The long-awaited sixth installment of George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series, The Winds of Winter, has been in the works for over a decade. While fans eagerly anticipate its release, Martin recently found himself at the center of a humorous online debate after posing with real-life direwolves—an extinct species revived through biotechnology. Some fans joked that “we got real dire wolves before Winds of Winter,” prompting Martin to address the comments in a recent interview with Time.
Quick read:
- Martin acknowledges the delay – He admits The Winds of Winter is “13 years late” but is still working on it.
- Responds to criticism – He dismisses claims that his activities, like visiting direwolves, affect his writing.
- Balancing commitments – HBO projects slow him down, but he remains committed to finishing the book.
Martin’s Frustration Over The Winds of Winter Delay
In his interview with Time, Martin acknowledged the joke but expressed frustration over the ongoing scrutiny regarding his writing progress. He admitted that The Winds of Winter is “13 years late” and described the book as “the curse of my life”. While he reassured fans that he is still working on it, he added, “other things divert my attention and suddenly I have a deadline for one of the HBO shows.”
The Direwolves didn’t impact Martin’s writing speed
Martin also addressed criticism regarding his involvement in non-writing activities, such as opening a bookstore and renovating a film theater. He clarified that these pursuits do not significantly interfere with his writing, stating,
“I swear, I opened a bookstore and people say, ‘Why is George R.R. Martin opening a bookstore when he should be writing Winds of Winter?’ I don’t actually work in the bookstore, you know”
He further dismissed the notion that his direwolf photo-op hindered his writing, asserting that it did not “seriously infringe” on his progress. He said,
“The trip was probably like four days. I flew down to Dallas, we took the tour, and then we ate some barbecue. It did not seriously impinge on the writing of Winds of Winter. But people make it seem—my more fanatic fans—as if it’s one or the other, and it’s not.”
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