George R.R. Martin

Author profile

born

in Bayonne, New Jersey, The United States

September 20, 1948

gender

male

website

http://www.georgerrmartin.com/

genre

Science Fiction & Fantasy, Horror

influences

Robert E. Howard, Robert A. Heinlein, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Roger Zelaz ...more

About this author

edit data

George R. R. Martin was born September 20, 1948, in Bayonne, New Jersey. His father was Raymond Collins Martin, a longshoreman, and his mother was Margaret Brady Martin. He has two sisters, Darleen Martin Lapinski and Janet Martin Patten.

Martin attended Mary Jane Donohoe School and Marist High School. He began writing very young, selling monster stories to other neighborhood children for pennies, dramatic readings included. Later he became a comic book fan and collector in high school, and began to write fiction for comic fanzines (amateur fan magazines). Martin's first professional sale was made in 1970 at age 21: "The Hero," sold to Galaxy, published in February, 1971 issue. Other sales followed.

In 1970 Martin received a B.S. in Journal...more George R. R. Martin was born September 20, 1948, in Bayonne, New Jersey. His father was Raymond Collins Martin, a longshoreman, and his mother was Margaret Brady Martin. He has two sisters, Darleen Martin Lapinski and Janet Martin Patten.

Martin attended Mary Jane Donohoe School and Marist High School. He began writing very young, selling monster stories to other neighborhood children for pennies, dramatic readings included. Later he became a comic book fan and collector in high school, and began to write fiction for comic fanzines (amateur fan magazines). Martin's first professional sale was made in 1970 at age 21: "The Hero," sold to Galaxy, published in February, 1971 issue. Other sales followed.

In 1970 Martin received a B.S. in Journalism from Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, graduating summa cum laude. He went on to complete a M.S. in Journalism in 1971, also from Northwestern.

As a conscientious objector, Martin did alternative service 1972-1974 with VISTA, attached to Cook County Legal Assistance Foundation. He also directed chess tournaments for the Continental Chess Association from 1973-1976, and was a Journalism instructor at Clarke College, Dubuque, Iowa, from 1976-1978. He wrote part-time throughout the 1970s while working as a VISTA Volunteer, chess director, and teacher.

In 1975 he married Gale Burnick. They divorced in 1979, with no children. Martin became a full-time writer in 1979. He was writer-in-residence at Clarke College from 1978-79.

Moving on to Hollywood, Martin signed on as a story editor for Twilight Zone at CBS Television in 1986. In 1987 Martin became an Executive Story Consultant for Beauty and the Beast at CBS. In 1988 he became a Producer for Beauty and the Beast, then in 1989 moved up to Co-Supervising Producer. He was Executive Producer for Doorways, a pilot which he wrote for Columbia Pictures Television, which was filmed during 1992-93.

Martin's present home is Santa Fe, New Mexico. He is a member of Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America (he was South-Central Regional Director 1977-1979, and Vice President 1996-1998), and of Writers' Guild of America, West.

http://us.macmillan.com/author/george...(less)

970 posts
George R.R. Martin's Blog

George R.R. Martin isn't a Goodreads Author (yet), but he does have a blog, so here are some recent posts imported from his feed.

Headed for Conquest

I hear that everything's up to date in Kansas City, so I'll be headed that way tomorrow to see for myself.

ConQuest beckons; KC's annual regional convention, one of the best. Should be a good time. Patrick Rothfuss is GOH, John Picacio will be there, along with Brad Denton, Caroline Spector, and all of my old KC friends and partners in crime. I'll be doing a reading, doing a panel, eating too mu... Read more of this blog post »

View more on George R.R. Martin's website »

0 comments

• 1 like · like •

Published on May 21, 2013 10:24 • 166 views

View all 970 posts »

combine editions
George R.R. Martin's Books

Average rating: 4.33 · 1,255,578 ratings · 71,834 reviews · 396 distinct works · Similar authors

	A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire, #1) 4.43 of 5 stars 4.43 avg rating — 417,625 ratings — published 1996 — 155 editions	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	A Clash of Kings (A Song of Ice and Fire, #2) 4.37 of 5 stars 4.37 avg rating — 214,197 ratings — published 1998 — 112 editions	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	A Storm of Swords (A Song of Ice and Fire, #3) 4.51 of 5 stars 4.51 avg rating — 184,045 ratings — published 2000 — 91 editions	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	A Feast for Crows (A Song of Ice and Fire, #4) 3.99 of 5 stars 3.99 avg rating — 154,137 ratings — published 2005 — 79 editions	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	A Dance With Dragons (A Song of Ice and Fire, #5) 4.19 of 5 stars 4.19 avg rating — 116,915 ratings — published 2011 — 37 editions	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	A Storm of Swords: Blood and Gold (A Song of Ice and Fire #3, Part 2 of 2) 4.54 of 5 stars 4.54 avg rating — 18,962 ratings — published 2000 — 27 editions	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	A Storm of Swords: Steel and Snow (A Song of Ice and Fire #3, Part 1 of 2) 4.49 of 5 stars 4.49 avg rating — 14,374 ratings — published 2000 — 34 editions	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	A Song of Ice and Fire 4.67 of 5 stars 4.67 avg rating — 10,590 ratings — published 2011 — 8 editions	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	A Game of Thrones / A Clash of Kings (A Song of Ice and Fire, #1-2) 4.51 of 5 stars 4.51 avg rating — 9,462 ratings — published 1996 — 6 editions	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	A Song of Ice and Fire, 5 Book Set Series: A Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Swords, A Feast for Crows, A Dance with Dragons 4.6 of 5 stars 4.60 avg rating — 7,172 ratings — published 2000 — 7 editions	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

More books by George R.R. Martin…

Series by George R.R. Martin

A Song of Ice and Fire (21 books)
by George R.R. Martin
4.348735170114717 of 5 stars 4.35 avg rating — 1,142,288 ratings

The Tales of Dunk and Egg (3 books)
by George R.R. Martin
4.123584229390681 of 5 stars 4.12 avg rating — 6,975 ratings

The Hedge Knight Graphic Novels (2 books)
by George R.R. Martin, Ben Avery (Goodreads Author) (Adapter), Mike S. Miller (Artist)
4.003351955307263 of 5 stars 4.00 avg rating — 6,265 ratings

Dreamsongs (2 books)
by George R.R. Martin
3.942035600182565 of 5 stars 3.94 avg rating — 2,191 ratings

Warriors (1 book)
by George R.R. Martin (editor), Gardner R. Dozois (editor), Cecelia Holland (Contributor), Joe Haldeman (Contributor), Robin Hobb (Goodreads Author) (Contributor), Lawrence Block (Goodreads Author) (Contributor), Tad Williams (Contributor), Joe R. Lansdale (Contributor) , more…
3.749006622516556 of 5 stars 3.75 avg rating — 1,510 ratings

More series by George R.R. Martin…

Upcoming Events

No scheduled events. Add an event.

Quotes by George R.R. Martin

“A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies, said Jojen. The man who never reads lives only one.”
― George R.R. Martin, A Dance With Dragons

tags: read, readers, reading, reading-books

11,331 people liked it

“A mind needs books as a sword needs a whetstone, if it is to keep its edge.”
― George R.R. Martin, A Game of Thrones

tags: books, mind

5,476 people liked it

“Never forget what you are, for surely the world will not. Make it your strength. Then it can never be your weakness. Armour yourself in it, and it will never be used to hurt you.”
― George R.R. Martin, A Game of Thrones

tags: identity

3,551 people liked it

See all George R.R. Martin's quotes »

Polls

Fantasy won the tie-breaker by one vote. Please vote on the book you would like to read for the next chat. Poll will be open through Saturday, 1/8. Next chat date was to be Tuesday, 1/11, but if people can't get the book by then, we will postpone until the following Tuesday, 1/18.

Terry Brooks

4 votes, 50.0%

Mercedes Lackey

2 votes, 25.0%

The Name of the Wind (Kingkiller Chronicle, #1)

Patrick Rothfuss

1 vote, 12.5%

A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire, #1)

George R.R. Martin

1 vote, 12.5%

Bernard Cornwell

0 votes, 0.0%

8 total votes

comments and details

More...

Topics Mentioning This Author

topics	posts	views	last activity
SciFi and Fantasy...: best book you've read this year?	61	790	Dec 26, 2008 08:00am
SciFi and Fantasy...: Worst/Most Disappointing Book You've Read This Year?	75	852	Mar 10, 2009 05:30am
Beyond Reality: "Series Discussion" - nominations and poll	28	133	Apr 30, 2009 09:33am
Amazon Kindle: What kind of book fits the Kindle best?	26	389	May 31, 2009 06:59am
Challenge: 50 Books: Kez's 50 Books in a Year	22	166	Jun 03, 2009 05:54am

More…

Is this you? Let us know. If not, help out and invite George to Goodreads.

Add New
Videos

George's Fans (22967)

George R.R. Martin

Author profile

970 posts
George R.R. Martin's Blog

combine editions
George R.R. Martin's Books

Series by George R.R. Martin

Upcoming Events

Quotes by George R.R. Martin

Polls

Topics Mentioning This Author

Add NewVideos

George's Fans (22967)

George R.R. Martin

Author profile

970 postsGeorge R.R. Martin's Blog

combine editionsGeorge R.R. Martin's Books

Series by George R.R. Martin

Upcoming Events

Quotes by George R.R. Martin

Polls

Topics Mentioning This Author

Add New
Videos

970 posts
George R.R. Martin's Blog

combine editions
George R.R. Martin's Books