Marine Corps Veteran, Combat Artist Earns CIPA Silver Award for Book Cover Design

Marine Corps veteran and combat artist Elize McKelvey received a Silver Award from the Collective of Independent Publishers and Authors (CIPA) recently for her cover design of the science fiction fantasy novel “2183”, written by Army veteran Laurel McHargue.

The award recognizes McKelvey’s artistic talent and highlights a collaboration between two military veterans whose shared experiences helped bring the book’s visual identity to life.

"After discovering Elize McKelvey’s artwork and learning she was a Marine Corps veteran, I knew she was the one to design my latest book cover," said Laurel McHargue. "As an Army veteran, I believe veterans have an obligation to support other veterans."

For McHargue, selecting McKelvey involved much more than just finding a talented illustrator. It was an opportunity to support a fellow veteran while collaborating with an artist capable of translating the novel’s themes into a compelling visual representation.

The creative process began with McKelvey developing multiple preliminary concepts, allowing the author to explore different artistic directions before selecting the final design.

"Elize worked with me by providing several thumbnail ideas before selecting the one that would earn her the Collective of Independent Publishers and Authors Silver Award," said McHargue. "Her vision for my book cover continues to draw expressions of awe from viewers. Elize’s range as an artist knows no limit, and I’m honored that she said yes to this commissioned work."

For McKelvey, who served in the Marine Corps from May 2012 to October 2020, the project reflects her passion for working directly with authors to create illustrations that capture the essence of their stories.

"I love when authors choose to hire freelance artists," said McKelvey. "It allows me to read and hear their story to provide the best art I can for a book in which the author spent a long time creating rather than the author just having to go with whatever a publishing company chooses."

McKelvey's background as a combat artist, combined with her formal education in illustration, brings a distinctive perspective to her creative work. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Art Institute of Boston at Lesley University, and she’s pursuing a Master of Fine Arts at the Academy of Art University out of San Francisco.

The opportunity to illustrate “2183” was particularly meaningful for McKelvey due to McHargue's military background and the influence of her experiences on the novel.

"This project was special because the author, Laurel, was a West Point graduate and the book has undertones of her experiences in that world," said McKelvey. "It was so fun and I hope everyone reads and enjoys the book as much as I did creating the cover for it!"

For a complete list of all 2026 CIPA EVVY award winners, visit https://www.cipabooks.org/cipa-evvy-awards-winners.

Cover art provided by "2183" Author Laurel McHargue.