Sarah Lahay (née Beaudin)

Sarah Lahay (née Beaudin) – Designer

I help independent authors, publishers, and creative entrepreneurs take their books from manuscript to masterpiece. Proud to be AI-free.

Overview

I'm a book and marketing designer with over 14 years of industry-specific experience.

I consider cover design to be a bit like translation work, there's an art to knowing when to express the text word-for-word and when to adjust the phrasing so that it makes sense in this new medium. I love collaborating with writers to give their story a face, exploring the emotion of the message and how we can represent that in colour and shape. I take pride in the fact that people do judge a book by its cover, it has a direct influence on sales!

I spent my early career working in traditional publishing, but I transitioned to a less conventional approach to allow me to work remotely when my partner took on work with a travelling international circus. I spent ten years following the big top, and I've found that working with clients around the globe helps me keep a fresh perspective on design trends and telling stories across different cultures.

When my nose isn't stuck in a book, I also design posters, advertising campaigns, and other marketing materials that help authors and content creators connect with their target audience.

*Currently booking collaborations for November 2026 and onward*

Services
Non-Fiction
Biographies & Memoirs Health & Wellbeing History Self-Help & Self-Improvement
Fiction
Contemporary Fiction Literary Fiction Poetry Young Adult
Languages
English
Certifications
  • Book & Magazine Publishing, Centennial College; Post-Grad
  • Bachelor of Fine Arts, York University; Magna cum laude

Work experience

Self-employed

Jan, 2013 — Present

Portfolio

Cover Design Book Interior Design
A gripping account of PTSD, and a stark reminder that, for many, wars go on long after the last shot is fired. In the shadows of army life is a world where friends become monsters, where kindn... read more
Cover Design
Cover Design Book Interior Design
Made with Reedsy
Touch of Fire

Goode, Pam

Cover Design
Made with Reedsy
Let the Willows Weep

Sherry Parnell

“Sometimes life is just like paper wings. Fragile, easily torn apart, and often there are too many pieces to pick up.”In the tradition of the best Southern fiction—from Bastard Out of Carolina... read more
Cover Design Book Interior Design
"Our work should be a manifestation of who we are and what we believe."Do you want more from work than just a paycheck or a title? Are you ready to manifest a work life rooted in joy, purpose,... read more
Cover Design Book Interior Design
Made with Reedsy
The Black Fox of Beckham

David L Heaney

"A tapestry of intrigue, wit, drama and dare that enthralls the reader from start to finish." --Emerald Book ReviewsA black fox, a gypsy widow, and a fourteen-year-old autistic girl discover t... read more
Cover Design
Cover Design
Rebecca Eckler’s newest book chronicles the hard truth of what it’s really like to make a blended family. Blissfully Blended Bullshit is a witty, engaging, refreshingly candid chronicle of a m... read more
Cover Design
Cover Design Book Interior Design
Made with Reedsy
Whispering Winds of Appalachia

Ellington, John

Cover Design Book Interior Design
Made with Reedsy
Escaping the Cocoon

Linette Menaskan

A collection of poems targeting the human experience of everyday life. Divided into three sections, this book seeks to guide souls towards conquering negative thoughts, expressing gratitude, a... read more
Cover Design
Cover Design Book Interior Design
How much do grit and positive thinking matter when the world around you is starved of support and opportunity? Finally, a book that explains why self-help gurus and motivational speakers mostl... read more
Cover Design
The poetry of Further Up and Further In continues to advance the never-ending story of one man's ongoing spiritual journey, his pilgrimage through a variety of the soi dissant and infamous sta... read more
Cover Design Book Interior Design
Traitors' Gate

Nicholas Pengelley

When a gruesome murder disrupts historic peace talks in London between Israeli and Palestinian leaders, Middle Eastern specialist Ayesha Ryder must decipher a cryptic message scrawled in blood... read more
Cover Design
'Membering

Austin Clarke

2016 OCM Bocas Prize for Caribbean Literature — Longlisted 2016 RBC Taylor Prize — Longlisted The unforgettable memoir of Giller Prize–winning author and poet Austin Clarke, called “Canada’s f... read more
Cover Design
Pin Pricks

Arima Phlip

Pin Pricks is a collection of deceptively simple poems and aphorisms, each of which expresses an understanding of what it means to be human in this high-tech, global age. The poems leap from u... read more
Cover Design
An Imperfect Man

Calabro John

Set in the Toronto neighbourhood of Parkdale, An Imperfect Man narrates two devastating weeks in the life of Jack Hughes as he battles his left arm and his past.
Cover Design
An extraordinary, newly discovered account from an ordinary Canadian on the ground in the crucial battles of the First World War. What was it like to be a field gunner in the Great War? Drawin... read more
Cover Design

Sarah has 181 reviews

Professionalism

Quality

Value

Responsiveness

Eugenya Z.

Eugenya Z.

May, 2026

Pinned
Sarah was wonderful to work with throughout the publishing process of my memoir. She was patient, knowledgeable, responsive, and supportive every step of the way. As a first-time independent author using IngramSpark, I greatly appreciated her guidance, attention to detail, and calm professionalis...
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Julie W.

Julie W.

Feb, 2026

Pinned
My uncle once said, "You never waste money when you hire an expert." Not only is Sarah an expert designer but she's also a true collaborator—flexible, egoless, and enthusiastic. She put her all into designing a cover that I'm really pleased with, she kept us on schedule, and she equipped me with ...
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Diane M.

Diane M.

Dec, 2025

Pinned
I am forever grateful to Sarah for creating the cover for my debut novel. I went into this process with no concept for how I wanted the cover to look, and Sarah was so helpful and patient with me as we worked through the process together. I love my cover and have gotten so many compliments on it....
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John G.

John G.

Oct, 2026

Sarah is remarkably professional and timely. Her formatting work was truly fantastic, and I felt like she is truly an expert. I really appreciated the kickoff call that we had at the beginning of the project, because her advice was really invaluable. This was my first time self-publishing, and sh...
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Julie W.

Julie W.

Sep, 2026

IngramSpark printed the spine text off-center. Not a little, a lot. I have 8 books at IngramSpark, this is the first time I've had this issue, but the company refused to correct its error. Sarah's original design met IngramSpark's file requirements in every way. This made it all the more awkwar...
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