Women in Horror Month #6: Lynne Hansen

Hey, everybody!  I'm absolutely tickled pink to introduce you today to someone with two parallel and incredible careers as an artist and a director.  We've met at a number of events and conventions, and I know you're going to like her just as much as I do.  So let's meet her and then dive right in.

About Lynne Hansen:

Lynne Hansen is a storyteller who, after directing her first short film "Chomp," discovered that she had been studying her entire life to become a filmmaker. She developed a love of all things creepy huddling beneath the covers watching "Acri Creature Feature" with her dad and big brother. She honed her knowledge of story during her six-year tenure as senior editor for a small press publishing company and as an award-winning author. She developed her eye for visual storytelling designing book covers that required condensing an entire story into a single image. She shepherded her own creative endeavors into the world, and those of others, as a marketing professional, including working with a historic non-profit art-house theater. Having struggled to find her own voice as an artist, Lynne has spoken to students at over 200 schools about how to nurture their own creative spark. She was awarded the 2014 Buffalo Dreams Fantastic Film Festival Filmmaker to Watch “Dreamer” award.

You can follow her on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter and see her portfolio site.

Interview:

SK: How are you involved in the world of horror?

LH:  I’m a horror artist who specializes in book covers. My clients include Cemetery Dance Publications, Thunderstorm Books, and Bloodshot Books, as well as folks like New York Times bestselling authors Christopher Golden, Rick Hautala, and Thomas E. Sniegoski. I also do all the covers for Jeff Strand’s independently published books, ‘cause he’s my husband.

SK: Who or what terrifies you?

LH:  Zombies! To me, there’s nothing scarier than looking at someone who looks just like your husband, sister, or best friend but who is absolutely NOT. I can’t think of something worse than being betrayed by someone you love.

SK: Are there unique challenges to being a woman in horror or do you feel like gender is irrelevant?

LH:  Gender is always relevant. Male or female, it’s always part of who we are as artists. I’ve never felt that I’ve gotten fewer opportunities, or more, just because of my gender. That being said, we need to see more women represented in all the different artistic disciplines within horror. We need more female gatekeepers. For example, if an anthology is edited by a man, or a film festival is curated by a man, these gatekeepers are going to pick the best work from their perspectives. Because they’re men, they’re likely to pick tales that appeal to their male sensibilities. Thankfully there are more and more male gatekeepers out there who actively try to reach beyond what is comfortable for them. Folks like that are the kind of amazing allies we need to get women’s voices heard.

SK: Who are your favorite female horror icons?

LH:  Artist Jill Bauman, whose amazing cover art has inspired me for decades. You feel the story in every piece of art she creates. Poet Linda Addison, whose words summon such strong emotions. Her passion and joy and centeredness make me want to be her when I grow up. Filmmakers Jen and Sylvia Soska, who go out of their way to give a hand up to the women around them. Film character Ellen Ripley, who was one of the first positive female role models I’d ever encountered in film. Strong, smart, resourceful, and compassionate, she knew how to get things done despite whatever roadblock might be thrown in her way.

SK: What are you working on/promoting currently? Why should folks check it out?

LH:  Most of my life is spent working on book cover commissions for amazing authors. I currently have 41 commissions in my queue. How crazy is that? But 2020 is going to be a transformative year for me. I’ll be releasing limited edition collections featuring my art that will include both housewares and clothing so that folks can enjoy my art even when it’s not on a book.

I’m going to launch a video series tentatively called “Behind the Book.” In each episode, I’ll feature a different book cover I’ve created and I’ll discuss my creative process, along with info about the book that inspired it.

Last October I did an insanely popular project called “31 Days of Art” where I created 31 premade horror book covers in 31 days and offered them for sale for half my normal rates. They all sold by the end of the month—some them within minutes of being shared on social media. It was so much fun that I’m hoping to find time to squeeze in another similar project this spring or summer.