Specials Is Shipping! (updated x 2)

Posted on by scott

Okay, this isn’t the big news, but it is big:

Specials, the final volume of the Uglies series, is shipping from Amazon right NOW!

Tell your friends! Tell your cats! Tell your friends’ cats!

It was “officially” supposed to go on sale May 9, but there’s always some gun-jumpage in the crazy world of bookselling. I’m still in Australia, so you guys have to do the in-store spotting for me. Anybody seen a copy of Specials in the wild yet? (I hope they have them in stores soon, because it’s just not fair otherwise.)

UPDATE: Copies of Specials have been spotted in stores, at least in Canada. They should be everywhere in Canada and the US soon, and in Australia in a month-ish. Just call ahead! (The UK version comes out in October, but you guys don’t even have Pretties yet.)

And yes, this is the hardback edition of Specials. I don’t know when the paperback will be out, or if hardbacks of the other two books will appear. I’m only in charge of the words! UPDATE ENDS

Also, I will be putting up a Specials Spoiler Comment Thread soon, for those of you who’ve read the book and want to divulge and discuss. BUT THIS IS NOT IT! Do not engage in spoilage here.

And in celebration, here is some fab fan art, a hoverboard-a-rific illustration by Kate:

I love the blue lines and faded math homework in the background, the true sign of fan art direct from study hall. (Um, because nobody draws in class, do they? Unless it helps you listen, of course.) The crash bracelets are bigger than I imagined, but I kind of like the hugeness of them. These look big enough to actually work, and maybe even help you guide your way through the air, sort of like wings.

Check out the rest of Kate’s work, including headshots of leather-jacketed David, slightly gothoid Zane, pretty vacant Tally, and ugly-befreckled Tally.

In the meantime, rest assure that the previously alluded to news will be announced here . . . shortly (-ish). And apologies to anybody whose fan mail I haven’t answered yet: I’ve been snowed under with work.

Now go and read.

One More Update: Specials got to 393 291 224 today on Amazon! (I know, looking at one’s Amazon rating is pretty lame, especially as independent bookstore sales are really more important. But some days it’s all we authors have got, okay?) That’s the best rating any of my books have ever achieved, even Evolution’s Darling the day it was reviewed in the NY Times way back in June of 2000, which was merely 692-ish. Let there be w00ting, and let it be loud.

102 thoughts on “Specials Is Shipping! (updated x 2)”

  1. Wow. I’m the first one to comment??
    Hmm…now thats new.
    But anyhooo…specials!!
    Do you mean its out in Australia only,
    or all over??
    Its nice that I finally have a good book to feast on.
    One random note, I really like the tattoo on the girl on the book cover.
    I wonder who designed it….
    =)

  2. It’s not out in australya for like foreva!!! I know cuz its killing me!!!! He must mean America.

  5. I told my cats, and they asked if they could take a nap on the book. I replied that it wasn’t here yet, and they went back to sleep. As a hint, I think, to tell me to go to sleep. Peeps would be their favorite Westerbook, of course, if they could read English. Luckily for them, I speak cat. Or I try to. In any event, happy release day, and ohnothistrilogycan’tbeover!!! fangirl wishes.

  6. AARGH!! So that whole ARC fiasco was for nothing. So Amazon has already started shipping their regular books and my ARC hasn’t even arrived. Therefore making the whole exercise pointless. Not that I would be able to read anyway, due to FINALS WEEK coming up….but then, since when have I ever paid attention to things like finals? You know, I figured Specials would be out early, because that’s what happened with Pretties, but I never imagined it would be this early. Insane. *sigh* I was half-tempted to go buy the hardback version anyway, and now I’m a little more than half. If it weren’t after 1:00 a.m. here in America-ville, I would probably head out to a bookstore right now.

    And for those of you not in the U.S., you can always order it online, provided you can deal with the crazy Americanized version. 😉

  7. I don’t have any cats. I have three dogs, though. I gues I’ll tell them.
    I am going to Barnes and Noble tomarrow. May ninth is just too far away.

  8. Is it still coming out in only hardcover? If so, do you have any idea when it’s going to be out in paperback? Why’d they decide to release it in hardcover instead of paperback like the first two? Hardcovers are too much for my budget. 🙁 I’ll probably read it at Borders and buy it when it gets in paperback. (or if it /is/ coming out in paperback and I’m wrong I probably sound like an idiot, so ignore me if you please D:)

    I love the drawing.

  9. Ok, so this has nothing to do with Specials, although Ingram (a national book distibuter) has already received their copies and are shipping them to stores as we speak. I just received an ARC of The Last Days, and the cover art is kinda weird. I was just wondering what happened to all the cool pics we saw… this cover kinda looks like it belongs on the Uglies books…

  10. i told my cats too, but they only said, “where’s our breakfast?” it being first thing in the morning and them *starving* and all.

    i debated on whether or not to buy specials in hardback, because i like my books to *match*, but then decided i couldn’t wait…so i ordered it on amazon to read asap and then will donate it to a library or something. and i’ll buy it again in paperback later.

    but yay on shipping early! i pre-ordered it *ages* ago, can hardly wait!!

  11. Those sketches are fantastic! I’ll never get over the sad fact that I can’t draw – on the bright side, I’ve moved past the whole being tone deaf thing.

    But I digress. I just finished reading Peeps. I know it came out a while ago, but you have to make certain allowances when you’re broke and living under the iron-fisted rule of the Queens Public Library. Scott, I thought it was just amazing. I loved how smart and funny it was, and how hard it was for me to put it down. How my cat always seemed to show up when I cracked the book open…Eerie, is all I’m saying.

    And I’m sure this question has been asked by people with fatter wallets or…fatter libraries?…but are you planning on a sequel? Because, honestly, I’m hooked. (Insert your own parasite-positive metaphor here).

  12. I wish I had access to a credit card so I could buy Specials. I guess I’ll have to wait until the official release date and camp out at Barnes & Noble or something.

    Adriana has finished reading Peeps and would like me to tell you that she is now scared of parasites and is probably infected with toxoplasma via her cat. I’m still spreading the (fandom) infection, and it has never been so fun.

    Mich: The sequel to Peeps is called The Last Days, and I believe it is due out in September.

  13. I buy everything in hardcover, unless I discover the book in paperback. What is with people and paperback? Its just a few more dollars more. congrats on specials.

  14. September? I thought it was August. You know, I could stop being lazy and go look it up…. argh, you’re right, September 7. Where did I get August from?

    Those drawings really are awesome. I’ve always wished I could draw like that. I hope there’s more to come. 🙂

    Off to check my mailbox.

  16. forcher:

    i usually buy everything in hardback too. but uglies and pretties were only released as paperback, at least in the states…as far as i know, anyway. and i’m ocd about books in a series matching on my shelf. my husband makes fun of me, but oh well.

  17. I loveee your books, they are soo amazing. i dont want the series to end
    =[

    your an awsome writer. ill be sure to read your other books too.

  18. Hmmm… I like the drawing quite much (that sounds a tad funny haha), the faded math homework was a nice choice… not to mention she helped saved trees! hoorah…

    anyway… I can’t wait to get the book, but if I order it… then it would be a waste of shipping and time if it was in book stores…

  19. btw I’m afraid to tell my friend’s cat… last time I heard of it it was when I asked why he had a bandaid on his face…

  20. And for my third comment in a way, as far as I can tell Barnes & Nobles has the book available… online at least… I’d hope that means it’s in stores now too…

  22. YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!

    Okay, now that I’ve got that out, I can concentrate! Specials! Specials! Specials! Specials! Specials! That’s seriously all I can think about right now.

    Only, this is kind of a bummer, my mom won’t let me order anything from amazon, ’cause she’s all like, “Maggie, just wait until it’s in bookstores. I’m not paying the shipping and handling.” But I wan’t it noooooooooooooow!!! So I have to wait until may 9th. Rawr. I think this calls for a classic paper link chain counting down the days. Juvenile, yet extremely effective.

  24. Mkay, so Borders says it’s in print, but none of the locations down here actually have it. Curious. I shall check daily until they have it!

    And I shall tell my cat, my friends’ cats, and my cat’s friends all about it. Though my cat might be more interested in the release of The Last Days. Peeps was her favorite of your books. *wink* Translates very well to catese.

  25. So the book probably is in stores in the US, or at least will be over the next few days. It’s in the shipping chain, which means it could be anywhere from a warehouse to a truck to down in the store’s basement and not unboxed yet.

    Just call ahead, and if they say it’s “in the computer” but it’s not on the shelves, ask them nicely to go to the basement and open the dang box.

    Right, the hardback thing. I’ll put that in the post when I update it. Basically, it’s a hardback and I’m not sure when it will be paperback, and sorry about the extra cost and all-important not matchingness. (But wasn’t my choice, I promise!)

    Yes, The Last Days (sequel to Peeps) comes out in September. I said August before, because I was assuming it came out exactly a year after Peeps.

    And yes TLD and the paperback of Peeps both have new covers, which are rather different. I’ll be revisiting that later.

    And glad all the cats are listening.

  26. Actually amazon has five dollars off, so if you’re shipping is less than that, it actually would be a better deal… I’m considering that now too… Just something to tell your mom Maggie…

  27. I called Borders and they’re sticking to the May 9th release date even though they already have them in the store. Arrrgahhhhhh!

  28. Where’d you get that it’s in stores in Canada, Scott? Hope it comes here, soon. I can order it on Amazon, anyway, so it doesn’t really matter. I guess.

  29. Stupid Borders. They jack the prices anyway.

    And stupid Texas. I called Austin’s local store Book People, which is the best place to get anything in Austin (if you happen to be in that area). They told me that none of the warehouses in Texas have started shipping it yet. So my whole plan to sell back my textbooks and then go buy Specials wouldn’t have worked anyway. ARGH!

    Maggie Says:
    “Specials! Specials! Specials! Specials! Specials! That’s seriously all I can think about right now.”

    Yeah, that’s me. 😀

  31. If you live in Houston, there is there is this really cool chick at barnes and nobles, and she will so go get it fromt he basement for you. I think it’s more about the person and not the store… and i can’t WAIT! to go get it,
    my rents won’t drive me untill friday! AAAAAAARGH!
    Lol, o well. soon enough.

  32. ok i’m totally pis….i mean upset, I went to the mall here in auburn, ny, the middle of friggin nowhere and went to walden’s books. and all they have is uglies and pretties. i wanted to find the midnighters, or peeps, or ANYTHING but no, nothing but those two which i’ve read…That’s what i get for living in the middle of NOWHERE. grrr.

    Kate, awesome art work hun, totally cool.

    question for the cat thing….does anyone elses cats show their fangs when smelling books?…my cat smells the book i’m reading and opens her mouth just enough for her little fangs to show….looks like a vamp kitty…lol. but yea i told my cats. and they ran away….i guess they aren’t fans…

  33. LOL! i don’t have a cat, but my brother pretty much snarls and looks at books evily too. 4some reason he doesn’t like to read, a
    nd he must be wack to not like your work scott, cause there is nothing better on the planet!
    wuteva as the spanish saying goes
    “menos burros mas elotes”
    (less donkeys/dumbasses, more corn…. like for the ones hu do like corn, lol)

  36. Cool art.

    You have to go to a local book store to get it early. The big chain stores are tight about release dates.

    Can’t even bribe them. I think it’s illegal…

    I hope not…

  40. Heh, so I went to amazon to check out the aforementioned paperback version of Peeps with it’s new cover, and the first book that came up was also called Peeps, and it had a picture of the little sugary peeps on it, so the first thing I thought was, “Wow, Scott really took a different direction with the paperback.” It took me a few seconds to realize that Scott doesn’t actually come up with th covers. Also, this was Peeps: A Candy Coated Tale by Mark Masyga. Whoops. Yeah, I’m kinda like that.

    Plus, Amazon turned out to not even have a picture of paperback Peeps. So this slightly embaressing escapade was all for nothing.

  43. Yay! I had a mention in Scott’s blog! Woo!
    And YEAH, the Aussie Peeps cover is so damn cool.
    Gtg, my sister really wants me to play gamecube right now.

  44. any idea how an american girl can get ahold of an australian copy of peeps? cause i was just found the cover art back in the blog and…wow.

  45. just read what i posted…somehow a “was” ended up in there, and it doesn’t belong.

    btw, thanks to jess for pointing me to the super cool aussie peeps cover.

  46. Oh goody! I’ve been waiting to start the series, because I didn’t want to forget everything before the third book was available.

    BTW, I just gave So Yesterday a starred review in my newsletter (yeah, like you need ANOTHER one.) My husband and I both thought it was hysterical. I was wondering, have you ever read Connie Willis’ Bellwether? The underlying premise is kind of similar, though her take is quite different. Really good book.

  47. GIVE US THE BIG NEWS, DAMMIT!!! Gah, you said early this week. I’m dying of impaticence here!

  48. I wouldn’t be surprised if my cat had read the other Uglies books… she’s too smart for her own good. And she’s a peep, or at least she has red eyes like one.
    Those sketches are really cool. I especially like the “pretty” and “ugly” pictures of Tally. Now all we need is one of her Special. And the one of Zane was really good, too. Wish I could draw like that…

  49. Orange: Hey, if you’ve got $24 Australia (about US $18) on your credit card, you can order it from these guys:

    http://www.bookworm.com.au/cgi-bin/bookmall/bookworm/returndetail.tam?xax=852616&item%2Ectx=PZ823808&query%2Ectx=Westerfeld%20Scott&searchtype%2Ectx=author&boolean%2Ectx=

    But that’s a pretty expensive trade paperback.

    Web: Thanks for the review! Cool site.

    Ambereyes: Patience is a virtue. But I just pinged my agent to ask when the news can be leaked.

  50. Since there’s always talk about this every time you put out a new book, I just thought maybe run down on release dates, or at least how we treat them at my Barnes and Noble, might be useful.

    There is a difference between a plain old release date and a Strict On Sale (S.O.S) release date. For the vast majority of titles, we will put the books out as soon as they are received. However, and this usually applies to books by major mainstream authors, the company maintains a listing of S.O.S titles and their release dates which absolutely cannot be broken, as in we legally cannot sell the book before that date. And most children’s and YA authors do not make the list. I can only think of a handful that have.

    If the book is not on the company’s S.O.S list, than no matter what the publisher’s box or anyone else says, we will sell the book as soon as we get it. If it’s not on the shelf, we will get from the back. It just would not be practical for us to sit on every book until its “official” release date. There is just not enough space to store them. We’ve had books come in months early, though usually it’s just a few days.

    Please feel free to ask the nice booksellers to take a pre order or reservation for you. That way you’ll know if the book comes in early because we will call you the same day the book comes in.

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