Avid followers of the "A Song of Ice and Fire" book series have been waiting patiently for the release of its sixth installment. George R.R. Martin announced in 2011 that he would be writing "The Winds Of Winter" to continue the story of the people in Westeros and Essos. However, the veteran author has not yet finished writing the much-awaited tome until now, leaving some fans feeling distraught and disappointed.
Martin has been keeping his fans updated about his recent projects and whereabouts through his personal blog. However, instead of sharing details about the sixth book of the ASOIAF series, the 70-year-old American writer had been posting more contents about Wild Cards, which is now being developed into a television series.
'The Winds of Winter' might arrive in 2020
In May, Air New Zealand launched a video campaign in an attempt to convince GRRM to visit the country. The airline hoped that visiting the sovereign island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean would help the veteran author in completing the sixth volume of the "A Song of Ice and Fire" series.
Martin was quick to respond to the campaign and wrote an entry in his Not-A-Blog blog. The brain behind the popular "Game of Thrones" series divulged that he does have plans in visiting New Zealand for the 2020 Worldcon.
"In the summer of 2020, Wellington is hosting the World Science Fiction Convention, the oldest and most important con in the SF/ fantasy calendar, and they’ve asked me to serve as Toastmaster for the Hugo Awards," Martin wrote.
"Writers, fans, and artists from all over the world will be headed down to check out all of your wonders. I hope lots of you Kiwis will join us," he went on.
GRRM's hectic schedule might cause another delay
Meanwhile, after Martin sparked hope among fans after he said that he plans to finish The Winds of Winter soon, a few remain unconvinced that he would be able to finish it before the WorldCon in 2020.
One of the primary reasons why the sixth A Song of Ice and Fire book could be delayed is Martin's new position as the Chief World Builder for Meow Wolf.
For starters, Meow Wolf is an entertainment company that hosts exemplary interactive exhibitions and provides next-gen immersive experiences. Martin has been working with Meow Wolf for quite some time now.
With his new designation in the company, GRRM is expected to contribute to the growth of its story world in the future.
Aside from his new gig, another reason why some fans think that "The Winds of Winter" might be delayed again is because of Martin's new game project: Elden Ring. During Microsoft’s E3 press conference, it was revealed that GRRM is working with FromSoftware for the upcoming new game. The new title, according to reports, is Martin's first game that has nothing to do with the "Game of Thrones" series.
"George should stop accepting other projects to focus on the winds of winter," one fan wrote on Twitter. "GRRM might not finish the book ever," another follower of the "A Song of Ice and Fire" series wrote. Martin has yet to comment on the claims that the sixth book of the famous book series could be delayed anew.
