Imagine spending eternity searching for a single book in a library without end.
Steven L. Peck’s A Short Stay in Hell is a haunting, philosophical novella about the nature of eternity, the limits of human understanding, and the quiet terror of an impossible search. When Soren Johansson dies, he discovers that his afterlife is a vast library containing every possible book. Somewhere among its seemingly infinite shelves lies the one volume that holds the key to his escape: the story of his own life.
For this special Hatteras Path publication, the novella features a new foreword by Tyler Jones, a new afterword by Steven L. Peck, and six original color illustrations by Grace Aldrich.
The Lettered Edition
Inspired by the architecture of Jorge Luis Borges’s Library of Babel, the Lettered Edition takes its design cues from the impossible geometry of Peck’s near-infinite library. The beige leather binding evokes the books lining its shelves, while the geometric tooling reflects the library’s two halves. Blind-tooled vertical lines meet gold-tooled horizontal lines, recalling the brass railings described in the story.
Every detail has been chosen to connect the physical book to the world within its pages. From handmade paste papers and hand-tooled leather to the distinctive orange endbands inspired by Soren’s favorite drink in Hell, this edition brings together traditional bookbinding techniques, fine materials, and thoughtful design.
Limited to just 26 copies, lettered A–Z, this is the most exclusive edition of A Short Stay in Hell published by Hatteras Path.
Each copy is signed by Steven L. Peck, Tyler Jones, and Grace Aldrich. Every book is hand-lettered and includes matching rights to the Lettered Edition of our next title, Heavy Oceans by Tyler Jones.
The estimated delivery will begin in Summer 2027.
Specifications
The Book
Trim size: 6 × 9 inches
Sewing: Hand-sewn by Erin Fletcher
Extent: 132 pages, endsheet to endsheet
Printing: Text printed letterpress on Arches Wove paper
Typography: Designed in Warnock Pro and Crimson Pro by Gerald Ward
Title page: Two-color printing in black and metallic gold
Illustrations: Six internal color illustrations, printed offset and tipped in
The Binding
Leather: Full Harmatan beige goatskin from the traditional tannery in the United Kingdom
Tooling: Blind-tooled and hand-tooled in gold foil
Endpapers: Custom handmade paste papers made by Victoria Hall in the United Kingdom, tipped onto Hahnemühle Bugra Mocha endpapers
Endbands: Leather cord and handmade paper, wrapped in tangerine-orange handmade paper by Katie MacGregor of Maine. Inspired by Soren’s favorite drink in Hell: orange juice.
Binding: Traditional trade-style binding by Erin Fletcher of Herringbone Bindery in Austin, Texas
The Clamshell Enclosure
Style: Clamshell Enclosure (syn. Solander Box)
Exterior: Gray Cialux cloth made in Italy
Label: Hahnemühle Bugra Mocha, foil-stamped in two colors
Trays: Covered in gray Cialux cloth and lined in Hahnemühle Bugra Mocha
Tray decoration: Line art by Grace Aldrich, foil-stamped into the lining
Additional Features
Bookmark featuring artwork from the Standard Edition dust jacket
Signed by Steven L. Peck, Tyler Jones, and Grace Aldrich
26 copies, hand-lettered A–Z
Matching rights to the Lettered Edition of Heavy Oceans
Optional Remarques by Grace Aldrich
Collectors may commission a hand-drawn remarque by illustrator Grace Aldrich to accompany their copy of A Short Stay in Hell. Remarques are original drawings created for individual books, offering a unique addition to the edition.
Black-and-white remarques: $100, plus $20 domestic shipping. International shipping is charged at cost.
More elaborate remarques may be available by special request, with scope and pricing arranged directly with Grace.
How to order: Select the remarque option at checkout. There will be no additional charge; payments will be made to Grace at a later date. I will follow up by email to confirm the details and coordinate the process. Books receiving a remarque will be shipped separately to Grace for her to complete the artwork before being sent to their owners.
For international orders, any additional international shipping charge collected at checkout will be refunded, leaving only the domestic shipping rate for delivery to Grace. The cost of shipping the completed book back internationally will be charged separately at cost.
100% of remarque proceeds go directly to Grace Aldrich. Thank you for supporting this exceptional artist.
With Thanks
A special thanks to Therese Doucet of Strange Violins Editions, Monica Meehan at DropCap Agency, and Erin Fletcher of Herringbone Bindery for their contributions to this edition.
A Note on Handmade Production
Prototype images are provided to illustrate the design and materials of each edition. Due to the handmade nature of these books and the use of natural materials, slight variations may occur in the finished product. Such variations are an inherent part of the bookmaking process and are not considered defects.
Imagine spending eternity searching for a single book in a library without end.
Steven L. Peck’s A Short Stay in Hell is a haunting, philosophical novella about the nature of eternity, the limits of human understanding, and the quiet terror of an impossible search. When Soren Johansson dies, he discovers that his afterlife is a vast library containing every possible book. Somewhere among its seemingly infinite shelves lies the one volume that holds the key to his escape: the story of his own life.
For this special Hatteras Path publication, the novella features a new foreword by Tyler Jones, a new afterword by Steven L. Peck, and six original color illustrations by Grace Aldrich.
The Lettered Edition
Inspired by the architecture of Jorge Luis Borges’s Library of Babel, the Lettered Edition takes its design cues from the impossible geometry of Peck’s near-infinite library. The beige leather binding evokes the books lining its shelves, while the geometric tooling reflects the library’s two halves. Blind-tooled vertical lines meet gold-tooled horizontal lines, recalling the brass railings described in the story.
Every detail has been chosen to connect the physical book to the world within its pages. From handmade paste papers and hand-tooled leather to the distinctive orange endbands inspired by Soren’s favorite drink in Hell, this edition brings together traditional bookbinding techniques, fine materials, and thoughtful design.
Limited to just 26 copies, lettered A–Z, this is the most exclusive edition of A Short Stay in Hell published by Hatteras Path.
Each copy is signed by Steven L. Peck, Tyler Jones, and Grace Aldrich. Every book is hand-lettered and includes matching rights to the Lettered Edition of our next title, Heavy Oceans by Tyler Jones.
The estimated delivery will begin in Summer 2027.
Specifications
The Book
Trim size: 6 × 9 inches
Sewing: Hand-sewn by Erin Fletcher
Extent: 132 pages, endsheet to endsheet
Printing: Text printed letterpress on Arches Wove paper
Typography: Designed in Warnock Pro and Crimson Pro by Gerald Ward
Title page: Two-color printing in black and metallic gold
Illustrations: Six internal color illustrations, printed offset and tipped in
The Binding
Leather: Full Harmatan beige goatskin from the traditional tannery in the United Kingdom
Tooling: Blind-tooled and hand-tooled in gold foil
Endpapers: Custom handmade paste papers made by Victoria Hall in the United Kingdom, tipped onto Hahnemühle Bugra Mocha endpapers
Endbands: Leather cord and handmade paper, wrapped in tangerine-orange handmade paper by Katie MacGregor of Maine. Inspired by Soren’s favorite drink in Hell: orange juice.
Binding: Traditional trade-style binding by Erin Fletcher of Herringbone Bindery in Austin, Texas
The Clamshell Enclosure
Style: Clamshell Enclosure (syn. Solander Box)
Exterior: Gray Cialux cloth made in Italy
Label: Hahnemühle Bugra Mocha, foil-stamped in two colors
Trays: Covered in gray Cialux cloth and lined in Hahnemühle Bugra Mocha
Tray decoration: Line art by Grace Aldrich, foil-stamped into the lining
Additional Features
Bookmark featuring artwork from the Standard Edition dust jacket
Signed by Steven L. Peck, Tyler Jones, and Grace Aldrich
26 copies, hand-lettered A–Z
Matching rights to the Lettered Edition of Heavy Oceans
Optional Remarques by Grace Aldrich
Collectors may commission a hand-drawn remarque by illustrator Grace Aldrich to accompany their copy of A Short Stay in Hell. Remarques are original drawings created for individual books, offering a unique addition to the edition.
Black-and-white remarques: $100, plus $20 domestic shipping. International shipping is charged at cost.
More elaborate remarques may be available by special request, with scope and pricing arranged directly with Grace.
How to order: Select the remarque option at checkout. There will be no additional charge; payments will be made to Grace at a later date. I will follow up by email to confirm the details and coordinate the process. Books receiving a remarque will be shipped separately to Grace for her to complete the artwork before being sent to their owners.
For international orders, any additional international shipping charge collected at checkout will be refunded, leaving only the domestic shipping rate for delivery to Grace. The cost of shipping the completed book back internationally will be charged separately at cost.
100% of remarque proceeds go directly to Grace Aldrich. Thank you for supporting this exceptional artist.
With Thanks
A special thanks to Therese Doucet of Strange Violins Editions, Monica Meehan at DropCap Agency, and Erin Fletcher of Herringbone Bindery for their contributions to this edition.
A Note on Handmade Production
Prototype images are provided to illustrate the design and materials of each edition. Due to the handmade nature of these books and the use of natural materials, slight variations may occur in the finished product. Such variations are an inherent part of the bookmaking process and are not considered defects.
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