Chat with Shane from Monsters of Lawrence

Sara E. Lundberg: Hello Shane, welcome to the Confabulator Cafe. So glad you could join us here today.

Shane: Yeah, awesome, thanks for having me. Love this place. Any café, really. I’m a barista.

SEL: Excellent, I hope that makes you feel right at home.

Shane: Totally.

SEL: So, you are one of the supporting characters for the up and coming Monsters of Lawrence novel. Tell me a little bit about yourself.

Shane: When you say supporting character, what exactly does that mean?

SEL: Well, it means you support the lead protagonists.

Shane: So, like, I’m someone’s sidekick?

SEL: Well, not exactly…

Shane: And who am I supposed to be supporting? Because if it’s that dick Makai, no thank you.

SEL: Erm, no, you’ll mostly be supporting Diana, the main character of the story.

Shane: Ah. Ok, I’m ok with that. Diana’s hot. I mean, cool. I mean, y’know, she seems like a nice girl.

SEL: How well do you know her?

Shane: Oh, not that well. I’ve made her coffee a couple of times. I think I accidentally made her cry once by being an insensitive ass.

SEL: I really don’t think it was your fault.

Shane: And that’s why she’s still avoiding me?

SEL: I don’t think she’s-

Shane: You know, I was going to try to get her a job at the coffee shop, but then she went and got a job with that Makai guy instead. Whose name is actually Makai, anyway?

SEL: I’m not really –

Shane: For the record, I’m not threatened by him or anything. Just because he has that hair style that looks like he just tumbled out of bed that he probably spends hours styling

SEL: Well, uh…

Shane: Yeah, sorry. I promise I’m not really insecure. I’m just some guy in my late 20s who makes coffee and breakfast foods for people all day. I like my job.

SEL: Of course, it’s-

Shane: Really, I do. I’m not just saying that. It sounds like I’m just saying that. God, this interview sucks. Who all is going to read it? Can you, like, edit parts out?

SEL: You’re doing fine, nothing needs to be edited out.

Shane: Easy for you to say, with your list of questions and your clicky pen.

SEL: Wow, well, we are really far away from any of my questions.

Shane: Oh. Sorry. Please continue.

SEL: Um. So you’re a barista for Aimee’s Coffeehouse. How long have you been doing that?

Shane: Oh, I dunno. Awhile. Since college. I majored in philosophy, in case that was one of your questions.

SEL: And what did you want to do with that?

Shane: Nothing, really. It was more to pass the time until my superpowers kicked in. I’m still waiting, in case you were wondering. (Pause). That was a joke, by the way. Don’t let the T-shirt fool you. I know superheroes aren’t real.

SEL: Do you believe that magic is real?

Shane: (laughs) What? No. Well…No. Probably.

SEL: What makes you say that?

Shane: I’ve lived in Lawrence a long time. There’s some seriously weird shit that happens sometimes.

SEL: Like what?

Shane: Like (pauses, then shrugs). Eh, nothing. Nevermind. Stuff that’s probably just my imagination. Or, y’know, too much coffee. I drink a lot of coffee, believe it or not.

SEL: I believe it. What’s your favorite?

Shane: Honestly, just a shot of espresso works. Although if it’s done just right, I love a good Irish coffee latte.

SEL: Is it difficult to do right?

Shane: Shit yeah it is. Making a good latte is like creating a piece of art. Of course, it’s always open to interpretation, but when it’s done right, there’s no doubt it’s good.

SEL: Very cool. So, in a nutshell, you like superheroes, espresso drinks, philosophy, you dislike Makai, and you have a crush on Diana. Anything else we should know about you?

Shane: Whoa, I never said anything about a crush. I just said she was hot. I mean nice. Did I mention she cried and ran away from me? I think I’ve pretty much blown my chance with her. Don’t you think?

SEL: Want my honest opinion?

Shane: Yeah, shoot.

SEL: Be patient with her. She could use a friend like you.

Shane: That’s it?

SEL: Yeah, that’s it. Spoilers and all of that.

Share: Sure, totally. I don’t know what that means, but sure. Whatever you say.

SEL: Thanks so much for your time. We’ll see you later on in Monsters of Lawrence.

Shane: I sure hope so, dude. Peace.

Sara is a Kansas-grown author of the fantasy and horror persuasions. She is convinced that fantastical things are waiting for her just around the corner, and until she finds the right corner, she writes about those things instead.

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