BookBaby is proud to announce that its in-house design team has been named a winner in the AIGA "50 Books | 50 Covers of 2024" competition for the cover of Long Term Damage by Billy Hanson. The cover design stood out for its chillingly evocative visual concept and craftsmanship capturing the unsettling tone of Hanson's dark, character-driven short stories while paying homage to the vintage horror paperbacks that inspired it.
PENNSAUKEN, N.J., Nov. 4, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- BookBaby is proud to announce that its in-house design team has been named a winner in the AIGA 50 Books | 50 Covers of 2024 competition for the cover of Long Term Damage by Billy Hanson. The annual AIGA program honors the year's most outstanding examples of book design and production, with this year's selections chosen from 523 entries across 24 countries.
Designed by BookBaby Book Designer Jay Weyler under the creative direction of Rebecca Rodriguez-Smithand Art Director Chris McNulty, Long Term Damage stood out for its chillingly evocative visual concept and craftsmanship capturing the unsettling tone of Hanson's dark, character-driven short stories while paying homage to the vintage horror paperbacks that inspired it.
About Long Term Damage
Long Term Damage is a gripping collection that explores the darker corners of human nature where buried mistakes, guilt, and consequence intertwine. From a wicked man earning the Devil's favor to a girl protecting her brother from horrors in the woods, Hanson's stories expose how small decisions can create ripples of destruction.
For the cover, Weyler leaned into a "hellhound" concept after reading the manuscript: "As the author and I are both fans of classic horror covers, I wanted to give this one a nostalgic, worn feel," Weyler explained. "I chose a frantic line drawing of a snarling dog set against a fiery red background with illustrated flames — a nod to panic, punishment, and the chaos within these stories."
The finished design — featuring a hand-drawn pencil-style font paired with Shackleton Condensedtypography and a distressed overlay — evokes a haunting sense of vintage dread that feels at once familiar and new. Printed on 60 lb Natural text with a 12 pt C1S gloss-laminated cover, the physical book reflects BookBaby's precision in production as much as in design.
Award-Winning Design for Indie Authors
The AIGA honor highlights what makes BookBaby unique: world-class design and production quality made accessible to independent authors. Every cover and interior layout is built by BookBaby's professional design team — specialists who bring the same creative discipline found in traditional publishing to the self-publishing world.
"This recognition validates our belief that indie authors deserve the same creative excellence as any major-house author," said Jim Foley, President of BookBaby. "Our design team doesn't just make books look good — they make them unforgettable. Long Term Damage is proof that independent publishing can reach the very highest level of design."
Learn more about BookBaby's design services here: Book Cover Designers | Print & eBook Covers | BookBaby
About AIGA 50 Books | 50 Covers
Since 1923, the American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA) has celebrated the best in book and cover design through its 50 Books | 50 Covers competition. Each year, a jury of leading designers, art directors, and publishers recognizes works that advance the craft and cultural impact of book design. The 2024 selections will join the AIGA Design Archives and be displayed in national exhibitions. View the winning Long Term Damage entry here.
About BookBaby
BookBaby helps independent authors publish, print, and sell their books worldwide. From editing and cover design to professional printing and distribution through major retailers and BookBaby BookShop, BookBaby offers the most complete self-publishing solution available. Headquartered in Pennsauken, New Jersey, BookBaby is part of the DIY Media Group family, alongside Disc Makers. Learn more at www.bookbaby.com.
Media Contact
Daniel Baker, DIY Media Group, 1 800-468-9353 5194, [email protected], httpw://www.bookbaby.com
SOURCE BookBaby
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