GRRM has written a wonderful write-up for Suvudu’s championship match between Jaime Lannister and Rand al’Thor, with cameos by Birgitte of the Bow, Nynaeve al’Meara, Egwene al’Viere, Aviendha, the Great and Powerful Turtle, Lohengrin, Melisandre, and of course Tyrion. It has some wonderful touches aimed as nods towards Robert Jordan, who was a friend of George’s and whose blurb on the cover of A Game of Thrones was a big help when the series first started. There’s also passing references to a number of other authors, such as Jack Vance and a fun one right at the end to another of GRRM’s good friends, Roger Zelazny.
The last line is chillingly right, for all you fans of A Song of Ice and Fire.
There’s just one day left to vote, and Jaime presently trails by 600 votes. Read the write-up and vote at Suvudu!
At his “Not a Blog”, George R.R. Martin has shared the cover and table of contents for the anthology he and Gardner Dozois co-edited, Songs of Love and Death: Tales of Star-Crossed Love. The title provides the thematic link that connects all the stories together. Contributors include Jim Butcher, Jacqueline Carey, Diana Gabaldon, Neil Gaiman, Robin Hobb, Tanith Lee, and nearly a dozen other authors. The anthology is due out in November of this year.
GRRM has shared this Newsarama interview with himself and author Daniel Abraham, a novellist and Wild Cards contributor who wrote the original comic book, Wild Cards: The Hard Call. After a long delay due to publishing issues, The Hard Call is back on track due to the efforts of Dynamite Entertainment and their new relationship with the original publishers, the Dabel Brothers.
Quite a few interesting remarks therein, including a frank assessment of Martin’s past relationship with the Dabels as they tried to get their business activities running smoothly with only intermittent success.
GRRM’s official site has been updated with a new update on “Not a Blog”. There he mentions he’s feeling mostly recovered from his recent illness, although his assistant Ty is now feeling under the weather, and then discusses various irons in the fire. Not only does work on A Dance with Dragons continues, but he’s wrapping up editing of Fort Freak (the 21st Wild Cards book) and will soon be gearing up to write his one script for HBO’s Game of Thrones. He also mentions some other news items—both good and, unfortunately, bad—that he may be able to share soon.
Via George R.R. Martin, we’ve learned that the British Fantasy Awards have their longlist of nominees—all works recommended by a British Fantasy Society or FantasyCon member—posted, and Songs of the Dying Earth: Stories in Honor of Jack Vance is included for Best Anthology. Edited by GRRM and Gardner Dozois, the anthology is a tribute to Jack Vance, containing a terrific groups of authors (including Martin) who share stories in Vance’s most famous setting, the Dying Earth.
Also on the long lists are three stories from the anthology, novellas by Matthew Hughes and Walter Jon Williams and the short story by Robert Silverberg. Congratulations to both of the editors and the writers so recognized, and our hopes they find their way onto the shortlists.
George R.R. Martin has shared that he will be a guest of Avatar Press for the Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo between April 16 and April 18. Besides the usual round of panels, autograph-sessions, and readings, Avatar Press has him listed as being a part of their special VIP event alongside World War Z writer Max Brooks.
Part of the reason for the visit to Chicago? Promoting the new comic book adaption of his much-admired vampire novel,Fevre Dream, which has been adapted by Daniel Abraham and Rafa Lopez into a ten issue miniseries. The first issue is due in April, in time for the convention.
There’s a fresh review and interview of the George R.R. Martin and Gardner Dozois edited anthology, Warriors (US, UK), at the Suvudu publisher site. The anthology, due March 16th, contains the third in Martin’s “Dunk and Egg” novellas set about 90 years before the events of the series. Shawn Speakman rates the novella as the best of the three, citing the story arcs for the characters and the tensions as they face their most dangerous challenge yet.
In the follow-up interview, Marti and Dozois discuss the origins of the anthology series, their efforts to include the late, great mystery writer Tony Hillerman, and GRRM’s hope to write the next Dunk & Egg novella once A Dance with Dragons is completed.
In honor of George Washington’s birthday, George R.R. Martin is holding a special sale on 24 copies of first edition hardcovers of Inside Straight. These have been signed by Martin, Carrie Vaughn, Melinda M. Snodgrass, John Jos. Miller, Caroline Spector, Daniel Abraham, and Ian Tregillis. Usually sold at $27 a copy, GRRM will sell these books for $22 (book-rate shipping included in the U.S.) while supplies last.
At his Not a Blog, George R.R. Martin announced that he had signed contracts to have the first three Wild Cards volumes translated and published in Italy for the first time. RCS Libri will be the publisher.
George R.R. Martin provides a brief update at “Not a Blog”, sharing this views on the new The Wolfman film (he gives it a C) and then mentions that a new producer has come on board Mike the Pike Production’s Skin Trade adaption as reported in this press release.
As to A Dance with Dragons, Meereen still presents problems despite the progress GRRM has been making: “Can I just drop a hydrogen bomb on the damn place?” It seems the Meereenese Knot remains a concern.
George R.R. Martin shares links to several excerpts from the forthcoming Warriors anthology. The three excerpts come from Diana Gabaldon‘s Outlander-set story, Cecelia Holland‘s “The King of Norway”, and GRRM’s own “The Mystery Knight”, the third in the Dunk & Egg sequence of “A Song of Ice and Fire” prequel novellas.
According to author Jacqueline Carey, author of the Kushiel series, the Songs of Love and Death: Tales of Star-crossed Love (an expansion of the previous title, and a recapitulation of the original title, Star-Crossed Lovers) anthology edited by George R.R. Martin and Gardner Dozois has received a publication date: November 16, 2010.
The anthology was turned in to the publisher last month (full table of contents at the link). Carey’s story, “You and Only You”, is set in her Kushiel setting, and concerns the character of Anafiel Delaunay.
GRRM shares the news of a group signing event at Barnes & Noble in the Coronado Center of Albuquerque, New Mexico, scheduled for February 20th. Other Wild Cards authors at the event, besides himself, include Daniel Abraham, Melinda Snodgrass, John Jos. Miller, Caroline Specter, Ian Tregillis, Victor Milan, and Carrie Vaughn. More information can be found at Barnes & Noble’s events page.
Ian Tregillis gives us another look into the world of Wild Cards, this time with an account of how he was recruited at the last minute to write a key story in the span of two weeks for Inside Straight (US, UK).
GRRM’s official site has been updated with several new updates on “Not a Blog”. Among them, GRRM clarifies that he had in fact finished a Jon Snow chapter that he was happy with, and that he may be shifting back to the Meereenese point of views. Speaking of snow, he shares an image of a painted Sansa Stark miniature from Dark Sword Miniatures.
Finally, and sadly, he shares the news of the death of fellow writer, Kage Baker, due to cancer. Baker contributed a fine Cugel the Clever story toSongs of the Dying Earth, and wrote a number of award-nominated and otherwise notable short stories and novels besides. She will be missed.