Thanks to Tara-wa’s brilliant cheating in comment #38 of my last post, the entire image has been uncovered:
Yes, this is Aya, the protagonist of Extras. This is the cover shot.
And no, that pattern in her eye is not regular cosmetic surge, because Aya is only 15. It’s something called an “eyescreen,” which allows constant access to the city interface.
Anyway, I’ll be showing the real cover here soon.
Enjoy! And thanks for all the guesses.
Random Update
In largely unrelated news, there’s an article in NEA Today about the Indiana One Book/One School program for Uglies. You may remember it from this post, and because they made an awesome uglies cake. The article mentions me on page 2, and—ego flare-up warning!—uses the term “rock star.”
Ahem.
March 8th, 2007 02:41
i like it.
yay, i’m first for once.
March 8th, 2007 03:07
Oooh!! Beautiful. I loves it.
March 8th, 2007 03:15
it’s not really cheating.. just making an educated guess using her resources…
March 8th, 2007 03:41
March 8th, 2007 04:10
Actually, Scott, Nona was the first to discover your blunder of naming the image “extracover” in comment 25.
And Stepahanie Leary in comment 6 was the first to twig that it was the viewpoint character from Extras.
Credit where credit is due!
March 8th, 2007 04:28
Nice!
that’s all I can say, nice!
March 8th, 2007 04:52
Hooray!
Does this mean Extras is done/almost done?
March 8th, 2007 05:05
Does this mean Extras is done/almost done?
I wish. It’s at 50-something thousand words.
And yes, all credit to Nona and Stephanie for being clever! (Though it was Tara-wa who forced me to post the whole image.)
Nona was the first to discover your blunder of naming the image “extracover
“Blunder”? But most of my authorial subtleties are blunder-derived.
March 8th, 2007 05:27
YAY!! How exciting!! I can’t wait!
March 8th, 2007 05:37
Ooh, sooo pretty! I like it very, very much.
March 8th, 2007 05:56
yep cant wait til extras comes out tho im still reading specials (i just started yesterday, my skool library gets new books in way after they should)
March 8th, 2007 08:59
you wanted to trick us didn’t you. I mean an eye with a clock, an S. common. Not to be misinturpted because it’s reallt awesome
March 8th, 2007 09:15
very awesome, indeed…but after i read the “random update” i clicked the link so i could check out the article and in it, it defines uglies as “a group of radical teens who decide they want to keep their own faces,” when that definition decribes the smokies. the uglies are the under-16-year-olds who haven’t gotten the operation yet. well, i guess it doesn’t matter much anyone who reads this knows that anyways…..but still, *INCORRECT INFORMATION!*
March 8th, 2007 09:52
aw darn. and I was so sure it was Shay too. So whats to S for then?? hmmm, curious
March 8th, 2007 10:03
Aya, i like! im so thrilled about extras, cannot wait until it comes out!!! but aya looks extremely , dare i say it, badass *please dont kill me, but i would rather say that than tough or cool, it wouldnt do her justice!* and i love her name!
March 8th, 2007 10:09
I have to agree with the awesome naming skills, Scott. Aya is as awesome as the cover shot! I love how your covers actually have to do with the books, unlike some other books, whose covers seem only meant to look cool.
yay!
March 8th, 2007 10:41
Ooh, I like the name, too. Forgot to say that before, as I was caught up in the photo.
Apparently, though, it is a Hebrew name. But ssshh, don’t any of you tell! It would… not go with the Japanese theme here. But no one will know, I suppose, unless they are name obsessed like me.
March 8th, 2007 10:45
OMG!!! Now I am even MORE anxious for Extras to come out! I am sooo excited! Thats awesome!
March 8th, 2007 11:12
i have to ask is extras the 4th book to the UGLIES trillage?? because if it is WHEN does it come out??????? i cant wait to read it!!!!!!!
xoxo alexa
March 8th, 2007 11:25
wow! im really excited about that1 how do you come up with all this stuff they have bulit into their bodys? wow!
March 8th, 2007 11:41
Okay first i’ve gotta say Scott you are on like a blogging spree aren’t you.. i come to this website almost everyday and check the blogs gosh i miss one or two days and you have TWO new blogs. But that is totally cool about the whole eye thingy instead on an interface ring or “necklace” (translation: collar). That is totally awesome but i may be wrong cause we only have a side view of her face but it looks semetrical(?) therefore she can’t be a “ugly” unless she is one of those that is born partially or fully “pretty”. I mean why would you pick a girl that is technically a “pretty” by your books standards if the protagonist Aya..i think you said her name was… isn’t a natural pretty? OR was it just a mistake. I need to know!
March 8th, 2007 11:42
Oh and Alexa xoxo Extras is the 4th book of the Uglies Trilogy well i guess its not really a trilogy anymore but anyway it is and if i’m not mistaken it comes out in October of this year.
Your Welcome!
March 8th, 2007 11:58
how can you tell how many words you’ve written? how many words is this book going to be? ohh, i’m excited!!! how long does it take to write your books? i think it would be interesting to be an author. but you do a great job at it, so maybe i’ll leave to book writing to you, the professional.
i like the cover. it catches my eye.
March 8th, 2007 11:58
Gah! The picture is perfect!
-T
March 8th, 2007 12:03
Im confused how can there be a 4th book in a trilogy? anyways i loves the picture it’s totally pretty-making.
March 8th, 2007 12:05
thanks bnicki i was just wondering!! and i wish that it came out sooner!! i loved the frist 3 books so i cant wait to see what happens in the next book?! and thanks again bnicki!!! and stott who is on the cover of uglyies, pretties, and specials??
xoxo alexa
March 8th, 2007 12:10
I KNEW it was a readout.
But thats just my feather.
I need to find a way to acquire more book money. I’ll be broke this fall with all the new ones coming out.
*sighs*
March 8th, 2007 12:19
Nice to meet you, Aya, and your eye-a.
March 8th, 2007 12:52
nice wordplay little willow ^.^
March 8th, 2007 12:55
Ha ha! I’m SO EXCITED!!!! Extras must come out soon!!!!! You know, NaNoWriMo only requires 50-thousand words in a month. Did it take you a month to write it? You should get a prize if it did.
EXTRAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And is the girl an Ugly, or is this a world without Uglies and Pretties?
March 8th, 2007 12:57
Oh, and Loej, I know how you feel. As I’m still young enough to recieve allowance from my parents, my Mother has cut me off from ALL BOOK MONEY! MEH!
March 8th, 2007 13:16
Once again Alexa xoxo that is suppose to be Tally on Uglies, Shay and Zane on Pretties, and Tally again on Specials i think wow it is amazing what kinda random information i remember from these blogs. I own all three books so when i found that out i looked at em’ i was like oh Zane is pretty hott and wow Tally has changed A LOT from Uglies to Specials but she’d have to i guess after 2 major surges.
March 8th, 2007 13:16
Aya? Hee! I love the name. I want to tease her and call her deliciously r*ka.
March 8th, 2007 13:51
Huh?
March 8th, 2007 14:13
Aya is a perfectly japanese name. Case in point: Aya Ueto, Aya Kakeda, Aya Takano, and pleeeenty of other Japanese Ayas (famous and non) join the ranks.
And also, I know you looked at babynames.com for the meaning of her name, and that’s why it showed up as Hebrew, but on thinkbabynames.com the meaning is this:
The girl’s name Aya \a-ya\ is of Japanese origin, and its meaning is “woven silk”.
:3
Just needed to clear that up.
March 8th, 2007 14:28
Also, as I’ve been looking around more it means ‘colorful’ as well. :q
March 8th, 2007 15:58
Scott, this picture is so COOL. I really like the creativity that your books inspire. Please stop by my blog if you can.
-Karen
http://scifijournalist.blogspot.com
March 8th, 2007 16:06
i think Bori is a cool asian name. scott always comes up with really cool names for the characters that are far from the usual.
March 8th, 2007 16:14
ohhhh bubbly makeing
March 8th, 2007 20:08
AWESOME. asian heroine.
its about time, scott.
haha.
March 8th, 2007 22:32
how gorgeous it is, scott.
March 8th, 2007 23:26
that eyescreen thing sounds specialistic…
March 9th, 2007 00:53
yes! i can’t wait for the new book! the eyescreen is a really cool idea. you said aya it 15, but she already looks pretty. do they not have uglies and pretties in japan? is she naturally a pretty? i can’t wait to see the rest of the cover.
March 9th, 2007 07:41
ok thanks again bnicki! and that eye scren thing is totaly special making…or idk?? well i just cant wait to find out to see what happens??!! or maybe she did have some kind of surg because they said that they could do it to 15yr olds… but it was a tradition to have the surg at 16??!! well just hurry and finsh the book please!!so i can read it im soooo excited!!
xoxo alexa
March 9th, 2007 07:53
and did someone say that they are making uglies a movie??
wow if they are i cant wait to see it… even tho the movie is never and i mean NEVER as good as the book!!!!
xoxo alexa
p.s. i would do that whole alexa-wa or alexa-la but it just doesnt sound right when you say it… or does it??
March 9th, 2007 09:44
Alexa xoxo, i totaly agree with you about the movie not being as good as the book, but if it is going to be a movie I sooooo cant wait to see it!!! And good job on the cover scott love it!
March 9th, 2007 09:45
huh? I was just thinking…
How does the eye screen work? Is it like a contact lens, or is it actually embedded in your eye. If the latter is the case then it would pretty annoying, since you couldn’t really take it out without blinding yourself…
But if it was a contact lens it would be awesome! Unless it fell out. That would be very sad-making.
March 9th, 2007 11:04
well im sure if it was bulit lin htne they could turn it on and off like the special do with all that they have, ya know.
March 9th, 2007 11:25
must be great. rock star treatment. haha.
March 9th, 2007 12:00
That’s cuz you ARE a rockstar!!!
March 9th, 2007 13:03
Speaking of cover art, interesting Pretties cover: http://www.amazon.com/Pretties-Scott-Westerfeld/dp/1416917292/ref=sr_1_7/102-4300872-6069700?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1173405685&sr=1-7
March 9th, 2007 13:54
yeah, the UK covers are pretty amazing! heres a post with all of them, in case you havent seen them already:
http://scottwesterfeld.com/blog/?p=101
enjoy Lyra!
March 9th, 2007 13:55
gorgeous, she is beautiful!!
March 10th, 2007 00:44
that cover is awesome! i love it!
March 10th, 2007 03:17
Actually i’m not a fan of the new Pretties cover I definitely like the one i have better. That cover doesn’t even straight away connect to the book and all of the other covers have faces on them people from the book and this one doesn’t it doesn’t match i need consistancy and that my friends is NOT consistant. Plus Pretties gave you an idea of what shay and zane looked like that gives you an idea of how big a barbie dolls waist is. I think i’ve proven my point.
March 10th, 2007 03:30
I think it is better with the faces… i mean when i first saw the cover of Uglies it threw me because i was thinking this chick isn’t ugly i mean how the book keeps calling us meaning what the majority of what people look like now ugly i didn’t catch that completely until i looked at the cover and thought this chick is NOT ugly and then when i saw pretties i had an idea of what a pretty would look like that extreme so pretty almost scary look and i realized that i’ve met one person in my life that is technically by the books standards pretty and it is weird the way…it is just weird. But anyway i’m done rambling.
March 10th, 2007 08:02
well i think that the UK covers are kind of idk just a little weird!!! hehe… and like bnicki was saying the pic of the face gives you an idea about how the people look… even tho the book tells you how the people look. i also kind of like the book not have a pic of a face on it only because then it is up to you and the descriptions in the book to decide how the person is to look. thats what reading is to explore your imagination!!
xoxo alexa
March 10th, 2007 08:07
I love IT!!!!! Do you think possibly you could come to Idaho??
March 10th, 2007 11:15
Aya – thats a good name! That seriously was one of my ideas for “Uglies” names in a post on the Westerboard. How crazy! I feel really smart now ^^
I really want to see what the whole cover looks like! But it really needs to have a tagline.
Hey my mom gets copies of NEA today I think. I should go find that article….
March 10th, 2007 13:22
Nice job scott! The cover is totaly pretty-making! I love it! I can’t wait until Extras comes out! Do you have any idea on the release date?:-D.
xoxo
March 11th, 2007 08:00
YES! FINALLY AN ASIAN HEROINE!!!!!!
*has been waiting forever*
my friends (who are all asian ((not that i’m racist or anything…)) are going to FREAK! (of course, that’s if they haven’t already read ur blog…)
Hm..Aya..
reminds me of Ayame from fruits basket.. but that’s another story.
So, they came up with the cover before you actually wrote the whole book? o.O I have yet to understand the publishing process…which i’ll have to be PRETTY familiar with if i’m going to be a famous writer like you *smiles*
March 11th, 2007 08:01
Hm..is she an Ugly?
she doesn’t really look normal..she looks like one of those japanese/korean models/actresses…
and all of those people are Pretties..
(almost all of them have plastic surgery)
March 11th, 2007 08:03
heh. 50 thousand words..that’s not bad.
that’s a WHOLE LOT MORE than my current slowly growing 10 pg novel…
Once I filled up a whole notebook..but that’s yet another story.
March 12th, 2007 14:16
“And yes, all credit to Nona and Stephanie for being clever! (Though it was Tara-wa who forced me to post the whole image.)”
Thanks, lol…what can we say…those books of yours have helped increase our slyness. ;]
I like the cover because of Aya’s daring expression and windblown hair; a perfect set-up for a book like Extras. Its also cool she’s Asian.
March 13th, 2007 08:00
Dude, she’s like pretty! and she doesnt need the surge! wow..i NEVER would have guessed that..i serioulsy thought it was Dr. C! I really think its a good pic for the cover..you can totally tell she’s a Tally-wa, daring, tricks up her sleeve. This is soo exciting! Is she really supposed to be an Ugly? Cuz she’s definatly different, the eye is soo cool! What does that do? any kind of special power of some sort? well ya..u said something like that in ur post..so i guess so! this ends my sadly long comment, thats supposed to be short! lol! very cool Scott!
March 13th, 2007 08:01
ps! cool name..Aya…mmm…such cleverness!
March 18th, 2007 02:57
Aya is a GREAT name.
I don’t think she’s a natural pretty thought because I thought the Pretty Comittee didn’t let you have black hair and Zane had to dye his with caligoraphy ink. Although, her face looks pretty symetrical…
Anyway, good name, gladn your so far in the story, can’t wait for the book!
March 20th, 2007 12:05
Ahahahahahaha, I can’t wait to buyyyy!
And, to those who are saying you can’t have black hair being a natural pretty, remember – Westerfeld told us the book took place in Japan, and if you look closer you can tell she’s Japanese. Therefore, black hair comes naturally.
March 20th, 2007 12:11
Can’t have black hair when turning pretty*
March 20th, 2007 12:34
Alright, so I’ve posted a million times already today, but whatever, I just remembered something.
I rememebered I drew a picture once upon a time, back when I had juuuust turned fifteen. Lol yeah, a whole eight or so months ago.
Well, while I was drawing, I realized that this girl that I put together in my head sort of resembled who I thought Shay would look like as Special (looking to it now, she looks softer than s Special, so this would probably be after she was de-specialized).
Well, I can’t post pictures in here, so I scanned the picture and posted it in my Live Journal *the link is at the end of this comment*
When I re-read the series, I realized that in Uglies, at one point, Tally convinced Shay to use the wallscreen and make how she wants to be pretty. Shay ended up picking short, black hair, or something similar to the effect?
Right, so after subconsciously tucking this away, I ended up drawing that some months later. Of course, I forgot about how Pretties couldn’t get black hair, but whatever.
P.s. It’s hard to see, but Shay DOES have her clock-eyes there.
Hope you guys like it! Sorry if it’s not what you envisioned, Mister Westerfeld!
By the way, feel free to comment (on my LJ), everybody!
Hope you like my icon!
Picture of Shay can be found on my Live Journal at:
http://swirl-of-fire.livejournal.com/110456.html
March 20th, 2007 12:57
Maybe you’d want to read this?
I was looking through some old posts of my LJ…And I found this one!
http://scottwesterfeld.com/blog/?p=200#comments
Haha, sorry for commenting so much, but…I just wanted to show you guys that.
Okay, I’m done for tonight, really!
March 21st, 2007 03:28
Boy, you won’t believe this.
That last comment had the wrong link in it XD
unbelievable.
Well, if you go to my past posts, just a page back and a few posts down in my LJ, you’ll see the post I was talking about.
Haha.
March 21st, 2007 07:00
i’m way excited about Extras. wayyy excited.
oh yeah,
and i have to make a graphic novel for my english class. i chose to base mine on the Uglies series. it’s kind of a flashback. it starts out with Tally on the outskirts of her old town watching the mingling Pretties and Uglies and those who opted against the operation, remaining ugly forever and she begins to think about what it was like before the New System.
I’ll be sure to send a copy your way when it’s finished.
March 21st, 2007 07:33
please scott hurry. i have alreadt read specials about 10 times. i go through books fast.there is like 5-7 books that i want that are coming out this year. and this is one of them
March 22nd, 2007 08:35
yay!
asian main character! i’ve been waiting for so long for a good book with an asian hero(ine)
and please hurry with the book!
i’m so excited!
March 22nd, 2007 09:09
OMG!!!!!!! i can NOT wait for Extras to come out!!!!!
and with an asian heroine??? that is just SO awesome. Been waiting for one to come out with my culture.
and is there gonna be a movie??? that better come out fast too!!!!
Ive read evry book of yours (currently working on Midnighters)
and i just recently finished a author study on you. Shuld come to newport, RI and look at it.j/k
March 22nd, 2007 11:07
it took me three days to read the trilogy. i must say i am completely impressed by your creativity and style of writing. im very much looking forward to extra’s.
i do have another idea for you if you ever find yourself needing a good book idea or two.
it is based on the trilogy, i dont have a plot but.. well its hard to explain.
if your interested, let me know.
i’d love to share.
awesome job on the picture,
cant wait til extras comes out.
=D
March 22nd, 2007 11:09
fixed link to live journal.
sorry bout that.
=D
March 22nd, 2007 12:16
That pic is soooooooooooo cool!!! Does that mean Extras is almost done?!
YAY!
March 23rd, 2007 09:55
i wish that there was going to be a movie.
March 25th, 2007 06:40
omg i cant wait for the book to come out
March 26th, 2007 07:31
Hurry up and write the book! We need to have Extras! I love this series and can not wait any longer. give us some hint about it at least?!?!?!
March 26th, 2007 07:33
It would be totally awsome if you could make a manga uglies series by the way
March 28th, 2007 07:42
hmmm…..
love the image but doubt it will be the cover for the British version
–the covers 4 the otha books aren’t
loved the uglies trilogy btw n cant wait 4 extras!!!!!!!
March 28th, 2007 08:44
Love it! I first thought it was Tally from the Uglies cover!
April 3rd, 2007 10:09
o my gosh!!!!! i loved this triology! i read the whole thing twice! are you going to be putting out a summary of extras so i can get a glimps of what the book is going to be like? i cant wait for it to come out!!!!!
April 4th, 2007 02:27
Scott I loved all of your books there totaly great!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! but I can’t wait untill Extras comes out !!!!!!!!!!!!!! Please give me a hint about what goes on in Extras! Like if it is another book from the Uglies trilogy What are Tally, Shay, David and all of the other Crims doing out there? And what will happen about Zane? Will Tally ever forget him or will she end up ike him? Please give me some clues! i can’t wait untill october!!!!!!!!!
April 4th, 2007 02:49
OH Ya, do you think ,well, when the Extras comes out, you could maybe, um, come to GA for like a book signing or somthing? please me and all of my friends love your writing. and you said that Extras is comming out in october, right? Well thats the mounth of my B-Day. So Please! Prety Please!
April 4th, 2007 02:53
NIce Cover Shot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
April 4th, 2007 10:19
OMG!!! I love the work that you do i really do. I cant wait for [EXTRAS] to come out i just cant wait!!! I read the books over and over their that great. You are so talented how do you come up with the tittles and the name.Will you pleasssssssssss give us some details about the book????
April 21st, 2007 10:33
i cant believe its not about tally!!!i cant wait for the extras, but im going to miss tally. i really enjoyed the trilogy, and i hope movies are made and do the books justice unlike eragon. looking forward to your future works.
May 3rd, 2007 14:18
ah i need to hurry up and read the specials so i can read this when it comes outt!
May 9th, 2007 09:48
Im so confused, how can there be a fourth book to a trilogy? anyways I LOVE the cover it looks cool totally !pretty-making!
May 13th, 2007 04:56
umm i triliogy can become a quad people….how difficult is that concept???
May 13th, 2007 12:00
To clear things up – Aya’s hair isn’t surged black, she’s Japanese, meaning it’s naturally black. =D And Miche-wa, it’s not part of the Uglies, Pretties, Specials trilogy, which basically revolves around the “evolution of Tally.” This is a new character, new time, etc. But it does take place in the “Uglies” world.
May 18th, 2007 06:34
loveit
May 22nd, 2007 23:51
OMG! It is so cool.
I am interested, but when will it come out in Canada?
May 24th, 2007 07:09
Scott, you ruined the images for me. I hope you’re happy! I usually like to think up what I think the characters would look like, and now you’ve just gone and shown us a picture?!
May 24th, 2007 07:11
and its not fair!!! I wanna read about Tally!!!
May 24th, 2007 07:15
I shouldn’t really be talking about this cover, it’s just going to be changed in britain
June 1st, 2007 15:12
This cover is so cool! I cannot wait for October 2, when Extras comes out! I’m so excited.
June 4th, 2007 17:23
I agree………..I am going nuts because I cant read it yet!!!!
June 29th, 2007 02:54
I NEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEDDDDDDD to read Extras, like right now. If I dont get it soon, my best friend Randi is going to go nuts because I, like other people am starting to talk like a pretty. And I think its bogus how long we have to wait for the 4th book!!! Will we ever see tally again????? and whats up with the april fools joke????? does that mean anything about zane??? will he come back?????
June 29th, 2007 12:16
YES!!!! PLEASE LET ZANE COME BACK! HE’S MY FAVORITE!!!!!
July 31st, 2007 05:14
I think it’s pretty!! oh and by the way i agree with Chelsea, u gotsssss toooo puuuut my Zane back in!!!!!!!!!! i fell in love with his character and now he’s been in all my dreams since i read that he died…or did he….hmm.. PLEASE TELL ME HE’S NOT DEAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! FOR ME SAKE, FOR TALLY’S SAKE, FOR CHELSEA’S SAKE!!!! I NEED MY ZANE-LA!!!!!!!!!!!! *TEARS RISING* not again… *TEARS COMING* no!!!!! bring back me Zane!!!!!!!! *TEARS ROLLING DOWN FACE* i need Zane!!!!! and i almost threw my book out the window when he died and Tally couldn’t cry…*sadness* but i didn’t cuz i didn’t want to pay for a broken window so i threw it at the wall on the other end of the room…anyway….please please please please bring Zane back!!!!!!!!
October 25th, 2007 08:29
She is so pretty. Gleeful joyous.
November 7th, 2007 06:23
OMG i am at the beginning of Specials and it looks awesome so far!!!!
I still don’t know what is gonna happen with Zane- but all i know is I WANT HIM BACK WITH TALLY-WA!!!!!!!!!
PLEEEEEEEEEEEASEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE bring back ZANE!!!!!!!!!!
November 7th, 2007 06:26
hey can u please get a picture of Dr.Cable…?
cuz i am really curious to see what you would imagine her as…
even though i have an image in my mind…
So thank you if it is possible i will be VERY happy!
December 22nd, 2007 10:58
yeah i knew it was Aya but then again i have already read the book oh oh im the one who posted as jessica thats just my nickname this is my real name
p.s. i love ur books are you going to write a 5th????
December 22nd, 2007 11:00
thinking about Zane makes me sad