Lulu Blog

I stumbled across Ken Henderson’s NHL editorial comics while reading an NHL fansite. A visit to his website led me back to www.Lulu.com and his storefront.

From Ken’s Bio:

I grew up playing in the coal hills of Union Bay dreaming of designing future worlds and creatures for George Lucas. Decades later, after working for numerous companies, including LucasFilm, I find myself back at home being amazed at the beauty of the island I left. I’m thrilled to say that technology has enabled me to bring my wonderful young family back to Courtenay where I continue to pursue my craft.

Ken’s artwork ranges from sports to fantasy. His career has led him to producing the artwork for video games and kid’s television shows. He also spent time working for Lucas Arts, any geeks dream come true.

Ken has made his artwork available through Lulu.com and also can be found on his website and in and online at the Georgia Straight (Vancouver area).

Some Examples:

Ken was nice enough to conduct an email interview with me this week. Read it after the Jump.

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Today is the Spring Equinox which means Easter is right around the corner! Here in North Carolina, despite the drought that has plagued us for months, the recent rain has provided enough sustenance for flowers to bloom, grass to grow and trees to show new life again. On my way into work today, I saw six brown bunnies and wondered if white bunnies lived in the wild. This made me think of a charming Lulu book called Simon, A Special Bunny Indeed. In this story you meet a very shy bunny that stays inside because he is ashamed of his peach-fuzz coat. One night Simon ventures outside for the most harrowing experience of his life! RW Rafko wrote this book for his grandchild Mac. It is a perfect read for the Easter season.

As February is Black History Month, we would like to highlight some of our Lulu users and encourage others to create and share cultural content to celebrate the holiday.

Many African Americans use Lulu to celebrate their culture through a variety of forms such as art, personal accounts, cookbooks, poetry, music and more. Here are just a few examples of popular Lulu creations made by African American authors:

• LeSean Thomas created a compilation of his animated artwork highlighting hip-hop-inspired characters that has been featured on “The Boondocks” on Cartoon Network (http://books.lulu.com/content/189605). Daytime Award Winning Producer Jeff Matsuda recognizes Thomas’ work as some of the most dynamic, unique and prolific hip-hop driven visions of today.

• The Soumas Heritage Creole Cookbook (http://www.lulu.com/content/60871) by Panderina Soumas offers a how-to for a number of tantalizing treats that have been passed down through generations of Creole cooks. With recipes like “African Rhythm Drumettes” and “Who-Do-You-Wanna-Voodoo-Dip,” the Soumas Heritage Creole Cookbook celebrates culture through the sharing of delicious family dishes.

• Another publication, The Hip-Hop Education Guidebook (http://www.lulu.com/content/656880) by Marcella Runell and Martha Diaz provides advice on how to harness the enthusiasm and energy found in hip-hop music and introduce it to the classroom. Calling for innovation in schools and engaging teaching styles to ensure the success of all American students, this guidebook has been used in numerous schools throughout New York.

There are many more cultural creations that can be found by simply browsing the Lulu marketplace (http://www.lulu.com/en/browse/).

One final way that I would like to encourage you to commemorate Black History Month is to write your own chapter of history. Lulu has all the tools you need to share your story with others and add to your already-rich traditions. Use this month to create a living history of your own experiences while paying tribute to great African American leaders of the past and present.

Shannon Connell

Hi, my name is Shannon. A recent Lulu addition, I’m serving as an intern in the area of Public Relations. Part of my job here at Lulu is to find some of the really interesting and unique creators on Lulu. As you can imagine, I spend a good bit of time perusing our site checking out the hottest new items on our marketplace.

With that in mind, I would like to pass along some of these finds to those of you still searching for that perfect gift for your special someone this Valentine’s Day. Lulu’s marketplace is a wealth of great gift possibilities that you can purchase or use as a model to get your creative juices flowing. For example, 50 Reasons Why You Should Marry Me and 51 Reasons Why I Should Marry You is a photo book created by Lulu user Cameron Kelly to propose to his girlfriend. Photo books, which are like scrapbooks minus the glue and the time-consuming process, are very quick and easy to make so that your gift doesn’t appear last minute.

Another way to surprise your sweetie this 14th is to compile a collection of your favorite recipes to cook together. Your personalized “couple’s cookbook” is sure to make your Valentine swoon. Seal the deal by cooking an entree or two from your new publication.

A final gift suggestion is to publish the story of how you and your significant other met. Use illustrations, clip art or photos to add special details such as what color they were wearing on the first date. This sweet gift can be a meaningful keepsake that will last much longer than any flowers or candy.

Still stumped? Take a look at Beyond the Roses and Chocolates: How to WOW Your Sweetheart on Valentine’s Day by Buffy Johannsen for more gift ideas.

Also, be sure to check out some of our other fun Valentine’s-themed goodies to get in (or out) of the holiday spirit this week!

• Spread love while giving hope to others by purchasing Love Is What We Do, a compilation of poetry on love. All proceeds are donated to the American Red Cross.
• Sarah Meadow’s I Shot the Cherub is a single woman’s survival guide for Valentine’s Day that offers craft ideas, delicious recipes and theme-party ideas to help non-attached females get through that often dreaded day of the year.

Feel free to post any other fun Valentine’s Day items you find on our site in the comments section.

Shannon