discovered graphic art, information technology, and how to actually mingle with others. She lives in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley area of Virginia with her co-writing husband, who makes her exotic foods and mixed drinks, and their three kids.
1 comment:
Great interview because that savvy bartender leads you in the right direction. READ THE BOOK to find out what really happened in the carpark and why. Clever.
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