NEWS RELEASES FROM GRRM—2005 and Earlier:
COMING SOON TO A SHOP NEAR YOU December 26, 2005 Westeros is on the way. The Testor's Corporation of Rockford, Illinois is moving full speed ahead with its plans for three lines of miniatures based on A Song of Ice and Fire. The initial release will be a group of resin miniatures cast and painted in China, and made in the large 1/18 scale. We had originally hoped to have the first figures out in late 2005, but Testor's decided to take a little longer than initially planned, to make certain the miniatures would be top quality. 
The first prototypes have just made their way from China to Illinois, and here's a advance peek. Yes, some of the colors are a little off -- the direwolves should be greyer, and Theon should be in black, not blue. This is just to give you a taste. These are just prototypes, remember. All the little glitches will be fixed before we go into production, so there's no need to write Testor's, or me. In fact, all of you need to do is run down to your favorite toy and hobby shop, and make sure they will be carrying the figures when Testor's releases them early in 2006. SUBTERRANEAN HOLIDAY SPECIALS December 19, 2005 In the holiday spirit, Bill Schafer of Subterranean Press is offering a couple of special deals from now through the end of the year... for the collector on your list, if he or she has been good enough. Subterranean has acquired a small stock of the Meisha Merlin limited editions of A CLASH OF KINGS, with their gorgeous John Howe illustrations. Buy now, and you can get a matching numbered set of CLASH and the forthcoming Subterranean illustrated edition of A STORM OF SWORDS (with art by Charles Vess) for the bargain price of $410. Shipping is included to US addresses. CLASH would be shipped now, STORM on publication. Also, if your favorite collector missed his chance to purchase one of the numbered copies of GRRM: A RRETROSPECTIVE when it came out in 2003, Subterranean will be offering a small supply of same at $175 each. Shipping again would be included. All these books already have my autograph... however, if you would like me to add a second autograph and a personal inscription, Subterranean will arrange that as well, at no extra cost to the buyer. Place your orders with Subterranean Press via their website at http://www.subterraneanpress.com. Good as long as supplies last. THE ART OF ICE AND FIRE RELEASED BY FANTASY FLIGHT  The Art of George R.R. Martin's A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE, edited by Brian Wood, was released nationwide in early November and should now be available at a bookstore or comics shop near you. The book is available in both trade hardcover and deluxe slipcased collector's edition, each of 192 glossy pages, all in full color. The collector's edition, with a gold-embossed faux-leather binding and sleeve,is limited to 250 copies. It retails for $99.95, the trade hardcover for $29.95. The Starks and the Lannisters, Winterfell and the Wall, Dany and her dragons, the exotic cities of the east, the Iron Throne and the Seastone Chair, Dunk and Egg, the black brothers of the Night's Watch, the white knights of the Kingsguard, the red priestess Melisandre of Asshai ... they are all here in full color, as depicted by an a stellar lineup of some of the world's best fantasy artists, including Donato Giancola, Charles Vess, Steve Youll, John Howe, John Schoenherr, Michael Komarck, Mike S. Miller, Jim Burns, Esad Ribic, Jamie Sims, Don Maitz, Thomas Denmark, Martina Pilcerova, Mark Evans, John Matson, Franz Miklis, Jason Engle, Chris Dien, Tim Truman, Xia Taptara, Roman (Amok) Papsuev, Anders Finer, Steve Stone, Ted Nasmith, and many more. The artwork includes pieces drawn from Fantasy Flight's popular GAME OF THRONES collectible card game, cover art from various editions of the novels published both here and abroad, interiors and color plates from the limited editions, artwork and covers from THE HEDGE KNIGHT graphic novel, and a number of original paintings and drawing never before seen anywhere. Oh, and there's also a short introduction by yours truly. If your local bookshop doesn't stock the title (shame on them), The Art of George R.R. Martin's A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE can be ordered directly from Fantasy Flight Games via their website. THE CROWS FLY HIGH November 27, 2005 The feast has finally been served, and the crows have taken flight... higher than anyone (including me) would ever have dared dream. 
The American hardcover of A FEAST FOR CROWS was released on November 8, and immediately shot to the top of all the lists, making its debut at #1 on the NEW YORK TIMES bestseller list for hardcover fiction. That shriek you heard coming out of the west a few days back was me in San Francisco, roaring with delight as I got the news from Bantam. The highest I had ever reached on the TIMES list previously was #12, for A STORM OF SWORDS.
A FEAST FOR CROWS also hit #1 on the WALL STREET JOURNAL and PUBLISHER'S WEEKLY bestseller lists, and #2 on the USA LIST (which combines fiction and non-fiction). Amazon, Border's, and Barnes & Noble also had FEAST ranked as #1 in hardcover fiction. 
Meanwhile the British edition, released by HarperCollins Voyager on October 17, broke in at #10 on the TIMES OF LONDON bestseller list for hardcover fiction, and edged up to #9 for its second week on sale.
Every writer dreams of making these lists, and to hit #1... to know your book is the bestselling novel in all of America... well, I still wake up pinching myself. It is not something I could have achieved alone, however. Thanks are due to all the good folks at Bantam and HarperCollins for their faith in the series and their patience with the author, to the legions of booksellers who pushed the books on all those unsuspecting customers, and most of all to my readers. If there was ever a series that has grown through word of mouth, it is this one... so thanks to all of you who ever recommended A GAME OF THRONES to friends, kins, and coworkers. If the crows are flying high, it's only because all of you helped them take wing. CLASH OF KINGS LIMITED EDITION STILL AVAILABLE November 22, 2005  It's not too late for collectors who would like to add a copy of the gorgeous signed, numbered, illustrated edition of A CLASH OF KINGS to their bookshelves. Stocks are shrinking fast, but for the moment this deluxe edition still remains available from Meisha Merlin at its original publication price of $250 (Once the title sells out, expect that price to rise sharply in the aftermarket). This volume is lavishly illustrated by John Howe, one of the world's top fantasy artists, best known for his Tolkien illustrations and his design work on Peter Jackson's films. The art includes a wraparound cover painting, three full-color interior plates (including a fold-out), and a plethora of black and white interior illustrations. Meisha Merlin published the book in a deluxe numbered edition limited to 448 copies, and a super-deluxe lettered edition limited to 52 copies. The lettered edition was sold out before publication, but some of the numbered state remain available. CLASH is slipcased, and all copies have been signed by myself, by John Howe, and by Charles Keegan, who contributed the chapter titles and heraldic sigils. To grab one of the remaining copies, contact Meisha Merlin at orders@meishamerlin.com. SIGNED BOOKMARKS FROM SUBTERRANEAN November 11, 2005 
Subterranean Press is offering free bookmarks to all those who order its signed, limited edition of A STORM OF SWORDS before November 15. For details about this special limited-time offer, check their news page .
The Subterranean STORM is moving rapidly toward completion. Charles Vess has almost completed the black and white interior art, and will soon be tackling the next of the color plates. Bill Schafer has posted some more samples on Subterranean's website for those who'd like a taste. This should be a gorgeous book. SubPress will be issuing it in two volumes, in a deluxe signed numbered edition limited to 448 copies and a super-deluxe lettered state limited to 52. Both will be slipcased, and lavishly illustrated by the inimitable Charles. DUNK AND EGG RIDE AGAIN October 29, 2005 
Good news for fans of THE HEDGE KNIGHT comic and graphic novel. I have just signed an agreement with the DB Pro for a follow-up series, a full-color comics adaption of the second Dunk and Egg novella, "The Sworn Sword."
The novella originally appeared in Robert Silverberg's anthology LEGENDS II, (Del Rey), and picks up the adventures of Dunk and Egg two years after the fateful tournament at Ashford Meadow.
The Dabel Brothers will be releasing the adaptation as a six-issue comic miniseries and later as a graphic novel. Ben Avery will script the book and the art will be by Mike S. Miller. They're the same folks who did such terrific work on THE HEDGE KNIGHT, so I expect THE SWORN SWORD comic to be just as good. Look for it in your local comics shop some time in 2006. MINIATURES ON THE MARCH October 6, 2005 
Work continues apace on the new Song of Ice & Fire miniatures game and the various ranges of minis that the Testor Corporation plans to debut in the fall. Game designer Andy Chambers has delivered his first version of the rules for the skirmish game, and they are now being playtested at Testor's. Meanwhile, the concept artists and sculptors have been busy. Here's one of the latest sculpts to come in: a triptych of Bran and Hodor with Bran's direwolf, Summer. This one is for the large 1/18 scale range, which will be cast in resin and sold prepainted. The sculpt was done in China.  FANTASY FLIGHT TO PUBLISH THE ART OF ICE AND FIRE September 28, 2005
Some say that a picture is worth a thousand words.
If so, Fantasy Flight Games will soon be releasing the equivilent of half a million words about the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros and their people and places: a deluxe hardcover collection of artwork and illustration called The Art of George R.R. Martin's A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE, edited by Brian Wood. The Starks and the Lannisters, Winterfell and the Wall, Dany and her dragons, the exotic cities of the east, the Iron Throne and the Seastone Chair, Dunk and Egg, the black brothers of the Night's Watch, the white knights of the Kingsguard, the red priestess Melisandre of Asshai ... all of them can be found here in full color, along with much much more. The art book will be released in November, to coincide with the American relase of A FEAST FOR CROWS, and should be available at a bookstore near you, over the net, or directly from FFG via their website at http://www.fantasyflightgames.com/asongoficeandfireartbook.html. 
Fantasy Flight is the publisher of the popular GAME OF THRONES board game and collectible card game, and The Art of George R.R. Martin's A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE will include the very best of the thousands of paintings and drawings done for the CCG, by an all-star lineup of FFG's best artists, including Michael Komarck, Thomas Denmark, Martina Pilcerova, Mark Evans, John Matson, Franz Miklis, Jason Engle, Chris Dien, Tim Truman, Xia Taptara, Roman (Amok) Papsuev, and many many more. The collection will by no means be limited to the card art. Editor Brian Wood has also reprinting some gorgeous and memorable cover art from all around the world: imagery from the British covers by this year's Hugo-winning artist Jim Burns, from the U.S. covers by Steve Youll, several of the gorgeous Croatian covers by Esad Ribic, Donato Giancola's sensuous version of Melisandre from the cover of Dragon, some of John Howe's paintings and sketches from the deluxe limited edition of A Clash of Kings (Meisha Merlin, 2005), and some of Charles Vess's work from the forthcoming limited of A Storm of Swords (coming soon from Subterranean Press). Several of Jamie Sims's concept drawings for the Testor's range of miniatures will also be included, along with covers and interiors from The Hedge Knight graphic novel by Mike S. Miller, Ted Nasmith, and Anders Finer, and the delightful fan art of Jenny Dolfen and Maria Luisa Giliberti. 
And to round out the collection, FFG has also commissioned some brand new artwork, never before seen anywhere: a breathtaking vision of the Wall by Martina, some fabulous new pieces by Mike S. Miller of Hedge Knight fame, a gallery of the Targaryen kings from Aegon the Conquerer to Daenerys Stormborn by Amok, a huge and stunning vision of Winterfell by Steve Stone, original paintings by Don Maitz, Mark Evans Michael Komarck, Anders Finer, Torstein Nordstrand, and last but not least a portrait of Aegon the Conquerer and his sisters by the legendary John Schoenherr, who has been sadly absent from the fantasy field for something like two decades. Oh, and there's also a short introduction by yours truly. The Art of George R. R. Matin's A Song of Ice and Fire will be hardcover, with 192 glossy pages, all in full color. Also available, exclusively from Fantasy Flight's online store, is the deluxe Collector's Edition, with a gold-embossed faux-leather binding and sleeve, limited to 250 pages. The collector's edition will sell for $99.95, the trade hardcover for $29.95. NEW WILD CARDS BOOK SCHEDULED FOR JANUARY September 23, 2005 
The latest installment in the Wild Cards series, John J. Miller's solo novel DEATH DRAWS FIVE, has been scheduled for a January release in hardcover by iBooks.
DEATH DRAWS FIVE is the seventeenth volume in the overall series, and the first new installment since the release of DEUCES DOWN in 2002. A tale of fists, faith, and armageddon in America's heartland, the novel features John's asskicker ace Billy Ray (aka Carnifex), the long-time fan favorite Fortunato and his son John Fortune, and the shape-shifting private dick Mr. Nobody, along with John Nighthawk, the Midnight Angel, and a host of other new characters. If it's been too long since your last Wild Cards fix, be sure to pick up DEATH DRAWS FIVE when it hits the bookshops come January, or pre-order from Amazon.com. BROTHERHOOD LAUNCHES FAN WEBSITE September 19, 2005 The wild and wonderful group of Ice & Fire readers who call themselves the Brotherhood Without Banners have been getting together and throwing parties at worldcons ever since Philadelphia in 2001... and usually the BWB event turns out to be the best party at the con, as anyone who attended any of their recent bashes can tell you. The Brotherhood (do not be fooled by the name, the club has plenty of women too, all of them bright and beautiful) is a great group, and their energy and enthusiasm are contagious... and now they have taken the next step in their conquest of their world, and launched their own offical website here. http://www.bwbfanclub.com The site features all sorts of fun stuff: news about forthcoming events and gatherings, a history of the club and its parties, a photo album (still growing) of BWB members, informative pages by collectors on collecting, a gallery of artwork, a list of all of the BWB chapters throughout the country, links to other fan sites, even a greeting from yours truly. More pages and features will be added in the future. There is also a sign-up page for those who would like to join the BWB and take place in their activities. The site is the creation of David McCaman, aka Lord Lodengarl the Three-Fisted, the BWB's tireless and jovial elder brother and party monster. Lodey, thanks again. I have the best readers in the world.  SHADOW TWIN LIMITED GOING FASTSeptember 7, 2005 Subterranean Press has informed me that fewer than thirty copies of their deluxe limited edition of SHADOW TWIN remain unsold, so collectors hoping to add this one to their shelves should act soon. The book is done and at the printers, and Subterranean expects to be shipping copies within the week. A three-way collaboration between myself, Gardner Dozois, and Daniel Abraham, SHADOW TWIN is a science fiction novella almost thirty years in the making. Gardner began it in the 70s, I took it over in the 80s, and Daniel came along and finished it in the 00s. It appeared online in SCIFICTION last spring, and more recently in ASIMOV's... but this new edition will be special. Subterranean is publishing the novella in two states: a signed, numbered hardcover, limited to 500 copies and retailing at $40, and a super-deluxe leatherbound traycase version of 26 lettered copies. Both versions feature a foreword by the three authors (no Three Stooges jokes please, we prefer to think of ourselves as the Marx Brothers of Sci-Fi), along with a stunning cover and interior illustrations by Michael Komarck. SHADOW TWIN can be ordered off the Subterranean website. SUBTERRANEAN LAUNCHES NEW MAGAZINE July 26, 2005 
William Schafer and the good people at Subterranean Press have more courage than sense. At a time when all of the existing science fiction and fantasy magazines are struggling with declining circulation and vanishing ad revenues, they are stepping in where wiser men fear to tread and launching a brand new magazine.
The magazines have traditionally been the heart of SF and fantasy, the place where new writers break in and journeymen become masters, where the genre renews itself. Our field would be a poorer place without them. The magazines deserve our support, and new ones most of all, so I hope that all of you will give Subterranean Magazine a try. I am pleased to have a small part in this new venture. The first issue of the new magazine includes the full teleplay of one of my old Twilight Zone episodes, "The Toys of Caliban," along with the terrific Terry Matz short story on which it was based. The broadcast version of "Toys of Caliban" (first shown way back on December 4, 1986) was truncated for reasons of time, but Subterranean's readers will be able to enjoy the full script. And remember, first issues are usually very collectible. The debut issue of Subterranean Magazine is only six bucks, and can be ordered from Subterranean Press. ELECTRIC STORY TO OFFER FIVE GRRM SHORT STORIES AS EBOOKS June 30, 2005 
My Hugo-winning novella "A Song for Lya" and Nebula-winning novelette "Portraits of His Children" are among five new ebooks available for
download at Electric Story, for all of my fans and readers who are members
of the post-paper generation.
The new offerings also include "The Lonely Songs of Laren Dorr," my earliest pure fantasy story, and two more SF yarns, the novella "In the House of the Worm" and the novelette "The Glass Flower." Electric Story also offers ebook versions of my novels Fevre Dream and Dying of the Light, and the first three volumes of A Song of Ice and Fire. All of them can be accessed through my author page at Electric Story. WHITE WOLF JOINS FORCES WITH GUARDIANS OF ORDER ON GAME OF THRONES RPG June 22, 2005 White Wolf Publishing and Guardians Of Order have reached an agreement to join forces on the publication of the GAME OF THRONES roleplaying game. White Wolf will publish and distribute the game under its Sword & Sorcery imprint, while Guardians Of Order remains in charge of creation and design. The GAME OF THRONES Roleplaying Game will be available in hobby and bookstores in the fall of 2005, in time for the release of A FEAST FOR CROWS, the long-awaited fourth volume in the series.  "we look forward to working with White Wolf in this joint venture," said Guardians Of Order's President, Mark C. MacKinnon. "The exceptional reputation of the Sword & Sorcery imprint and White Wolf's extensive distribution network together mean we can get this magnificent game to many thousands more of George R. R. Martin's fans than we could have reached on our own. Creating the A Game of Thrones RPG has been a massive undertaking for Guardians, and we have found the ideal publishing partner in White Wolf."  "We've long admired George R. R. Martin's novels and Guardians Of Orders games," said Mike Tinney, White Wolf's President. "As fans, we've been looking forward to this release along with everyone else. That we can help bring it to market is a real treat." This series gets the high-quality treatment it deserves in two gorgeous editions of the GAME OF THRONES RPG: a mammoth 576-page deluxe limited edition in September and a 496-page standard edition in October. Both of these authoritative reference guides and roleplaying games include full-color printing on premium-quality paper, hardcover binding, a poster-sized color pull-out map of the continent of Westeros, and a host of stunning artwork and graphic design by a team of exceptionally talented artists. The standard edition includes full rules for playing A Game of Thrones under the Open Gaming License (using the d20 game mechanics developed for Dungeons & Dragons). The deluxe edition contains two distinct game systems: the same rules as the standard edition and Guardians' own popular Tri-Stat System. It also includes an abundance of upgraded features, such as a foil-embossed leatherette cover, an exquisite dust jacket with art by Mike S. Miller (who did the pencils for THE HEDGE KNIGHT graphic novel), an oversized cloth bookmark, silver gilding on all edges, and an exclusive interview with George R. R. Martin. White Wolf will honor standing consumer pre-sales of the deluxe edition made on the Guardians Of Order website. White Wolf will resolicit the product in both the book and hobby trades, however. "This will be one of the most talked about RPGs of 2005," added MacKinnon, "and we are all thrilled to present this exquisitely comprehensive guide to A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE to roleplayers and George's many fans worldwide. We spared no expense in its creation and worked closely with George to ensure accuracy and authenticity, adding additional background information from his personal notes when appropriate. Every fan of A Song of Ice and Fire" will want this gorgeous tome adorning his shelf. I can second that final sentiment. I have had a chance to look over the galley proofs for the deluxe edition. It's a gorgeous production, and contains a wealth of information about the world of Westeros and its peoples that should be of interest to any fan of the series, even those who are not gamers. SUBTERRANEAN PRESS TO PUBLISH ICE & FIRE LIMITED EDITIONS May 29, 2005 
Collectors take note. Subterranean Press will be publishing the deluxe illustrated version of A STORM OF SWORDS, having just purchased the rights to continue the series of limited editions from Meisha Merlin and Bantam Books.
The first two volumes in the series of limited were issued by Meisha Merlin, with artwork by Jeff Jones (A GAME OF THRONES) and John Howe (A CLASH OF KINGS). The third volume will be lavishly illustrated by Charles Vess. Charles is hard at work on the artwork, and Bill Schaefer informs me that Subterranean hopes to be able to release the book late this year. Here's a taste of what the purchasers will get: one of the black & white interiors, and a color piece. As with the Meisha Merlin editions, the book will be available in two states: a deluxe numbered edition limited to 448 copies, and a superdeluxe lettered edition of 52 copies. Both versions will be autographed by author and artist. The lettered edition will also include remarques by Charles Vess. More details can be found on the Subterranean website. If you've been collecting the volumes released by Meisha Merlin, head over there ASAP to make certain you receive the same number (or letter) copy of A STORM OF SWORDS and subsequent volumes. 
Meanwhile, Meisha Merlin continues to ship their limited edition of A CLASH OF KINGS with its gorgeous John Howe artwork (see the other story on this page). The lettered edition long ago sold out, but Stephen Pagel of Meisha Merlin informs me that he still has a few copies of the numbered edition left. If you want one, email him now. Some readers put down a deposit on copies years ago, but have subsequently moved or changed their email and cannot be reached. If you are one of them, please write Meisha Merlin to claim your number. Also, anyone who bought their copy of the first volume through Amazon should contact Meisha Merlin directly if they want the second, since Amazon will not carrying the limited of A CLASH OF KINGS.
A copy of the Meisha Merlin limited of A GAME OF THRONES just sold on Ebay for nearly twice the issue price, a good indication that these are not only well-made, gorgeous volumes, but ones which will grow in value in the years to come. JUSTIN SWEET TO ILLUSTRATE FEVRE DREAM LIMITED EDITION May 5, 2005 Bill Schaefer has just informed me that Subterranean Press has signed the terrific young fantasy artist Justin Sweet to illustrate Subterranean's deluxe limited edition reprint of my 1982 historical horror novel, Fevre Dream. I couldn't be more thrilled. Fevre Dream is probably my favorite of my older novels, and Justin Sweet's artwork is astonishing. He won the Jack Gaughan Award last year as the field's best new and emerging artist, an honor well deserved. For a look at some of his other art work, check out his own website at http://www.justinsweet.com/ Justin (not to be confused with Darrell Sweet, who is no relation) will be painting a wraparound cover and two color plates, and drawing ten black-and-white line illustrations. I can hardly wait to see his versions of Abner Marsh, Joshua York, Sour Billy Tipton, and the great sidewheel steamer Fevre Dream. Subterranean plans to reprint Fevre Dream in two states. The numbered edition will be limited to 448 copies, and will retail for $125. The lettered edition will be limited to 52 copies and will sell for $300. Both will be signed and printed on acid-free paper. The numbered edition will be slipcased, the lettered will come with a handcrafted traycase. To place your preorder, contact Subterranean. You might want to do it soon. There's a good chance both editions will be sold out before publication. CLASH OF KINGS LIMITED EDITION NOW SHIPPING May 4, 2005 
The long-awaited and much-delayed illustrated edition of A Clash of Kings is on its way at last. Meisha Merlin has informed me that the books are back from the printer, and are now shipping!
This deluxe limited edition is lavishly illustrated by John Howe, one of the world's top fantasy artists, best known for his Tolkien illustrations and his design work on Peter Jackson's films. The art includes a wraparound cover painting, three full-color interior plates, and a plethora of black and white interior illustrations. Meisha Merlin is publishing the book in a deluxe numbered edition limited to 448 copies, and a super-deluxe lettered edition limited to 52 copies. (Sorry, the lettered edition was sold out years ago). Both editions are slipcased, and have been signed by myself, by John Howe, and by Charles Keegan, who contributed the chapter titles and heraldic sigils. The lettered copies will also include remarques by Howe.  Meisha Merlin is a small operation, and at the moment it is a one-person operation, since Stephen Pagel's assistant Lynn just had a baby and is out on maternity leave. Stephe writes, "I am boxing and shipping as fast as I can. There are other things with Meisha Merlin I have to do also, so please have patience. I will not take out any time to answer any e-mails about if I shipped [a] specific book out or not. (I got 57 e-mails today from people wanting to know if I shipped theirs.) For people with a street address I am using the FedEx notification program. They will get an e-mail when their book goes out.... if someone has Thrones and has not got a confirmation of their order for Clash from Meisha Merlin in the past four to six weeks [they should] contact us." I am looking forward to my own copies eagerly. All good things come to those who wait, they say... THE RETURN OF JOKERS WILD April 18, 2005 
Wild Cards fans take note: iBooks has just released a new mass market paperback edition of the third volume in the series, Wild Cards III: Jokers Wild. The story of Wild Cards Day, 1986, the fortieth anniversary of the release of the Takisian virus over Manhattan, Jokers Wild was the first full-on mosaic novel that we attemped, wherein all the characters and plotlines interweave from start to last. The novel stars Fortunato, Wraith and Yeoman, Russian Roulette and Dr. Tachyon, Demise, Sewer Jack, Bagabond, and mine own Jube the Walrus, Hiram Worchester, and Jay (Don't Call Me Popinjay) Ackroyd. The featured writers were Lewis Shiner, John J. Miller, Melinda M. Snodgrass, Walton (Bud) Simons, Edward, Bryant, Leanne C. Harper, and myself. This new mass market is a reprint of iBooks' earlier trade paperback edition, and includes interior art by Tom Palmer and a cover by Brian Bolland.
NEW RELEASES ANNOUNCED BY FANTASY FLIGHT GAMES April 18, 2005 Fans of the GAME OF THRONES collectible card game will soon have two new sets to help them win the Iron Throne. 
The Valyrian Premium Starters will be released in April 2005. This release includes two 40-card decks, representing the Great Houses of Stark, Baratheon, Lannister and Martell. Many of the important figures in Westeros will be featured on cards. including Eddard Stark, Jaime Lannister and Arianne Martell. The set includes 10 brand-new cards and reprints of some powerful rare cards from past sets. The Valyrian Premium Starters will retail for $19.95 and will be available from hobby game stores everywhere, and from Fantasy Flight Games' web store, in April. 
Also coming soon, in May 2005, is the third release in the "Valyrian" block of cards, A Reign of Kings. This 140+ card set will be released in booster packs of 11 randomly-assorted cards. A Reign of Kings will allow brand-new ways for players to challenge their opponents, and add a new cycle of "multiplayer" cards that will keep the competition guessing, as well as a new style of "Agenda" card. It will include new versions of important characters such as Daenerys Targaryen, Stannis Baratheon and Ser Ilyn Payne, and will feature stunning new art by such fan-favorite artists as John Gravato, Jason Engle, Pat McEvoy, Jean Tay and Katherine Dinger. A Reign of Kings will retail for $3.49 per pack, and will be available from hobby game stores everywhere, and from Fantasy Flight Games' web store, in May. For more information on the collectible card game, the GAME OF THRONES board game, or any Fantasy Flight products, visit FFG at www.agameofthrones.com MINIATURES, MINIATURES, AND MORE MINIATURES March 23, 2005 Toy knights, medieval miniatures, and model castles have been passions of mine for the past ten years, as those of you who have looked at the "Knights" page of my website will know. I have work by all the masters, and have even commissioned some of them to paint figures in the heraldry of my own Seven Kingdoms. So you can imagine how pleased I am to announce that soon Westeros will have figures all its own. I have just signed an agreement with the Testor Corporation for not one, not two, but three lines of miniatures based on the world and characters of A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE and I'm as excited as a kid on Christmas morning. Testor's will be starting work immediately on three different but complementary products based on the books:
Next will come the 54mm signature figures. Testor's hopes to have eight ready for simultaneous release in January, 2006, and work on the range is already under way.  The wargame and accompanying 28mm minis will be last out of the gate, and should debut in the summer of 2006, allowing plenty of time for design, development, and playtesting. Tom Meier will also be sculpting many of the minis for this range. The game will be designed by renowned developer Andy Chambers of Red Star, Gearwerks Games, and Games Workshop, designer of the eagerly anticipated Starship Troopers game from Mongoose. Testor Corporation spokesman David L. Veres said, "Fans of the popular series have been clamoring for quality products based on the series and we're proud to team with Mr. Martin on this exciting, eagerly anticipated venture." Although plans are in the discussion stages as yet, Testor's is considering some exciting possibilities for their Ice and Fire line, including a dedicated webpage, painting contests, a "figure of the month" mailorder service, and reader polls to allow the fans to help pick the subjects of future miniatures and kits. The Testor Corporation has been manufacturing products for hobby, craft, and home decorating for more than seven decades, since 1929. Testor hobby finishing materials and accessories, plastic model kits, craft paints and supplies, and airbrushes are sold world-wide. Testor staffs large manufacturing facilities in Rockford, Illinois, and Toronto, Canada; molds and packages its own plastic model kits; formulates and packages a broad range of paints and adhesives; designs and manufactures airbrushes and accessories; and employs a well-trained sales staff for distribution of Testor products around the world I will be posting more updates here as plans develop, and from time to time may even show you a glimpse of some of the miniatures in progress. You will also want to keep an eye on Testor's website (http://www.testors.com ) and Tom Meier's Thunderbolt Mountain (http://www.thunderboltmountain.com ). Until Testor's has their dedicated webpage up amd running, fans who would like more information about the wargame and range of miniatures can inquire about the products by e-mailing testors@testors.com. Be sure to include either "GRRM" or "Song of Ice and Fire" in the subject heading. "SHADOW TWIN" COMES TO ASIMOV'S March 23, 2005 
If you missed "Shadow Twin" (the science fiction novella I wrote with Gardner Dozois and Daniel Abraham) when it appeared online in SCIFICTION last June, here's another chance for you to catch the story, which was twenty-five years in the making.
"Shadow Twin" is making an encore appearance this month in the April/May issue of ASIMOV'S, which should be on your newsstands now. This is the special double issue, full of good stuff. Besides our three-way, the issue also features a new novella by Walter Jon Williams, who is writing as well as anyone in the field right now (check out his great ongoing space opera, DREAD EMPIRE'S FALL, if you haven't done so already). So even if you did read "Shadow Twin" in SCIFICTION, run out and get ASIMOV'S anyway. Or better yet, subscribe. The magazines deserve our support for all the new writers they bring into the field. CLASH OF KINGS LIMITED TO SHIP APRIL 11 March 23, 2005 
The long-awaited and much-delayed illustrated limited edition of A Clash of Kings is on its way at last, I'm thrilled to say. Some of you ordered this book three years ago and have been waiting patiently, I know. You have my thanks for that. Here's hoping that when you finally have the book in your hands, you will agree that it was worth the wait. I haven't seen this edition of A Clash of Kings myself, but those who have tell me that it's gorgeous... and much bigger than the first volume, since Meisha Merlin printed it on heavier paper stock.
The book is copiously illustrated by John Howe, one of the world's top fantasy artists, best known for his Tolkien illustrations and his design work on Peter Jackson's films. The art includes a wraparound cover painting, three full-color interior plates, and a plethora of black and white interior illustrations. Meisha Merlin is publishing the book in a deluxe numbered edition limited to 448 copies, and a super-deluxe lettered edition limited to 52 copies. Both editions will be slipcased, and will be signed by myself, by John Howe, and by Charles Keegan, who contributed the chapter titles and heraldic sigils. The lettered copies will also include remarques by Howe. 
The official announcement from Meisha Merlin says, "[The books] will be arriving here April 11th and we will start shipping out to those who have already paid in full that week. If you have paid in full and want to make sure I have updated shipping info, please feel free to email me an address and I will verify that it is updated.... We have received our sample copy here and I must say that it is stunning! The full color fold outs look great! This is a large (3 1/2"-4"'s thick) and heavy book that will probably cost us more than the $30 to ship, but everyone has certainly waited long enough to get it! "
Those who purchased the Meisha Merlin limited edition of A Game of Thrones with its Jeff Jones artwork (now sold out, sorry) will have first dibs on acquiring the same number or letter for A Clash of Kings. Those copies not spoken for by purchasers of volume one will eventually be offered to new customers on a first come, first served basis. Contact Meisha Merlin via their website to get your name on the list. For more information, email them at orders@meishamerlin.com. 02/02/05 SUBTERRANEAN ANNOUNCES "SHADOW TWIN" LIMITED EDITION 
Subterranean Press has announced their plans to release a deluxe limited edition chapbook of "Shadow Twin," the SF novella I wrote with Gardner Dozois and Daniel Abraham.
"Shadow Twin" has quite the history. Gardner began it in the 70s, I took it over in the 80s, and Daniel came along and finished it in the 00s. It came out pretty well, I think... but you can read it and judge that for yourself. SCIFICTION published "Shadow Twin" on line last spring, and the novella will shortly be reprinted in ASIMOV's... but the Subterranean edition will be special. Bill Schaefer is planning to release it as a signed, numbered hardcover, limited to 500 copies and retailing at $40, and also in a super-deluxe leatherbound traycase version. Only 26 lettered copies of the latter will be sold. Both versions will feature a foreword by the three authors (no Three Stooges jokes please, we prefer to think of ourselves as the Marx Brothers of Sci-Fi). Michael Komarck, who did the cover art for last year's reissue of TUF VOYAGING, will provide a full-color dustjacket and full-page interior illustrations in black and white. SHADOW TWIN can be ordered off the Subterranean website 02/02/05 GOO ACCEPTING PRE-ORDERS FOR GAME OF THRONES RPG 
Guardians Of Order is now taking pre-orders for a special Deluxe Limited Edition of their long-awaited and highly anticipated GAME OF THRONES role-playing game. The book is intended to be an authoritative reference guide to the series and the world of Westeros, and will feature over 450 pages of breathtaking colour artwork and detailed analysis of setting, plot, characters, and culture of the Seven Kingdoms. The first 500 copies of the numbered Deluxe Limited Edition will be autographed by yours truly. The good folks of GOO tell me those copies are going fast. As of today, they have sold just over 300 copies, and have fewer than 200 left. So if you want to snag one of the signed books, act now. They are available exclusively from Guardians of Order via their website.
"This is a once-in-a-lifetime product," said Guardians Of Order President, Mark C. MacKinnon, "and we are privileged to present this A Song of Ice and Fire resource guide to George's many fans worldwide. We worked closely with George to create a book of the highest quality, and spared no expense in its creation. He personally reviewed the text for authenticity, and has provided us with additional background information where appropriate. It's the perfect companion for aficionados of A Game of Thrones. 
The limited edition will feature premium-quality paper, a foil-embossed leatherette cover, an exquisite dust jacket featuring art by Mike S. Miller (the artist on the Hedge Knight graphic novel), a cloth bookmark, a full-sized colour pull-out map of the Westeros continent, and a host of stunning artwork and graphic designs by a team of exceptionally talented artists. I have seen all of the text and much of the artwork for the RPG, and it promises to be a gorgeous production. GOO has devoted painstaking effort to making this game one that every fan of the series will love... and even those of you who are not gamers may find the book invaluable for the wealth of information it will contain. This deluxe RPG contains two core game rule systems: the popular d20 system, and GOO's own critically acclaimed Tri-Stat System. As a complement to pre-ordering the limited edition, Guardians Of Order is also enclosing a Game Master's Screen and introductory game adventure with all orders. A Game of Thrones RPG and Resource Book (ISBN 1894525841; Product #16-099) is available for $99.95 USD (plus shipping) from http://agot.guardiansorder.com . 01/17/05
HEDGE KNIGHT TILTS AGAIN
The trade paperback collection of the comic book based on my novella "The Hedge Knight" is going back to press. The first edition, from Roaring Studios and Devil's Due, sold out upon release, and was named by Amazon as one the top ten graphic novels of 2004. Now, for all those who missed it the first time around, the Dabel Brothers plan to release a second edition of the trade, collecting all six issues of the comic. The second edition will feature a different cover, and will add eight additional pages of art by the Russian artist Amok, who has been doing portraits of the characters from A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE on his website for several years now. The latest issue of PREVIEWS from Diamond Comics includes an announcement of the new edition. Even if you're not ordinarily a comics fan, THE HEDGE KNIGHT is well worth a look. Ben Avery did a wonderful job of adapting my novella, and artwork by Mike S. Miller and Mike Crowell is first rate. They really make my Seven Kingdoms come alive, and I doff my helm to the whole crew. 11/16/04 TORCON SPEECH IN ASIMOV'S 
Most of you will recall that I was the Professional Guest of Honor at Torcon 3, the World Science Fiction Convention held in Toronto over Labor Day weekend in 2003. Some of you were ever there, to share the fun with me.
A worldcon GOHship is the highest honor that our field can bestow, so it was quite a thrill for me. Part of the gig is giving a speech, of course, and since the honor is such a huge one there is a certain amount of pressure to make it a good speech. After all, it's usually a once-in-a-lifetime gig. 
My speech was called "The Heart of a Small Boy." I delivered it to a crowded room in Toronto, where it seemed to be quite well received... but the crowded room was not as large as it might have been, alas, and in any case most of you reading this were not at the convention. So I am pleased to say that ASIMOV'S SCIENCE FICTION has just printed the full text of "The Heart of a Small Boy" in its October/ November issue, as a guest editorial. All those of you who could not be with us in Toronto to hear the speech in person can read it now. It's not about A Song of Ice and Fire, which may disappoint some of you. It's not about the state of the field or fans being slans either (two traditional subjects for GOH speeches). It's about me, who I am and where I came from and why I write some of the things I do. If that interests you, check it out. 11/16/04 IGNOTUS AWARDS FOR KINGS AND DRAGONS 
Spanish fandom gathered in Cadiz from November 5th through 7th for their 22nd nation science fiction and fantasy convention, HispaCon Gadir 2K4, and presented their annual Ignotus Awards, for work first published in Spanish in 2003. These are the Spanish Hugos, voted on by the fans.
I'm thrilled to have received word that my stuff won two of them (two Ignotuses? two Ignotii? twins?). Best Foreign Short Story went to "The Ice Dragon," published in Spanish in GIGAMESH magazine, issue 34. And Best Foreign Novel went to the Spanish translation of A CLASH OF KINGS, published by Ediciones Gigamesh of Barcelona. I was not able to attend (I am writing this novel, you know), so the awards were accepted for me by my editors, Juanma Santiago of GIGAMESH magazine and Alex Vidal of Ediciones Gigamesh. Last year, A GAME OF THRONES won the Ignotus for Best Foreign Novel, so that's two in a row for A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE. I knew I that loved Spain. The award is a reproduction of the 2001 monolith, done in black concrete 15cm high. I want to thank all the Spanish fans for this honor, and give a special tip of the hat to the gang at Gigamesh, who have done such a superb job of bringing my work to a new readership: Alex Vidal, Juanma Santiago, Alejo Cuevo, my cover artists Corominas and Juan Miguel Aguilera, and my translators Cristina Macia and Nuria Gres. If not for them and their hard work, I doubt that these Ignotii would be coming my way. I am grateful to them all. I really have to return to Spain for another visit soon (I was there a few years ago, for Semana Negra, and had a terrific time visiting castles and cathedrals, hunting little toy knights, eating tapas, and drinking absinthe with some of my Spanish readers). 08/25/04 GRRM NOMINATED FOR WORLD FANTASY AWARD GRRM: A RRetrospective, my massive half-million word collection from Subterranean Press, has been nominated for the World Fantasy Award as Best Collection of 2003.  GRRM will be competing for the award with collections by Elizabeth Hand, Jack Cady, Glen Hirshberg, and Michael Marshall Smith. Two of the five finalists were nominated by the members of the convention, the other three by this year's WFA jury. The five-person jury will determine the winner, to be announced at this year's World Fantasy Convention, to be held in Tempe, Arizona over Halloween weekend, October 28-31, 2004. A full list of all of this year's WFA nominees can be found on the convention website at http://www.worldfantasy2004.org/wfcawards.html. The World Fantasy Award -- sometimes called the Lovecraft Award, or the "Howie," since the trophy is a wonderfully gloomy and cadaverous Gahan Wilson bust of H.P. Lovecraft -- is among the premiere honors for any writer of fantasy or horror. I've won the Howard once before (for my werewolf novella, "The Skin Trade," back in the 80s), and lost it four times (for my novels Fevre Dream, The Armageddon Rag, and A Game of Thrones, and my novella "The Hedge Knight"), but as they say, "it's an honor just to be nominated." I am very proud of the RRetrospective and the beautiful edition that Bill Schaefer of Subterranean produced, and pleased by this recognition. And in related news, I should mention that the trade hardcover edition of GRRM is once more available from the publisher and can be ordered from Subterranean's website at http://www.subterraneanpress.com/ . The trade had previously sold out, but one large order to a bookstore chair apparently fell through, so their copies have been released again for general purchase. If you missed the chance to pick up the book last fall, here's another opportunity -- though the books now on hand will not last long, in all likelihood. 06/10/04 HEDGE KNIGHT TRIUMPHANT  
The sixth and final issue of THE HEDGE KNIGHT comic from Roaring Studios and Dabel Brothers is now in a comic shop near you. It's a little bigger than the earlier issues, but Ben Avery, Mike S. Miller, Mike Crowell, and the rest of the Roaring gang have delivered the same top quality, bringing the tale to a bang-up close, I think (of course, I'm hardly objective, but what the hell).
The comic is available in your choice of covers: the "A" cover by Mike S. Miller gives us Dunk, mounted and armored, and the "B" cover by Andres Finer portrays his antagonist, Aerion Targaryen, the Bright Prince. Buy both, he said. They fit together splendidly for an evocative tableau. 
Some of you may have missed issues of THE HEDGE KNIGHT comic, most of which sold out on or shortly after publication. You haven't been forgotten. Devil's Due will shortly be releasing a trade paperback edition of the series that collects all six issues between one set of covers... with a cover painting by Ted Nasmith, famed for his work illustrating J.R.R. Tolkien. And unlike the comics, the trade paperback will be widely available in bookstores, and can be ordered over the web from Amazon or your favorite internet bookshop. It will have the entire story, beginning to end... and a few "extra" treats as well. Working with Mike S. Miller, Ben Avery, and the Dabel Brothers has been a delight from beginning to end, and I am thrilled by the beautiful job they've done bringing Dunk and Egg to another medium. Roaring is going on to bring more fantasy to the comics, including stories by Robert Jordan, Tad Williams, Raymond Feist, and Robert Silverberg. Check it out, even if you don't normally read funny books. Comic books don't have to be about guys in long underwear punching each other, as the Dabel boys are proving. 06/10/04 OLDIES BUT GOODIES Some of the fans of A Song of Ice and Fire seem to believe that I burst onto the writing scene full-grown with the publication of the first book of the series, but actually I had been a professional writer for twenty-five years when A GAME OF THRONES was published in 1996. My older novels have long been out of print, alas, but that's about to change. Bantam Books is bringing three of those books back in brand new trade paperback editions, to give all my new readers a chance to have a look at them. They are not a part A Song of Ice and Fire. They are not even epic fantasy. But I do think they're pretty good. 
DYING OF THE LIGHT and FEVRE DREAM will be released this October. THE ARMAGEDDON RAG will follow in February of 2005. Here's a look at the covers for the new Bantam editions.
DYING OF THE LIGHT was my first novel, originally published way back in 1977. It's science fiction, a tale of doomed love and betrayal on a dying world, part of the "Thousand Worlds" future history that much of my early work was set in. It was a finalist for the best novel Hugo (the "big one") in 1978, losing to Fred Pohl's GATEWAY (but it's an honor just to be nominated).  FEVRE DREAM came out in 1982, and represented my first major departure from science fiction. This one is a historical horror novel, a tale of vampires on the Mississippi in the antebellum period, during the heydey of the great steam packets. Bram Stoker meets Mark Twain. Before A Song of Ice and Fire, it was the most popular and successful of my novels, and was a finalist for the World Fantasy Award in 1983, losing to Michael Shea's NIFFT THE LEAN (but it's an honor just to be nominated).
 THE ARMAGEDDON RAG followed in 1983. The RAG is my strangest novel, a blend of horror, mystery, dark fantasy, and a mainstream novel of character, a look back at the tumult of the Sixties and the music that provided the sound track for my generation. It got great reviews, and was a finalist for the World Fantasy Award in 1984, losing to John M. Ford's THE DRAGON WAITING (but it's an honor just to be nominated). Sadly, no one bought it. I hope that won't be true this second time around.
I am still at work on A FEAST FOR CROWS and I know that all of you are waiting. While you wait, you might try some of these. 06/10/04 KING AEGON'S SILVER STAG 
Robert Baratheon always hated counting coppers. Maybe you do too. Well, here's your chance to move on up to silver.
Last year Will Whitfoot of Shire Post, long renowned for turning out splendid Middle Earth coinage for Tolkien fanatics, issued a copper star with King Robert's head on it, the first in his series of coins from the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros. Now he has followed that up with a beautiful silver stag. 
This one is modeled after the coinage minted on Dragonstone shortly after the Conquest. On one side it shows Aegon the Conquerer and his sisters, on the other the stag that gives the coin its name. You can add one to your collection by heading for Shire Post's online shop at http://www.shirepost.com .
In King's Landing one of these will buy you a steamy night with Chataya and her girls. On Earth, it will get you... absolutely nothing. 05/30/04 SCI-FICTION TO PUBLISH "SHADOW TWIN" Just a heads up. A new, never-before-published novella, "Shadow Twin," will be coming out in June on the internet, at SCI-FICTION. "Shadow Twin" is a three-way collaboration between me, Gardner R. Dozois, and Daniel Abraham, a long SF story set on a distant planet about one Ramon Espejo and his encounter with... well, that would be telling. You'll need to read the story. Ellen Datlow will be presenting it in three parts, on June 9, 16, and 23. I don't do many collaborations these days, it's true, but Gardner was the very first person I ever met when I walked into my first SF con (Disclave in 1971) and Daniel was one of my students at Clarion West a few years back, and the two of them are among the finest writers in the field. It was a joy and a priviledge to be able to work with them. And before the hardcore among you start writing me furious emails about "How dare you write something else when you haven't finished A FEAST FOR CROWS yet," let me assure you that my part of "Shadow Twin" was largely written before I began A GAME OF THRONES. Sometimes we run into these little... ahem... delays in the writing game... I'm thrilled with the way that "Shadow Twin" turned out, however, and I hope you'll be as well. Those of you who like SF as well as fantasy, check it out at SCI-FICTION. 05/05/04 RRETROSPECTIVE ALL SOLD OUT The numbered edition of GRRM: A RRETROSPECTIVE is now sold out, I have been informed by my publishers at Subterranean Press. This means the book is now officially sold out in all editions. The trade hardcover sold out on publication, last September. The super-deluxe lettered edition, which is still in the works, was fully subscribed well before that. Some bookstores may still have copies on the shelf, but there are no more to be had from Subterranean. Will there be a second printing of the trade hardcover? Yes, possibly, but that's far from definite, and in any case won't be for some time. Will the book be reprinted in paperback? Probably not. With a half a million words and all those illustrations, it's too large and too expensive a project for most paperback publishers to tackle. I had a splendid time working with Bill Schaefer and his team at Subterranean, and I've very proud of the book that we produced. I hope those of you had a chance to snag a copy will treasure it for years to come. 04/07/04 FANTASY FLIGHT TO EXPAND GAME OF THRONES BOARD GAME 
Fantasy Flight's A GAME OF THRONES board game has been doing so well that they are planning an expansion. The first version of the game allowed for only five players: Stark, Lannister, Greyjoy, Baratheon, and Tyrell. The expanded version will allow House Martell of Dorne to join the fun, and compete for supremacy in the Seven Kingdoms.
The expansion will also include a board overlay, and rules for adding castles, siege equipment, ports, and other new wrinkles to the play, which should make the game even better... and it was pretty damn good already, says someone who played far too much DIPLOMACY and RISK back in college. Thomas Denmark did the artwork for the new package. Here's a look. 04/07/04 LAST CHANCE FOR GRRM April 7, 2004 Bill Schaefer of Subterranean Press has informed me that as of April 5, he has only twenty (20) copies left of the signed, numbered, limited edition of GRRM: A RRETROSPECTIVE. The trade hardcover sold out on publication, last September. The forthcoming super-deluxe lettered edition was fully subscribed well before that. So when these last twenty copies of the numbered edition of GRRM are gone, the book will only be available through ABE, ebay, and other dealers in rare and collectible second-hand books. Will there be a second printing of the trade hardcover? Yes, possibly, but that's far from definite, and in any case won't be for some time. Will the book be reprinted in paperback? Probably not. With a half a million words and all those illustrations, it's too large and too expensive a project for most paperback publishers to tackle. In other words, if you'd like to add the RRETROSPECTIVE to your collection, best go to the Subterreanean website and order now. 03/06/04 
STEAM UP!Way back in 1982, I published FEVRE DREAM, a historical horror novel set on the Mississippi in the antebellum south, during the heydey of the great steam packets. The story of steamboat captain Abner Marsh and his mysterious partner Joshua York, it was my third novel, and by far my most successful... at least until A GAME OF THRONES came out in 1996. Abner, Joshua, and the fleet sidewheel steamer Fevre Dream (pay no attention to the cover art, she never was a sternwheeler) will always have a special place in my heart, but the novel has been out of print in this country for decades now. All that's about to change. It appears as if it's steamboat time again. Not one, not two, but three new versions of FEVRE DREAM are steaming our way, and should be appearing before year's end. 
Bantam Books will be releasing a new edition of the novel, in a trade paperback edition, for all those who just want to read the story. The book is scheduled for this fall. My first novel, DYING OF THE LIGHT, will be released simultaneously, also in trade paperback. Meanwhile, the good folks at Subterranean Press -- who put together that gorgeous collection GRRM: A RRETROSPECTIVE for me last fall -- have acquired the rights to do a deluxe signed, numbered edition of Fevre Dream for the collector's trade. The Subterranean edition will be limited to 500 hardcover copies. It will be slipcased, and lavishly illustrated by one of the top artists in the field. Which one? Ah, that would be telling. We're still in negotiations, but as soon as the papers are signed, I'll make the announcement here. And last but definitely not least, Avatar Comics has picked up the license to adapt Fevre Dream for comics. They'll be doing a ten-issue run, with black and white interiors and full color covers. No publication date has been announced, but Avatar is steaming ahead full speed with the project. The brilliant young fantasist Daniel Abraham is doing the adaption. The art will be from the pencil of the Spanish artist Rafa. Watch this page; I will be showcasing some sample artwork here when the time is right. So keep your steam up and your fangs sharp. The Fevre Dream is coming round the bend. 03/05/04 HEDGE KNIGHT # 3 HITS THE STANDS The third issue of THE HEDGE KNIGHT comic from Roaring Studios and Image Comics has finally shipped, and should be available now at a comic shop near you. But go now... the first two issues sold out immediately on publication last fall, and the good folks at Roaring expect that this one will vanish quickly too. HEDGE KNIGHT #3 will be available in two variant covers. The "A" cover is by Mike S. Miller, the "B" cover by Tom Mandrake. The comic is a six-issue adaption of "The Hedge Knight," the first of my Dunk and Egg novellas, which originally appeared in the anthology LEGENDS, edited by Robert Silverberg. Ben Avery has done the adaption, while Mike S. Miller (pencils) and Mike Crowell (ink) provide the artwork. Personally, I think they're doing a magnificent job... but don't take my word for it. Check out a couple of the reviews that have appeared in comix journals: http://www.brokenfrontier.com/reviews/2004/march04/hedgeknight3.htm  
Unfortunately, there was a long delay between the second and third issues of the comic, for various complex and boring reasons that I won't go into here. The Dabel Brothers, lords and proprietors of Roaring Studios, assure me that it won't happen again.
The fourth issue is already done and should be along shortly, albeit from another publisher. With issue four, Roaring will be moving the series from Image to Devil's Due. Issues five and six are also coming along. A deluxe trade paperback edition collecting all six issues between one set of covers will be released as soon as the series is complete, with a beautiful and evocative cover by Ted Nasmith. Fantasy fans should also check out Roaring Studios' own website for word on all their other projects. The Dabels have comic book adaptions of works by Ray Feist, Robert Jordan, Robert Silverberg, and Tad Williams in development, and an original story penned by Harry Harrison... with some terrific artwork too. 03/05/04 RRETROSPECTIVE NOMINATED FOR INTERNATIONAL HORROR AWARD GRRM: A RRetrospective, my massive half-million word collection from Subterranean Press, has been nominated by the International Horror Guild as the Best Collection of 2003. The IHG Awards, presently in their tenth year, recognize "outstanding achievement in the fields of horror and dark fantasy." Nominations and awards are decided by a jury. The winners will be announced Saturday, April 10, at the annual World Horror Convention in Phoenix, Arizona. Although GRRM is not purely a horror collection, the judges felt it contained "more than enough first-rate horror fiction to justify its nomination." Needless to say, I was as pleased as I was surprised by the nomination. It's a distinguished list of finalists, and I'm proud to be a part of it. The trade edition of GRRM: A RRetrospective sold out immediately on publication last September, but copies of the signed, numbered, slipcased limited edition are still available from Subterranean Press at http://www.subterraneanpress.com/ A full list of this year's IHG nominees can be found at http://www.ihgonline.org/ -- along with more information about the International Horror Guild and the World Horror Convention in Phoenix. 03/05/04 HEDGE KNIGHT RETURNS TO THE LISTS  
The long delay between the second and third issue of THE HEDGE KNIGHT comic frustrated a lot of my readers. I know. It was frustrating for me as well, and for the good folks at Roaring Studios... so they went out and changed publishers, moving the project from Image to Devil's Due.
What a difference! The fourth issue of THE HEDGE KNIGHT is now out, and should be on sale at your favorite comic shop, with two variant covers, the "A" cover by Mike S. Miller, and the "B" by Tom Yeates. And with Devil's Due, no one will have to wait half a year for the next issue. HEDGE KNIGHT #5 is already roaring down the lists, and will soon be on the stands as well. That one features another gorgeous Mike S. Miller cover, and an stunning alternative by Ted Nasmith, one of the world's premiere Tolkien artists. You can catch a preview of some of the art for issue #5 by going here. Devil's Due and Roaring have also rereleased issues #1-3 in a new collected edition, for those who missed the original comics from Image (all of which sold out upon release). Those should be available in your favorite comics shop as well. There will be one more issue in the Roaring miniseries. Then the entire six-issue story will be released as a trade paperback... with a little something extra. As I said last time around, I think Mike and Mike and Ben and the Brothers Dabel are doing a magnificent job, but of course I'm prejudiced. So here are a couple of reviews from folks who aren't: Roaring has also established a forum where you can talk about the comic with other readers, which can be found here. 01/04/04 SUBTERRANEAN SHIPS LIMITED OF GRRM Subterranean Press has announced that it is now shipping the signed, numbered, limited edition of GRRM: A RRETROSPECTIVE.
The trade hardcover of GRRM sold out immediately upon release in September. The limited has taken a little longer, but it was well worth the wait, I think. Beside the autograph page and the slipcase, the limited edition will also include a chapbook of "The Last Defender of Camelot," containing both Roger Zelazny's original short story (a classic, in my opinion), and the script for my TWILIGHT ZONE adaption, the first of my teleplays to be produced.
The numbered edition is limited to 400 copies and goes for $125. It contains all the stories and art from the trade hardcover, of course, in addition to the "extras." Some 300-odd copies have already been spoken for, Bill Schaefer informs me, but there are still almost 100 available for purchase. GRRM is best ordered directly off the Subterranean website. These special collectors' editions are not available in the vast majority of bookstores. 11/22/03 AN AUDIO SONG OF ICE AND FIRE -- UNABRIDGED! I get a lot of emails. The question asked most often is "When will A FEAST FOR CROWS be done?" But second place probably goes to "Why isn't A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE available as an audiobook?" It's a good question, and one that came across my desk often enough so that I decided to address it in my FAQ. There was an audiobook deal for A GAME OF THRONES on the table a few years ago, but it was for an abridged nine- hour version. Nine hours sounded like a long time when the proposition was first made to me, but when I received the abridged text of the novel for approval, I realized that it was hardly any time at all. The abridgement would have been a Cliff's Notes version of the book, so I killed the project. And that's where the matter stood...till now. But that's all about to change. It thrills me no end to be able to announce that audiobook versions of the first three novels of A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE are now in the works, and should be on the shelves next year. If they do well enough, the rest of the series will follow in due course. And best of all, these recordings will be completely unabridged! Audiobook fans will get the books, not a summary of the plot with a few scenes sprinkled in. The tapes are being produced by Books On Tape, the nation's largest producer of unabridged audiobooks (and a sister company to Random House Audio). Production is well underway. In fact, A GAME OF THRONES is in post-production as I write, and our reader has moved on to A CLASH OF KINGS. Oh, and our reader? That's the best part. The novels are being read by the magnificent Roy Dotrice. Roy and I worked together for three years on the television series BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, where he played the part of Father. I can't think of anyone that I would rather have reading my books. A list of Roy's credits would fill a sizeable book itself, but for those not familiar with his work, he is a classically trained British stage actor who has appeared all over the world in everything from Shakespeare to Xena: Warrior Princess. He was Mozart's father in Amadeus, he still holds a place in the Guiness Book of World Records for his one-man show Brief Lives, he's worked with everyone from Charles Laughton to Cheech and Chong, and he does such a marvelous range of voices and accents that you'd swear he was twenty different people. His previous narrations include the audiobook of Richard Adams' masterpiece Watership Down. I can scarcely wait to hear what Roy does with A GAME OF THRONES. It's a real pleasure to be teamed with him again. As for the question of length... well, my producer at Books On Tape tells me that A GAME OF THRONES alone filled thirty-eight 90-minute cassettes... which should give you some small idea of how much that nine-hour abridgement would have cut. Sometimes it pays to wait. 11/22/03 A GAME OF THRONES WINS IGNOTUS AWARD
The Spanish translation of A GAME OF THRONES from Gigamesh Press of Barcelona has been named the winner of the Ignotus Award as the "Best Foreign Novel of 2002." The Ignotus Awards -- the "Spanish Hugo" -- are voted by the members of the Spanish Science Fiction and Fantasy Association (AEFCF), and given annually at Hispacon, Spain's national convention. The award is a reproduction of the 2001 monolith, done in black concrete 15cm high.
Needless to say, I'm delighted to learn that my novel was so well received by the fans and readers in Spain. But a large part of the credit goes to my Spanish translator, Cristina Macia. I hope she'll be getting a black monolith as well. 
The cover art for Gigamesh's edition of DYING OF THE LIGHT also took home an Ignotus, for "Best Illustration." My thanks and congratulations go out toJuan Miguel Aguilera, the artist, who did such a splendid job of evoking Worlorn. Aguilera's award-winning cover painting can be seen in the Art Gallery, for those who'd like to have a look.
And my thanks as well to Alejo Cuevo and all his crew at Gigamesh. I could not ask for a better publisher... or a better host, when last I visited Baracelona. One of these days I really must get back there. 10/29/03 A GREAT REVIEW FOR GRRM Just had to share some great news. GRRM: A RRetrospective, my massive new career-spanning collection from Subterreanean Press, got a terrific review in the October 26 issue of the WASHINGTON POST BOOK WORLD. "... the most ambitious volume ever to come from an American specialty press" and "... one of the most important -- and generous -- single-author collections of recent years" are my favorite bits, but the reviewer had lots of other good stuff to say about the book as well. For those who are curious, the entire review can be found online here. 
Subterreanean released the trade hardcover of the RRetrospective at Torcon, where I was Guest of Honor. That edition has already sold out, as has the forthcoming superdeluxe lettered edition of 52 leatherbound copies, each in a handcrafted traycase. However, some copies of the numbered edition still remain available at this writing, and can be preordered from Subterranean. The numbered edition sells for $125, and for that you get an autograph, a handsome slipcase, and half a million words of stories, scripts, and commentaries. I'm very proud and pleased with this book, and I'd like to thank all those who contributed to its success: Gardner Dozois for his introduction, Leslie Kay Swigart for her bibliography, and artists Phil Parks, Tim Truman, Ron Brown, Tom Mandrake, Janet Aulisio, and Mark Nelson, whose illustrations brought my characters and stories so splendidly to life. And thanks as well to William Schaefer and Tim Holt of Subterranean Press, for all the time, effort, and care that they lavished on this project. Their exquisite design and attention to detail made GRRM: A RRetrospective a gorgeous example of bookmaking at its best. 10/15/03 THE RETURN OF DUNK AND EGG October 15, 2003 
Dunk and Egg are back! Ser Duncan the Tall and his insolent young squire made their first appearance in my novella "The Hedge Knight" in the landmark fantasy anthology LEGENDS, and are presently the stars of the marvelous HEDGE KNIGHT comic adaption from Roaring Studios and Image Comics. But that was only the beginning of their story. They return in "The Sworn Sword," the new novella I wrote for LEGENDS II. A new king sits on the Iron Throne and the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros are plagued by drought, lawlessness, pestilence, and the spectre of rebellion... but Dunk, his sword sworn to the service of an elderly landed knight, finds he has troubles of his own closer to home. Like the original LEGENDS, LEGENDS II is a mammoth original anthology edited by Robert Silverberg, featuring eleven brand-new stories by some of the brightest stars of contemporary fantasy Silverbob himself gives us a new Majipoor story, Neil Gaiman returns to his AMERICAN GODS characters, Orson Scott Card pens another tale of Alvin Maker, the marvelous Robin Hobb takes us up the Rain Wild River in a prequel to her "Liveship Traders" series . Other contributors include Diana Gabaldon, Anne McCaffery, Elizabeth Haydon, Ray Feist, Terry Brooks, Tad Williams... and me. 
The British hardcover of LEGENDS II has just been released by HarperCollins in the UK, and is available from any British bookstore on the net. The American hardcover, from Del Rey Books, should be out around Christmas. Del Rey is also doing a 500-copy limited edition signed by all eleven contributors, so if you're an autograph hound, keep an eye out for that. 09/15/03 ICE AND FIRE LITHOGRAPH STILL AVAILABLE 
Mike S. Miller, the penciller on Roaring Studio's wonderful comic adaption of THE HEDGE KNIGHT, is also doing a series of four dramatic full-color scenes inspired by A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE. Each of them will be an original work (not a page from the comic), suitable for framing, fine art lithographs on high quality paper, limited to one thousand copies and available in three qualities.
The first lithograph shows the battle between Robert Baratheon and Rhaegar, Prince of Dragonstone, in the waters of the Trident. The piece was released in February and has been selling briskly, but Mike tells me that there are still some available. If you'd to order one before they're gone, go to the Art of Ice and Fire site at http://www.theartoficeandfire.com . 08/29/03 TUF VOYAGES AGAIN Haviland Tuf, ecological engineer, interstellar trader, keeper of cats, lover of mushrooms, and master of the Ark, the last surviving seedship of the old Empire, will be voyaging back onto the bookshelves soon.  The good folks at Meisha Merlin Publishing are bringing out a brand new edition of TUF VOYAGING, originally published by Baen Books in 1986. The collection includes all of Tuf's adventures from the pages of ANALOG and the other markets where they first appeared, including the Hugo nominee "Guardians."
Several of those old ANALOG stories were illustrated by Janet Aulisio, whom I've always regarded as the definitive Tuf artist. Janet's original ANALOG illustrations are included here; in addition, Meisha Merlin commissioned her to do twenty-eight new pieces exclusively for this new edition, so the book is handsomely illustrated throughout. The limited edition will also include Janet's ANALOG cover for "Manna From Heaven" as a full-color frontiespiece. Michael Komarck has done the cover art, a beautiful wraparound showing Tuf on the command deck of the Ark surrounded by his travelling companions. Meisha Merlin will be releasing the book as a trade paperback, a trade hardcover, and a signed, numbered limited edition. Go to http://www.meishamerlin.com/TufVoyaging.html to place your order. TUF VOYAGING should be out by Labor Day. 08/12/03 HEADS OR STARS? The Seven Kingdoms of Westeros have the usual sort of maddening medieval monetary system. No simple base ten nonsense here. No, Westerosi coinage is more akin to old, pre-metric British money, with its pounds, shillings, guineas, ha'pennies, tuppences, and groats. No wonder Robert Baratheon hated counting coppers. You would too. And now you can have the chance. Will Whitfoot of Shire Post, who has long been renowned for turning out splendid Middle Earth coinage for Tolkien fanatics, has retooled his presses for the Seven Kingdoms, and will be issuing a series of Westerosi coins. He's started with the copper, but silver stags will follow if there's enough demand for them, and perhaps even a golden dragon.  
Will's first Westerosi coin is a heavy copper produced late in Robert's reign. It bears the king's head on one side, and the seven-pointed star of the Faith on the reverse. You can add one to your collection by heading for Shire Post's online shop at http://www.shirepost.com . One of these fat coppers will buy you a steaming bowl of brown in any pot shop in King's Landing, with some ale to wash it down. On Earth, it will buy you... absolutely nothing. 6/27/03 The collectible card game of A GAME OF THRONES won the Origins Award for the best new CCG at the recent Origins convention. Congratulations to the guys from Fantasy Flight Games! 6/10/03 HEDGE KNIGHT COMIC NAMED "GEM OF THE MONTH" 
The first issue of THE HEDGE KNIGHT comic book will be released next month from Image Comics and Roaring Studios. PREVIEWS, the trade magazine of the nation's largest comics distributor, has named the book one of its "Gems of the Month."
THE HEDGE KNIGHT will be released with two different covers -- the regular cover, by Mike S. Miller, and a special "variant" cover by Mike Kaluta, who needs no introduction to anyone who knows comics. They're both fabulous, in my (admittedly prejudiced) opinion. Here's a look at the art for the Kaluta cover. Subsequent issues of THE HEDGE KNIGHT will offer variant covers by Tom Mandrake, Tom Yeates, Boris Vallejo, and other terrific artists, as well as Mike Miller's fabulous work. Meanwhile, progress on the later issues continues apace. Ben Avery is hard at work on the script for issue four, Mike S. Miller, and Mike Crowell are doing the art for issue three, and Roaring Studios is overseeing the lettering and coloring of issue two. But for any of that to matter, issue one has to sell some copies. If you like comics, buy early and often, and tell all your friends. 04/20/03 
GAME OF THRONES CCG NOMINATED FOR ORIGINS AWARDThe good folks at Fantasy Flights Games have been doing a wonderful job with the collectible card game based on A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE, and it looks as though I'm not the only one to think so. The game has been nominated for the prestigious Origins Award, the Hugo of the gaming industry. The Origins Awards are hobby game industry awards given each year for many different categories of games. The nominees are chosen by the members of GAMA (the Game Manufacturers Association) but the winner of each category is determined by fan voting. 
The GAME OF THRONES collectible card game is one of five finalists for Best New Trading Card Game, and the first expansion set, A SEA OF STORMS, has been nominated as Best Card Game Expansion.
Needless to say, I'm delighted. The guys from Fantasy Flight impressed me from the first with their enthusiasm, their expertise, and their obvious knowledge of Westeros and my world. I had every hope that they would do a terrific game, and it seems they have... so that sound you hear is me, giving a rousing hand of applause to Eric Lang, Brian Wood, Christian Petersen, and the rest of the crew at Fantasy Flight, and all the wonderful artists who have helped them bring the Seven Kingdoms to life. The Origins Award is decided by fan vote. If you've played and enjoyed the Fantasy Flight ccg of A GAME OF THRONES and would like to see it win, you should cast your vote at: http://www.aagad.org/FinalPublicvotinginstructions.html Remember that after you vote, you'll be emailed a link to confirm your vote -- until you click on that link your vote isn't counted! 04/03/03 TWO GRRM DRAGONS 
The gaming magazine DRAGON is offering a double dip of Westeros for fans of A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE.
The current issue of DRAGON (#305) includes "The Arms of the Kraken," a novella-length excerpt from A FEAST FOR CROWS, illustrated by Justin Sweet. The novella tells the story of the fight for the driftwood crown of the Iron Islands in the aftermath of the events of A STORM OF SWORDS. This is the March issue of the magazine, on sale at newsstands and bookshops from coast to coast... but if you'd like to read the novella, you had better snap up a copy soon, since the April issue will soon be taking its place. That's only the opening act, however. The May DRAGON (issue #307) will be a special Westeros issue. A spendid cover painting, by Hugo-nominated artist Donato Giancola, depicts everybody's favorite red priestess, Melisandre of Asshai. Inside, readers will find art and articles about the world of the Seven Kingdoms, including scenarios and suggestions for role-playing campaigns set on the Wall, or amongst the backstabbers and intriguers of King's Landing. The issue will also feature a full-color fold out map of Westeros, north and south, and a brand new interview with yours truly. 
4/03/03:
A STORM OF SWORDS PAPERBACK RELEASED
All those Ice and Fire readers who have been waiting with bated breath for the mass market paperback of A STORM OF SWORDS can finally exhale. Bantam Spectra released its paperback of the third volume of A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE this month... and yes, unlike the British edition, Bantam got the entire book into a single volume. The mass market also includes a new, never-before-published preview chapter from A FEAST FOR CROWS, volume four in the series... just to whet your appetites a little more. 
3/28/03iBooks has released their reprint of WILD CARDS VI: ACE IN THE HOLE 2/28/03 A STORM OF SWORDS wins Geffen Prize The Hebrew translation of A STORM OF SWORDS has won the Geffen Prize for the best fantasy book of the year in Israel. The award was announced at Icon 2002, the Israeli national SF convention. The Hebrew editions of A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE are being published by Opus Press. 02/20/03 THE ART OF ICE AND FIRE Artist Mike S. Miller has been doing a sensational job on the pencils for the graphic version of "The Hedge Knight" (forthcoming from Roaring Studios and Image Comics), bringing Dunk and Egg and their friends and enemies to vivid life.. but either Mike is a glutton for punishment, or Westeros must have gotten into his blood.
I'm thrilled to announce that Miller will be producing a series of four large-size limited edition lithographs of scenes from the Seven Kingdoms and A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE. Each of these will be an original work (not a page from the comic), suitable for framing. Not a poster... these are fine art prints, true lithographs on high quality paper, limited to 1000 numbered copies and available in three states.The first lithograph, just completed, shows the final confrontation between Robert Baratheon and Rhaegar, Prince of Dragonstone, in the waters of the Trident. Here's a look. Check out the Art of Ice and Fire at http://www.theartoficeandfire.com for more on the lithographs -- including ordering information. Mike has also made the scene available as wallpaper for your computers. 01/22/03 HEDGE KNIGHT COMIC NOW AVAILABLE FOR PREORDERS http://www.roaringstudios.com/mainsite/news.html 
Roaring Studios has been roaring right ahead with their comic book version of "The Hedge Knight," my novella from Robert Silverberg's first LEGENDS anthology. The first issue is nearing completion, and Roaring is now accepting preorders. For details, check out their website at
the link above.
Roaring's version of "The Hedge Knight" will be a six-issue miniseries. Mike S. Miller is penciling the comic, with Ben Avery handling the adaption and scripting chores. The color is by Liquid. For a taste, here's the first two pages. Enjoy. 
And of course, the original novella version of the tale remains available in LEGENDS, if any of you have yet to read it (shame on you). The novella is set in the Seven Kingdoms of A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE, but takes place ninety years earlier, during the reign of King Daeron II Targaryen.
01/15/03
Down & Dirty reissued
WILD CARDS V: DOWN & DIRTY, has been reissued by iBooks. 12/17/02: New GRRM interview online at Silklantern.com November 19, 2002 A GAME OF THRONES collectible card game 
FANTASY FLIGHT GAMES debuted its collectible card game A GAME OF THRONES last August at Gencon, to a very enthusiastic reception from the games community. The game has gotten some great reviews, and Fantasy Flight has lots of exciting plans for its continued expansion and promotion. A special cadre of "Night's Watch" game masters is helping to spread the word by running GOT tournaments all over the country. For details, check out the FFG website at http://www.agameofthrones.com/
The initial release allowed players to vie for the Iron Throne as Starks, Lannisters, or Baratheons, but FFG will be adding more houses in their expansion sets. The first of those, A SEA OF STORMS, is scheduled for December release, and will feature House Greyjoy. I have seen a lot of the artwork for the new set, and I think it's even better than the art for the starter decks. Here's a couple of samples to whet your appetites. Check out Fantasy Flight's own website for more art from this set.
11/09/02: Mike S. Miller talks about adapting "The Hedge Knight" to comics 10/16/02:  Wild Cards fans: ACES ABROAD, was released in September by iBooks. 10/16/02: New GRRM interview online at Dusksite.com August 4, 2002 "THE HEDGE KNIGHT" COMES TO COMICS  I'm an old comic book fanboy, as anyone who has ever read WILD CARDS has likely figured out. Back in the dawn of time, the first stories I ever published could be found in the comics fanzines of the 60s, and I still treasure my collection of comic books. So it's a thrill for me to be able to announce a forthcoming comic book miniseries based on "The Hedge Knight," the novella I wrote for LEGENDS.
The book will be published by Roaring Studios, a new company on the comics scene. They're an eager and enthusiastic crew, and have a lot of great projects in the works. Those of you who are into comics will want to be sure to check out their website. Roaring has signed Ben Avery to script the comic, Mike S. Miller to do the art, and Liquid as the colorist. All of them are committed to turning out a terrific comic, and one that is faithful to my original novella. I'm looking forward to working with them. Here's a look at their version of one of the knights in the story: Ser Lyonel Baratheon, the Laughing Storm. For those who never bought LEGENDS (shame on you), "The Hedge Knight" is a prequel to A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE, a tale of a tournament held in the Reach some ninety years before the events of A GAME OF THRONES. I am rather fond of Dunk and Egg, its unlikely protagonists, and will be spinning out their further adventures from time to time, in between volumes of the larger series. To help promote the comic, Roaring Studios is offering a special "Hedge Knight" lithograph for sale. It can be ordered from the stop on their website, and the first one hundred copies will be signed by me and by artist Mike S. Miller. July 19, 2002 DEUCES DOWN DEBUTS  The long wait is over for Wild Cards fans. DEUCES DOWN, the first new Wild Cards book in seven years, was released this month by iBooks, in hardcover and ebook versions. DEUCES DOWN features seven brand new tales from the word processors of John J. Miller, Walton Simons, Melinda M. Snodgrass, Stephen Leigh, Michael Cassutt, Kevin Andrew Murphy, and newcomer Daniel Abraham, covering thirty years of secret history. This time around the focus is on the forgotten men (and women) of the Wild Cards universe, the deuces -- aces whose "super" powers are minor, trivial, sometimes even silly. Long time favorites like Demise, Bradley Finn, the Sleeper, Digger Downs, and the Great Ape return, to share the spotlight with a motley cast of unforgettable deuces, including Chuckles, Puddle Man, Heavy Lifter, His Nibs, the Myth Patrol, and Father Henry Obst. DEUCES DOWN features cover art and design by Steranko, and ten original interior illustrations by Tim Truman. It was edited by GRRM with the assistance of Melinda M. Snodgrass. June 15, 2002 Free Artwork Preorder Program: Fantasy Flight is offering a limited edition print signed by George R. R. Martin to everyone who preorders a booster display (36 booster packs) of A Game of Thrones from their local game store. You get to choose which of the following five 8x10 prints you want mailed directly to you within weeks of the game's release. All you have to do is download the Free Art Form and have your local retailer fill it out when you're at the store to preorder. You must mail the form in to us by July 15! Your limited edition print will be sent to you by August 30. This offer is only good if you preorder at a game store -- you cannot preorder through Fantasy Flight. Don't know where to find a store that will take your preorder? Check out this List of stores that will be happy to take preorders for you! Thomas Denmark Robb Stark Thomas Gianni Storm's End Martina Pilcerova Just Like the Songs John Matson Dark Wings, Dark Words Martina Pilcerova 5/27/02: New Interview online at Rhode Island Science Fiction Club May 25, 2002 ICE & FIRE CARD GAME ON SCHEDULE The folks at Fantasy Flight Games tell me that playtesting has been completed for the collectible card game based on A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE and the world of Westeros and its Seven Kingdoms. All the artwork is in as well, and the cards are now at the printers, so everything looks good for Fantasy Flight being able to introduce the game at this summer's GenCon gaming convention. We have been getting some terrific artwork for the cards, too. Here are a few more samples for your enjoyment. George R.R. Martin  "Knight of Flowers" by Jason Engle http://www.jaestudio.com  "Harrenhal" by Martina Pilcerova http://www.martina.sk  "Library Tower" by Franz Miklis http://www.franzmiklis.com/ April 16, 2002 Yesterday was tax day, a traumatic time in the life of a freelance writer. Others may get refunds, but for those of us who are self-employed April 15 is almost always the day on which we write big checks to the IRS, and so it was this year. (sob) To salve my pain, I am taking off tomorrow morning for Elf Fair in Holland. I hope that some of you will be descending on Castle de Haar as well. I'll be looking forward to meeting some more of my European readers. In addition to my various appearances at the festival, I will also be doing a signing at Boekhandel Schelterma in Amsterdam, and one at Boekhandel Donner in Rotterdam, both on Friday, April 19. After Elf Fair, I will be in Amsterdam for a few days for various interviews, and meetings with my Dutch publisher, agent, and translator. Meanwhile, on another front, Fantasy Flight Games is moving ahead quickly with their GAME OF THRONES collectible card game. The game has just gone into the playtesting stage, and Fantasy Flight tells me that they hope to launch it at this summer's GenCon gaming convention. The folks at Fantasy Flight have lined up some terrific artists to do the cards, and sketches and paintings are flooding in to their offices from all over the world. Here, to whet your appetite, here are a couple of the first of the finished pieces to arrive, by Jason Engle and Martina Pilcerova.  "Jaime Lannister" by Jason Engle http://www.jaestudio.com  "The Eyrie" by Martina Pilcerova http://www.martina.sk 3/12/02: FANTASY FLIGHT ANNOUNCES ICE & FIRE GAMES 2/28/02: A STORM OF SWORDS on final ballot for Nebula award 2/25/02: Skin Trade now available as audiobook from Random House at http://www.audible.com
February 22, 2002Meisha Merlin Press is now accepting orders and deposits for the second volume in its series of "A Song of Ice and Fire" limited editions, the signed numbered slipcased edition of A CLASH OF KINGS, illustrated by John Howe. Howe is doing some gorgeous work for the book, both in color and black-and-white. I included a couple of samples in my December update. Let me give you another taste. Here's his cover, a stunning seascape of the Greyjoy stronghold on Pyke, and another of his beautiful interiors.
If you'd like to see more samples of Howe's art, or place an order for one of the 500 copies of the Meisha Merlin edition, please go here:
http://www.meishamerlin.com/AClashofKings.html 2/1/02: New interview with GRRM on Fantasy Online 01/22/02: Wild Cards III: Jokers Wild (Paperback, US) now available from iBooks. 
12/15/01 JOHN HOWE TO ILLUSTRATE LIMITED EDITION OF A CLASH OF KINGS 
Tolkien fans need no introduction to John Howe's beautiful and evocative artwork, which has made him one of the world's best known and best respected fantasy illustrators. Meisha Merlin Press managed to lure John from Middle Earth to Westeros last summer, to provide their artwork for their deluxe illustrated limited edition of A CLASH OF KINGS, and I've had the pleasure of working with him for several months. Those of you who were at Worldcon in Philadelphia saw Howe's cover painting on display at the Meisha Merlin booth; a dramatic, stormy seascape featuring the Greyjoy stronghold on Pyke on its rocky stacks above the waves. Since then, John has been at work on the interior illustrations. To give you a taste of what John is doing, here are a couple of his pieces from A CLASH OF KINGS. I'll be changing the samples every few weeks, so check back often if you'd like to see more. And there will soon be an entirely different set of Howe's interiors up on the Meisha Merlin website, so you will want to check that one out regularly as well. 
If you want a copy of the illustrated CLASH OF KINGS, best contact Meisha Merlin soon. The edition is limited to 52 lettered and 446 numbered copies, and collectors who bought the Meisha Merlin GAME OF THRONES (illustrated by Jeff Jones) have right of first refusal. There are still copies of GAME available at this writing, but Meisha Merlin tells me the number is shrinking steadily, and we expect the edition to be sold out by the time CLASH is published in April. 12/01/01 Hard to believe that December is already upon us, with the end of the year just ahead. I hope all of you visiting this website had as pleasant a Thanksgiving as I did. There's nothing like having turkey with friends... it certainly beats having turkeys for friends, an entirely different proposition. Fortunately, I have great friends, and they are one of the things I am most thankful for at this time of year. I'm also thankful for my readers, who have made A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE such a great success and enabled me to buy a lot more really nice toy knights and castles. Most of all, though, I'm thankful for Parris. But enough of that, before I get too mushy. It has been a while since I updated the front page of my website, but there's not a lot of news to report... beyond the stories featured in the News column, which you'll see off there to your right, all in purple. A couple of new publications are worth mentioning, although my contributions to both are small. St. Martin's Press has just issued MEDITATIONS ON MIDDLE EARTH, edited by Karen Haber, an assemblage of essays by a number of leading contemporary fantasists concerning J.R.R. Tolkien and the influence he had on their work. I wrote the introduction to the book, and John Howe provided the illustrations. MEDITATIONS has some good stuff in it; those of you with an interest in Tolkien might want to check it out. Also published fairly recently is a new collection by Gardner Dozois, who is best known for winning Best Editor Hugos and sticking jellybeans up his nose. But the Great Gargoo is also a helluva writer, and STRANGE DAYS is a wonderful introduction to his work. Besides some first-rate fiction, the collection features one of Gargy's infamous Trip Reports, about his travels in Scotland before and after the Glasgow Worldcon. I wrote the intro to the trip report, and also feature a character in same. Soo if you're interested in learning about the Mad Scotsman who almost strangled me trying to get me to smile, pick up a copy of STRANGE DAYS. Work continues on A FEAST FOR CROWS, the fourth volume in A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE, despite all the disruptions caused by the remodeling of our kitchen. The kitchen is done now, the FEAST is not... but I am making progress. I read a few chapters from the book at Worldcon in Philadelphia, and a few more at Archon in St. Louis in October. The next con on my schedule will be ConFusion in Ann Arbor in January, and I hope to be doing a reading from AFFC there as well. Just what, I can't say. Maybe some brand new chapters, if the audience has heard the old ones. The second Sansa chapter, or perhaps the first Jaime... maybe even the Prologue... Speaking of cons, I do get a lot of mail asking me when I am coming to X city or Y state or Z country. The usual answer is, "I don't know." We try and keep the Appearances page of this website as up to date as possible, so it is worth checking that regularly if you want to meet me or get a book signed. We add new events just as soon as they are scheduled and confirmed. Two were added quite recently, in fact; the Williamson weekend in Portales, New Mexico, and a fantasy fair in Holland in the spring. Before I close this update, let me tip my hat to Pati Nagle, my webmaster, who does a wonderful job on the site. She is always adding new covers to the Art Gallery, new articles and speeches to Musings, and new features as well. The latest addition is What I'm Reading (scroll down if you haven't seen it), which is just what it sounds like. I read a lot, so expect that box to change frequently. I also plan to add a section on my Hobbies and Obsessions soon, which will tell you more about Richard Courtenay and Freddie Ping than you ever wanted to know. Probably not until after Xmas, though. If I don't update again until 2002, let me wish all my fans and friends a great holiday season and a wonderful new year. Keep reading. 11/21/01 Amazon.com has announced its Fantasy and SF bestsellers for 2001, and GRRM is on the list three times at #11 (A GAME OF THRONES paperback), #17 (A CLASH OF KINGS paperback), and #23 (A STORM OF SWORDS hardcover). 10/26/01 The November issue of FIRSTS is out, featuring John Miller's article on "Collecting George R.R. Martin." Copies of the article autographed by both Miller and Martin are available from John Miller at JJM1954@aol.com . 09/28/01 THE WILD CARDS ARE BACK New editions of the first eight volumes of the original Bantam series are being released by iBooks, in trade paperback and ebook editions. The first two volumes -- WILD CARDS and ACES HIGH -- have already been released, and should be available in your local bookstore. JOKERS WILD, the third volume, is scheduled for a January release. The new iBooks editions feature the Brian Bolland cover art originally done for the Titan editions in Britain, along with new interior illustrations by other well-known comics artists. WILD CARDS features ten Mike Zeck illustrations, while ACES HIGH includes art by Floyd Hughes. Each book will also include a never-before-published afterword by GRRM. And best of all, two completely new WILD CARDS books are in the works from iBooks -- volumes sixteen and seventeen in the overall series. DEUCES DOWN, the first of the new books, is presently nearing completion, and will include stories by Melinda M. Snodgrass, Walton Simons, John J. Miller, Stephen Leigh, Michael Cassutt, Kevin Andrew Murphy and our newest Wild Carder, Daniel Abraham. Look for it some time next year.
09/01/01 HARRY POTTER KICKS GRRM'S BUTT IN HUGOS 08/15/01 I wanted to bring you all up to date on some on some of the latest publication plans for A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE. Bantam Spectra has just informed me of their plans to issue the first three volumes (and presumably the later ones as well) as trade paperbacks. This will be the first time that the books have been available in this format in the American market. All three volumes will be released simultaneously in trade paperback in June, 2002. This will also be the first American paperback edition of A STORM OF SWORDS. The mass market paperback of A STORM OF SWORDS will be postponed until some time in 2003. The exact pub date has not yet been set. (For those of you unfamiliar with publishing jargon, a "trade paperback" is the same size as a hardback, but with soft covers, while a "mass market paperback" is the smaller paperback you see at grocery stores and on spinner racks.) In addition, Bantam will also be releasing a new hardcover edition of A GAME OF THRONES, something that many readers have been requesting, since the first edition hardcover has become so expensive and hard to find. This new second edition will feature a cover design incorporating the Steve Youll art from the paperback, which will bring it into line with the current hardcover look of A CLASH OF KINGS and A STORM OF SWORDS. The new hardcover edition has also been scheduled for June, 2002. The series is also doing quite well overseas, and I have been signing a lot of contracts for foreign editions. Italy and Israel will both be continuing with the series, I am pleased to say, and Japanese, Portugese, Chinese (Taiwan), and Korean editions of A GAME OF THRONES are now in the works. This will be the first time that any of my work has been translated into Portugese, Chinese, or Korean, to the best of my knowledge. On the personal front, I had a wonderful three weeks in Spain, where I visited some old friends and made some new ones, drank too much sangria and ate too many tapas, saw some fantastic museums, Roman ruins, and castles, and enjoyed some wonderful Spanish and Catalan hospitality. And in about a week I will be heading east, for a visit to New York City and my family in Bayonne, followed by the World SF Convention in Philadelphia. I hope I will see many of you there. Oh... yes, I'm still working on that pesky fourth book as well. I hope to read a few chapters from it at Philcon. 07/28/01 GRRM Interviewed by El Pais Spanish Newspaper. 07/12/01 A Storm of Swords wins Locus Best Fantasy Novel Award! 05/28/01 Babbage Press releases new edition of A Song for Lya 05/16/01 Windhaven flies again! New hardcover edition from Bantam Books 04/25/01 A Storm of Swords on Final Ballot for 2001 Hugo Award 04/11/01 GRRM Featured on CNN's Entertainment Website 03/12/01 Meisha Merlin Releases Illustrated Limited Edition of A Game of Thrones 02/01 NESFA releases GRRM's new collection, Quartet. 11/00 11/00 A Storm of Swords hits #12 on The New York Times bestseller list 11/00 11/00 A Storm of Swords hits USA Today's bestseller list 11/00 George R.R. Martin to be Guest of Honor at Torcon III 11/00 A CLASH OF KINGS took the #1 place on the SF Site's Reader's Choice list for best book of 1999. See the whole list at: SF Site |
