'The Winds of Winter' release date: George R.R. Martin denies being at Comic-Con
"Game of Thrones" was one of the major attractions at this year's San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC), with its cast, crew, and fans out in full force. There were even rumors that George R.R. Martin was at the annual convention. However, "The Winds of Winter" writer has since denied those reports.
The author was allegedly seen at SDCC 2016 and immediately took to his blog to debunk the claims. Martin said that he normally doesn't tell people where he is and what he's doing, but he received word from friends that he had been seen at the convention and insisted it wasn't him.
"Really. It's not," the "A Song of Ice and Fire" writer emphasized. "It's some other old fat guy in a Greek sailor's cap and pair of suspenders, maybe. Who may or may not be consciously cosplaying as me."
While Martin has no problems with people cosplaying as him, he revealed that he was at the Jean Cocteau Cinema last weekend for a big Wild Cards event. But he did say that a new Ice and Fire calendar, with art done by Didier Graffet, is available for sale at the convention and at local bookstores.
The report that Martin is still in New Mexico might be good news for those fans who prefer that their favorite author concentrate on finishing the highly anticipated "The Winds of Winter." After all, there's still no word when the book will be finished, much less when it will be published.
The lack of news has led to a number of speculations, including reports that hinted at the author revealing the release date for "The Winds of Winter" at the 74th World Science Convention. The event will be held in Kansas from Aug. 17 to 21. That rumor was quickly dismissed by the author himself.
There are also rumors that the famed fantasy writer would be surprising his fans by releasing the sixth and seventh books of the "A Song of Ice and Fire" series simultaneously. However, this definitely falls under wishful thinking since Martin is notorious for being a slow writer.