I have a bunch of cool projects coming up this year, so if you'd like to keep in touch, sign up for my VIP list here: https://bit.ly/LHANEWS
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Next stop: MULTIVERSE! I'm on panels galore, will have a bunch of pieces in the art show, AND will have a table in the dealer's room! Can't wait! Here's my schedule! Hope to see you all there in Sandy Springs, Georgia October 15 - 17!
This is my schedule, but you can find all the details on Multiverse here.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 15
2:30 pm - 3:30 pm
More to a Story than the Words
A panel discussing why and how the visual aspects of the fiction we consume impact us so much, focusing in part on the right brain/left brain interactions, cover art, interior illustrations, maps, fan art, and more.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 16
1:00 pm - 2:00 pm
I Love The Colors and I Want to Lick It
Ever wanted to talk to an artist but didn't know what to say? We are here to fix that. A panel discussing how--and why--to talk about art, connecting non-artists with artists, encouraging more and better conversations about visual art in the world of fiction.
Art Expo Reception
5:30 pm - 6:30 pm
Come have some (free!) hors d’oeuvre, wine (if you are of age) and conversation with our artists right in the Art Expo!
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 17
MEETup: Every Day I’m Hustlin’, the Online Edition
10:00 am - 11:00 am
Maybe it’s the Funkos gathering dust on a shelf or the Star Trek collectibles you’ve inherited, and you’re more of a Star Wars fan. Maybe you love making Tardis-themed clothing, crafting Firefly-themed pet accessories or designing t-shirts featuring your favorite Captain. What if there’s a way to generate money by getting items to people who value them, or by creating content around your fandom? If you’ve already discovered ways that work for you, or want to more effectively use sites such as Etsy, Ebay, Society6, Redbubble, Spoonflower, Teepublic and others, then this is the MEETup for you!
Crafting Your Author Brand
11:30 am - 12:30 pm
Being an author these days is much more than just writing. This is especially true for indie authors, but also for traditionally published authors. The idea of creating your own brand might seem daunting and confusing. Let our panelists help demystify the process!
One of the things I love about Multiverse is that proof of vaccination is required for every guest and attendee. That'll keep everyone much safer, and we'll all be able to have a better time. Hope to see you there!
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Here's what my table runner looks like in action:
(That's me all sweaty and exhausted after load-in at the convention!)
And this is what the one I created for my husband Jeff Strand looks like:
The company I chose was Best of Signs, based on a recommendation from author Thomas R Clark. Their quality was stellar, the colors were bright, and the product even arrived early. The fabric is a polyester twill and didn't wrinkle significantly. The fold marks disappeared shortly after I set the runner on the table.
As of today, you can use the coupon code NEWORDER to get 20% off your first order, but they often have other product-specific specials that can be even better. (That's not an affiliate discount code or anything, just one I found on their site to help folks out.) Here's a list of their current specials.
They have three standard size table runners:
- 2' x 5' ($22.50 as of today)
- 2' x 5.67' ($27 as of today)
- 3' x 5.67' ($40.50 as of today)
I was sorely tempted by the $22 two-foot wide version, but ultimately chose the 3 ft wide version for a couple of reasons:
- I could fit more book covers on the larger size AND make my name larger, AND
- The little extra length lets the back part hang off and keeps the table runner from slipping, AND
- If I ever ended up splitting a table, a 3' version divides the table exactly in half, which is really convenient.
I wanted to design our table runners in Adobe Photoshop, but there wasn't a template on the site, just an online design tool where you upload the images. Since I wanted to include a ton of different books, I wanted something where I could tinker and be more precise. I contacted their customer service and they sent me a download link for a .pdf template. This is what it looks like:
And this is what I created for Jeff using that template:
The file is huge, but it's worth the effort. If you size your 6x9 book covers to 2554 px x 1703 px, you'll be able to fit six covers in a row, and three covers tall on the front portion. Ultimately you'll be able to create 7 rows of books and a single row of 5 audiobook covers. That's a total of 38 book covers and 5 audiobook covers. Don't sweat it if you don't have that many books yet. You can make the covers larger on the design or you can repeat the covers. (Think of it more like a pattern than a menu.)
As you can see in the pics above, when you have a packed table, you're not going to see much of the top part of the runner anyhow, so take your time to make sure what you're showing off on the front is your most important work or info. Like your name and tag line.
For Jeff, we went with a very straight-forward "Author" tag line. His covers really speak for themselves in terms of what kind of author he is. For me, I used my social media handle because I want folks to connect with me after the show. Whatever you choose, keep your text clean, simple, and large enough that it can be read from a distance. If your background is dark like one of these, I highly recommend white for the color, too. It'll stand out.
However you design your table runner, make sure you keep your text and images inside the borders provided so nothing important gets cut off. In my design, I added an additional black border around the outside of my table runner just to make sure.
Once you upload your piece, you'll have to choose between two finishing styles--hot knife cut and sewn edges. I went with hot knife cut so that I knew that the table runner would lay flat.
I know this all may seem like a lot, but I've created something special for you to make it a bit easier.
First, I uploaded the template Best of Signs sent me here. It's nice and small and easy to import into whatever design took you use.
However, if you're going to work in Photoshop, you can also download the super-duper large Photoshop file with sample images and sample text here.
Make sure you delete the sample image before you upload it to Best of Signs or your file will be CRAZY large. (It's 1.2 gig just with the sample images.)
I'm so glad I finally took the time to make one of these table runners, and I know you will be, too! Light and easy to carry around to events, (sooooo much better than a banner!) and really lets you stand out from the crowd.
If you make your own, I'd love to hear about your experience! Send me pic! And get out there and sell some books!
NOTE: I first shared this info via my newsletter, so if you'd like to get future tips from me, join my VIP list here.
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I’m very proud to announce that my art will grace the cover of the next issue of Weird Tales Magazine. So honored to be part of its 98-year legacy. So many amazing artists before me! Talk about pressure!
I’m pretty sure this is the first African American woman on the cover of Weird Tales, at least as far as I could tell from the hundreds of covers I researched while prepping for my piece. And I know it’s the first pregnant woman on the cover. I wanted to show a strong woman being badass in a way that didn’t involve wielding oversized weapons or fighting like a guy, you know? (And I totally love my monsters!)
Issue 364 comes out on November 11th with stories by Joe Lansdale, Seanan McGuire, Dacre Stoker and Lev Butts, Weston Ochse, Lee Murray, Gregory Frost, Marguerite Reed, Rena Mason, Marie Whittaker, Tim Waggoner and Gabrielle Faust, with poetry by Linda D Addison and Alessandro Manzetti. What a lineup!
In the coming weeks, I'll share some cool behind-the-scenes stuff about my process creating this piece and lots of other fun stuff, but for now, I'm just too excited to do anything but share the art! I'm still pinching myself!
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Cool, huh?
Second, today the folks at Raw Dog Screaming Press are letting us get in a little early trick-or-treating. Visit all five of these blogs, and each one will drop a little something special in your treat bag!
Stop #1: Author Lucy A. Snyder (excerpt from Halloween Season)
Stop #2: Lynne Hansen Art (Congrats! You're already here! lol Keep on reading to see how you get my treat for you.)
Stop #3: Raw Dog Screaming Press (postcard promo pack)
Stop #4: Hook of a Book publicist Erin Sweet Al Mehairi (signed, hand-lettered Halloween poem)
Stop #5: John Edward Lawson (Halloween card and story)
My treat for you is a downloadable, printable bookmark of Lucy's upcoming book, complete with a little checklist of all the trick-or-treat blogs so you won't miss even one of them.
All you have to do is click here to download the bookmark.
(Okay, technically you can also click right on the tiny bookmark to get to the folder where you can download the regular sized one. lol)
Spoiler alert: I give away free stuff all the time to the VIPs on my mailing list. Every month subscribers get a downloadable monthly Creepy Calendar, complete with brand new original art by me.
Chaos checking out some of the stickers I gave away last month to 13 lucky subscribers:
And you get first dibs when I release new art, offer discounted premade book covers for sale (those always go REALLY fast) or do one of my super secret pop-up stores. And best of all, we get to keep in touch. I'll tell you what I've got going on, and you can email me back. We'll be stamp-free pen pals!
So if you'd like to join my VIP mailing list, click here to subscribe. I'll even send you a link to this month's Creepy Calendar.
But wait, there's more! Don't you want to know what inspired the art for Lucy's cover?
I always read the books I create art for, and the thing that struck me about Lucy's book was the underlying sense of magic and wonder inherent in so many of the pieces, dark and twisted as it may be, and I wanted to convey that in the art.
I thought it was really important that even as a tiny thumbnail, you could tell that the book was a collection of Halloween stories, even before you read the title. I also always ask for sample covers and/or art that the author loves, and Lucy's inspirations almost all contained pumpkins.
The ultimate inspiration for me though, was a really cool art project in Atlanta where I live called Tiny Doors ATL. Karen Anderson Singer, the artist behind Tiny Doors ATL, creates these amazing little 7-inch doors all over Atlanta, and each one conveys the spirit of the neighborhood, house, or busines where they reside. Here are a few cool ones:
Tiny Doors ATL installation at the 7 Stages Theatre in Little Five Points, Atlanta, Georgia. Photo courtesy of Mads Agostina.
Tiny Doors ATL installation at the the Fox Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia. Photo courtesy of Atlanta Angel.
Tiny Doors ATL installation on the Atlanta Beltline, the Old Fourth Ward in Atlanta, Georgia. Photo courtesy of Tiny Doors ATL.
For the cover for Halloween Season, I wondered where a Halloween-themed tiny door might be, and where it might lead.
I love jack-o-lanterns, so the obvious choice was a hallowed-out pumpkin.
The tiny trick-or-treaters don't even notice the tiny hands in the window:
Or the zombie creeping out from beneath the porch!
Run, little trick-ortreaters, RUN!
This awesome collection of stories is now available for pre-order here:
Order direct from Raw Dog Screaming Press
You've now officially made it to Trick Or Treat Stop #2. Now pop on over to get your treats from these folks!
Stop #1: Author Lucy A. Snyder (excerpt from Halloween Season)
Stop #3: Raw Dog Screaming Press (postcard promo pack)
Stop #4: Hook of a Book publicist Erin Sweet Al Mehairi (signed, hand-lettered Halloween poem)
Stop #5: John Edward Lawson (Halloween card and story)
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https://www.cemeterydance.com/extras/life-haunted-house-story-behind-covers/
Here are the covers discussed in the interview:
