A WOMAN UNBECOMING
Edited by Rachel A Brune and Carol Gyzander
Cover: Lynne Hansen
A charity anthology to benefit reproductive healthcare rights, especially for those with a uterus. This anthology is full of stories that are horror with a message. Think — CM Harris’s “A Woman Unbecoming” (originally in Coppice & Brake, reprinted in this volume), Suzy McKee’s “Boobs”, even SK’s Carrie—if the audience is cheering for Carrie instead of fearing her. As feminist, pro-queer, anti-patriarchy as we could get! Not just in story theme, but also in the authors themselves.
This is a Charity Anthology. Money made will become donations. We will split donations 50/50 between two charities that support reproductive health services.
And now… The moment you all have been waiting for!
The COVER REVEAL #CoverReveal
Isn’t it amazing? It’s so perfect for this anthology and just radiates the message! It even has an 80’s vibe to it that’s so popular right now.
Now that we have seen this amazing cover, let’s meet the outstanding cover artist! Lynne Hansen.
Q (Crone Girls Press): Welcome to Crone Girls Press! We are so excited to have your art as the cover for this anthology. Can you share a little bit about yourself and your art?
A (Lynne Hansen): I’ve been a cover artist for 12 years now, and I specialize in horror book covers. If I can combine creepy, clever, and beautiful in a single piece, I’m happy. If I can use my art to connect the right readers with amazing authors they’ll love, I’m even happier.
Q: You have an impressive portfolio of artwork and cover art. Did you always want to do cover commissions? How did you get into this particular field?
A: Before I was a cover artist, I was an author. I used to teach marketing and promotion to authors all over the country. My day job at that time was working in marketing at a historic theater. I used to create ads and newsletters—stuff like that. I got started creating covers because my husband, Bram Stoker Award-winning author Jeff Strand, needed a book cover. His novel Wolf Hunt was due to come out from a big publisher in two months—and then the publisher terminated their horror line. I volunteered to do a cover for him so he could self-publish. It was WAY harder than I ever thought it would be, and it took me forever! But we put in tiny little print on the copyright page: “Cover art by Lynne Hansen, http://www.LynneHansenArt.com” and people noticed. I started getting commissions for books that weren’t written by my husband. And then I got hired by New York Times bestselling author Christopher Golden to help resurrect his backlist. I did 38 covers for him over several years. It’s really helped me grow as an artist. All of the work I’ve ever gotten has been through word of mouth. I’m so grateful.
Q: For this cover, what inspired the story?
A: So the Supreme Court overturning Roe V Wade is what inspired this piece. I felt so lost and betrayed, and I wanted to create art that spoke to my personal dread of what the future might hold. But I didn’t want to create something super political. I’m not the kind of artist who likes to hit you over the head with something. So I channeled my emotions and created a woman in bed, terrified of the sound she hears off to the side when the real danger is right there in the room with her. I brought in these bright neon colors to give this feeling of a disconnect from reality. And when I was done, I realized that the hands that were reaching through the walls were like the hands of all those people who want to reach in and violate the personal rights of women. I didn’t start out to create a political piece, but in the end, that’s what happened. The subject was just too heavy on my mind not to. When Rachel and Carol told me about this anthology, I knew that I had made this art for them, and all the amazing stories they curated.
Q: On your site, you talk about wanting your art to tell a story, which is something I’ve always admired about your artwork–all the details that, combined, offer the viewer a story that works on a number of levels. What are some of the details you’d love the viewer to know more about?
A: I always want a book cover to pop when it’s small, and then when folks get up close, they discover details they hadn’t noticed before. So in A Woman Unbecoming, I want you to see a woman scared in bed when it’s small. But when you look closer, I want you to notice that she’s looking off to the side when the danger is behind her. And she isn’t just sitting up, she had her arms wrapped around her knees. She’s been that way a long time. and when you slide to the spine, you’ll see the alarm clock on her nightstand reads almost 3:00. It’s the middle of the night. And when you look closer still, you’ll notice the glowing flares coming off the letters in the title—like a knife slicing through. You don’t notice all of these things at once, but the more you look, the more you see. And the more you engage with a cover, the more likely you are to be interested enough to read the back cover details and maybe give it a try.
Q: On your artist statement, you write that you “…bring a stylized real-world sensibility to the darkest humanity has to offer, while somehow managing to make the most twisted nightmares beautiful.” We definitely agree that your art does that! What draws you to the darker side of humanity? What about the horror genre appeals to you as an artist?
A: I think the more connected you are to the darker side of life, the more you appreciate the light. One of my earliest memories as a child was watching late night creature features with my dad on one side and my big brother on the other. They taught me to love being scared, and that horror could be fun.
Q: In addition to the amazing pre-mades you send out in your newsletter, what are you working on next?
A: I’ve just started designing dresses featuring my art, which are so fun to wear! Bats and books and ouija boards and lots and lots of skulls. lol I’m currently test driving them at conventions and trying to get everything just perfect. This fall I’ll be opening my very first online store—Positively Creepy.
Q: Anything to add?
A: If folks like my art, I’d love to stay in touch. I have a newsletter and each month I send out a new Creepy Calendar for my list subscribers. It can be printed out, or used as wallpaper for your computer. And sometimes I turn that art into a premade book cover that folks can get at a discount. I also share behind-the-scenes pics and videos of my work and periodic marketing tips for authors. But the best part is that folks actually write me back when I write them. It’s such a great way to stay connected in these busy times!
And finally, if you could send an artist photo and the platform links you would like us to use, I will make sure to include them. I can grab the bio off your website; if there is another version you’d prefer, please include that as well.
ABOUT LYNNE:
Lynne Hansen is a horror artist who specializes in book covers. She loves creating art that tells a story and that helps connect publishers, authors and readers. Her art has appeared on the cover of the legendary Weird Tales Magazine, and she was selected by the Bram Stoker estate to create the cover for the 125th Anniversary Edition of Dracula. Her clients include Valancourt Books, Cemetery Dance Publications, Thunderstorm Books and Raw Dog Screaming Press. She has illustrated works by New York Times bestselling authors including Jonathan Maberry, Brian Keene, and Christopher Golden. Her art has been commissioned and collected throughout the United States and overseas. For more information, visit LynneHansenArt.com.
LYNNE’S SOCIALS:
COMMISSIONS: www.LynneHansenArt.com
INSTAGRAM: www.instagram.com/lynnehansenart/
TWITTER: www.twitter.com/LynneHansenArt
FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/LynneHansenArt/
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