George R.R. Martin's Blog, page 160
September 9, 2012
Gang Green Kicks Arse
Shows you how much the preseason is worth.
After scoring only one-count'em-one touchdown in four pre-season games, the offense of the New York Jets woke up this morning, just in time for the season opener, and solidly stomped the Buffalo Bills, 48-28. And believe me, the game wasn't nearly as close as the score.
Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick helped a great deal, tossing three interceptions to the boys in the white and green. Fitzpatrick throws at Darrelle Revis more than any other QB in the league, and today Revis made him pay. He did not fare much better throwing at the other Jets defenders either.
And the Buffalo defense, supposedly much improved in the off-season, showed nothing at all. The Jets finally got rid of Wayne Hunter, the weak spot on their O line, replacing him with a guy off the practice squad... and practice squad guy, whose name I have already forgotten, shut down Mario Williams all day, never letting him get even a sniff of Mark Sanchez. So Super Mario was a bust, for this game at least, and Buffalo's star RB Fred Jackson went down with a leg injury early in the contest. His replacement, C.J. Spiller, was the lone bright spot for Buffalo, ripping through the Jets' D-line time after time for long runs. Good on him, bad on us: we better shut down that next week. In a closer game, letting the opponent run on you like that could be fatal.
Rex Ryan finally unveiled the "wildjet" formation that he's been hiding all preseason. Well, okay. Having both Sanchez and Tebow on the field together didn't seem to produce much. I am dubious about whether or not this shuttling them in and out will work for long, but we'll see. Today was all Sanchez. He looked very sharp, especially throwing to our rookie WR Stephen Hill and some tight end named Cumberland who we must have picked up when I wasn't looking. Hill was our 2nd round draft pick, and looks like a keeper. Our first round draft pick, DE Quinton Coples, was only heard from when drawing a roughing the passer penalty... but hey, it was his first game.
I wonder if Rex has a play in that playbook where Tebow as QB throws to Sanchez as WR. We saw the flip side of that today, for a couple yards, but Tebow-to-Sanchez would be the eye opener. A guy who can't throw throwing to a guy who can't catch. Opponents will never expect it. (Though, if the other teams keep smacking around Sanchez when he lines up as WR the way the Bills did today, he may think twice about staying in when Tebow is under center).
So... a convincing win, and a nice way to start the season. Let's see where it goes from here. As for my friends in Buffalo, I fear you may be in for another long season. But please do beat the Patriots for us, it would be much appreciated.
After scoring only one-count'em-one touchdown in four pre-season games, the offense of the New York Jets woke up this morning, just in time for the season opener, and solidly stomped the Buffalo Bills, 48-28. And believe me, the game wasn't nearly as close as the score.
Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick helped a great deal, tossing three interceptions to the boys in the white and green. Fitzpatrick throws at Darrelle Revis more than any other QB in the league, and today Revis made him pay. He did not fare much better throwing at the other Jets defenders either.
And the Buffalo defense, supposedly much improved in the off-season, showed nothing at all. The Jets finally got rid of Wayne Hunter, the weak spot on their O line, replacing him with a guy off the practice squad... and practice squad guy, whose name I have already forgotten, shut down Mario Williams all day, never letting him get even a sniff of Mark Sanchez. So Super Mario was a bust, for this game at least, and Buffalo's star RB Fred Jackson went down with a leg injury early in the contest. His replacement, C.J. Spiller, was the lone bright spot for Buffalo, ripping through the Jets' D-line time after time for long runs. Good on him, bad on us: we better shut down that next week. In a closer game, letting the opponent run on you like that could be fatal.
Rex Ryan finally unveiled the "wildjet" formation that he's been hiding all preseason. Well, okay. Having both Sanchez and Tebow on the field together didn't seem to produce much. I am dubious about whether or not this shuttling them in and out will work for long, but we'll see. Today was all Sanchez. He looked very sharp, especially throwing to our rookie WR Stephen Hill and some tight end named Cumberland who we must have picked up when I wasn't looking. Hill was our 2nd round draft pick, and looks like a keeper. Our first round draft pick, DE Quinton Coples, was only heard from when drawing a roughing the passer penalty... but hey, it was his first game.
I wonder if Rex has a play in that playbook where Tebow as QB throws to Sanchez as WR. We saw the flip side of that today, for a couple yards, but Tebow-to-Sanchez would be the eye opener. A guy who can't throw throwing to a guy who can't catch. Opponents will never expect it. (Though, if the other teams keep smacking around Sanchez when he lines up as WR the way the Bills did today, he may think twice about staying in when Tebow is under center).
So... a convincing win, and a nice way to start the season. Let's see where it goes from here. As for my friends in Buffalo, I fear you may be in for another long season. But please do beat the Patriots for us, it would be much appreciated.
More Birthday Books
Okay, the Big Birthday Book Offer -- three hardcover anthologies for $64, signed -- was such a success that I sold out of two of the books, so I've taken down that post.
I do still have copies (some, not a lot, supply dwindling quickly) of the hardcover WARRIORS, and will continue to sell those at the special price of $27 until September 20 (my b-day).
Meanwhile, I thought I would offer some of my foreign editions, for those of you who read in languages other than English.
Let me start with the two-volume Korean hardcover edition of A STORM OF SWORDS.
This edition was published in 2005 by UnHangNaMu Publishing. They are truly massive hardcover bug-squashers, nicely made, with sewn-in ribbon bookmarks. Some of the dustjackets show edge wear and small tears and frays, however, so they are not pristine.
Of course I'll be glad to sign and personally inscribe the books.
My price for the two-volume set has been $45. To clear some shelf space, I'll now offer them at $39, for as long as the supply lasts. Which won't be long. I have five extra sets left, beyond my own brag shelf copies. As usual, it will be first come, first served for these.
The special $39 price includes book rate/ media mail shipping within the US. Order via PayPal to direwolf@georgerrmartin.com.
Priority mail and overseas shipping will be extra; inquire of my assistant Ty at grrmbooks@gmail.com for a quote on that. (Depends on where you live).
I do still have copies (some, not a lot, supply dwindling quickly) of the hardcover WARRIORS, and will continue to sell those at the special price of $27 until September 20 (my b-day).
Meanwhile, I thought I would offer some of my foreign editions, for those of you who read in languages other than English.
Let me start with the two-volume Korean hardcover edition of A STORM OF SWORDS.
This edition was published in 2005 by UnHangNaMu Publishing. They are truly massive hardcover bug-squashers, nicely made, with sewn-in ribbon bookmarks. Some of the dustjackets show edge wear and small tears and frays, however, so they are not pristine.
Of course I'll be glad to sign and personally inscribe the books.
My price for the two-volume set has been $45. To clear some shelf space, I'll now offer them at $39, for as long as the supply lasts. Which won't be long. I have five extra sets left, beyond my own brag shelf copies. As usual, it will be first come, first served for these.
The special $39 price includes book rate/ media mail shipping within the US. Order via PayPal to direwolf@georgerrmartin.com.
Priority mail and overseas shipping will be extra; inquire of my assistant Ty at grrmbooks@gmail.com for a quote on that. (Depends on where you live).
September 6, 2012
Big Birthday Book Bash
I am drowning in books here. Even with three houses (one with a library tower) and a storage locker, I've run out of places to put all the various copies of all the various editions of all my various titles that have accumulated over the years... and new ones are arriving all the time, demanding shelf space. So for the next couple of weeks, I am going to be offering special sale prices on signed copies of some of the extras that are threatening to collapse my bookshelves.
My birthday is coming up on September 20. I will be sixty-four. An iconic year for any Beatles fan. So let's start by offering signed hardcovers of three of the anthologies I co-edited with Gardner Dozois -- WARRIORS and SONGS OF THE DYING EARTH (Stories in Honor of Jack Vance) and DOWN THESE STRANGE STREETS -- at the special "birthday price" of $64 for all three.
Lots of cool stuff in all three of these titles. WARRIORS contains my third Dunk & Egg novella, "The Mystery Knight," along with a Lord John novella from Diana Gabaldon, a Forever Peace story from Joe Haldeman, and contributions from Steven Saylor, Robin Hobb, Carrie Vaughn, David Weber, Naomi Novik, Robert Silverberg, and many more. SONGS OF THE DYING EARTH features original tales set in Vance's iconic "Dying Earth" universe, with a lineup that includes Neil Gaiman, Tad Williams, Dan Simmons, Howard Waldrop, Lucius Shephard, Mike Resnick, and others. And our cross-genre mystery/ fantasy anthology DOWN THESE STRANGE STREETS includes Edgar award nominees "The Adakian Eagle" by Bradley Denton and "Lord John and the Plague of Zombies" by Diana Gabaldon, an original "sookieverse" tale from Charlaine Harris, am Emberverse tale from Steve Stirling, and stories from Carrie Vaughn, Daniel Abraham, Lisa Tuttle, Steven Saylor, and other great writers.
For those who don't want all three anthologies, or already have one or two of them on their shelves, I will also sell each of the books individually at a sale price of $27... but the "all three for $64" offer is the best deal.
PLEASE NOTE. I will be glad to sign these books, and personally inscribe them on request, but that will be the ONLY autograph. My co-editor Gardner Dozois has not signed these copies, not have any of the other contributors. I don't want anyone buying these under the misapprehension that they have been signed by all the writers. You will need to collect the rest of the signatures yourself.
The special "birthday sale" prices include book rate/ media mail shipping within the US. Order via PayPal to direwolf@georgerrmartin.com.
Priority mail and overseas shipping will be extra; inquire of my assistant Ty at grrmbooks@gmail.com for a quote on that. (Depends on where you live).
First come, first served, for so long as the supplies last. (Which may not be all that long. I have a LOT of copies of WARRIORS, but much smaller stocks of the other two books, which are like to exhausted quickly).
My birthday is coming up on September 20. I will be sixty-four. An iconic year for any Beatles fan. So let's start by offering signed hardcovers of three of the anthologies I co-edited with Gardner Dozois -- WARRIORS and SONGS OF THE DYING EARTH (Stories in Honor of Jack Vance) and DOWN THESE STRANGE STREETS -- at the special "birthday price" of $64 for all three.
Lots of cool stuff in all three of these titles. WARRIORS contains my third Dunk & Egg novella, "The Mystery Knight," along with a Lord John novella from Diana Gabaldon, a Forever Peace story from Joe Haldeman, and contributions from Steven Saylor, Robin Hobb, Carrie Vaughn, David Weber, Naomi Novik, Robert Silverberg, and many more. SONGS OF THE DYING EARTH features original tales set in Vance's iconic "Dying Earth" universe, with a lineup that includes Neil Gaiman, Tad Williams, Dan Simmons, Howard Waldrop, Lucius Shephard, Mike Resnick, and others. And our cross-genre mystery/ fantasy anthology DOWN THESE STRANGE STREETS includes Edgar award nominees "The Adakian Eagle" by Bradley Denton and "Lord John and the Plague of Zombies" by Diana Gabaldon, an original "sookieverse" tale from Charlaine Harris, am Emberverse tale from Steve Stirling, and stories from Carrie Vaughn, Daniel Abraham, Lisa Tuttle, Steven Saylor, and other great writers.
For those who don't want all three anthologies, or already have one or two of them on their shelves, I will also sell each of the books individually at a sale price of $27... but the "all three for $64" offer is the best deal.
PLEASE NOTE. I will be glad to sign these books, and personally inscribe them on request, but that will be the ONLY autograph. My co-editor Gardner Dozois has not signed these copies, not have any of the other contributors. I don't want anyone buying these under the misapprehension that they have been signed by all the writers. You will need to collect the rest of the signatures yourself.
The special "birthday sale" prices include book rate/ media mail shipping within the US. Order via PayPal to direwolf@georgerrmartin.com.
Priority mail and overseas shipping will be extra; inquire of my assistant Ty at grrmbooks@gmail.com for a quote on that. (Depends on where you live).
First come, first served, for so long as the supplies last. (Which may not be all that long. I have a LOT of copies of WARRIORS, but much smaller stocks of the other two books, which are like to exhausted quickly).
September 5, 2012
Hate Dem Cowboys
Well, the 2012 NFL season got off to a start with a resounding thud tonight, as my beloved New York Football Giants lost their opening game to the hated Dallas Cowboys.
The key factor seemed to be the depleted New York secondary, which wasn't able to cope with Dallas's third-string wide receiver... especially after our fourth-string cornerback went down and had to be replaced by our fifth-string cornerback.
How the hell our secondary can be down to its fifth string in the first bloody game of the season passes all understanding. I know that injuries are a big part of football, but the Giants always seem to suffer a rash of losses before the season even begins. sigh
Victor Cruz dropping all those passes did not help either. I love you, Victor... but maybe less salsa dancing and more practice in the off-season would have been wise.
Big Blue's running game looked just as anemic as it did last season. Our vaunted first round draft choice, Virginia Tech RB David Wilson, fumbled the first time he touched the damn ball. Coughlin did not seem eager for him to touch it again thereafter.
Perhaps the Jets will redeem things on Sunday, when Rex finally unveils the explosive O he has been hiding all preseason. (Hah)
The key factor seemed to be the depleted New York secondary, which wasn't able to cope with Dallas's third-string wide receiver... especially after our fourth-string cornerback went down and had to be replaced by our fifth-string cornerback.
How the hell our secondary can be down to its fifth string in the first bloody game of the season passes all understanding. I know that injuries are a big part of football, but the Giants always seem to suffer a rash of losses before the season even begins. sigh
Victor Cruz dropping all those passes did not help either. I love you, Victor... but maybe less salsa dancing and more practice in the off-season would have been wise.
Big Blue's running game looked just as anemic as it did last season. Our vaunted first round draft choice, Virginia Tech RB David Wilson, fumbled the first time he touched the damn ball. Coughlin did not seem eager for him to touch it again thereafter.
Perhaps the Jets will redeem things on Sunday, when Rex finally unveils the explosive O he has been hiding all preseason. (Hah)
September 4, 2012
Once More, At Home
Home from Chicago and Chicon 7.
A terrific worldcon, one of the best in years. Everything a worldcon should be.
More later, when I catch my breath and answer some of my emails.
A terrific worldcon, one of the best in years. Everything a worldcon should be.
More later, when I catch my breath and answer some of my emails.
August 28, 2012
Chicon Looms
We're off to the airport in a couple of hours, on our way to Chicago for worldcon.
And I've got some great news for the GAME OF THRONES fans who will be joining us there... HBO is sending in our own late, lamented Ser Rodrik Cassel, RON DONACHIE, and his lovely wife to represent the series at the con.
Ron tells me that he'll be glad to sign autographs, do interviews, kaffeeklatches, and whatever, and I've passed that word along to the concom. It's late, of course, and the program book is already at the printers, but they should be able to add him to some program items. Watch the daily newsletter for updates on that.
Looking forward to seeing him... and all of you.
Worldcon! Accept no substitutes.
And I've got some great news for the GAME OF THRONES fans who will be joining us there... HBO is sending in our own late, lamented Ser Rodrik Cassel, RON DONACHIE, and his lovely wife to represent the series at the con.
Ron tells me that he'll be glad to sign autographs, do interviews, kaffeeklatches, and whatever, and I've passed that word along to the concom. It's late, of course, and the program book is already at the printers, but they should be able to add him to some program items. Watch the daily newsletter for updates on that.
Looking forward to seeing him... and all of you.
Worldcon! Accept no substitutes.
August 24, 2012
Martians, Come Back
One more down and done and in the pipeline.
OLD MARS, a new anthology of science fiction and fantasy stories about Old Mars (not the real post-Mariner Mars, but the one we all loved as kids, with the canals and the dead cities and the various flavors of Martian) is complete, and has been delivered to our editors at Bantam.
When we know the publication date, you will too.
The anthology will feature fifteen original, never-before-published short stories and novelettes, story notes and author intros by Gardner, and an introduction by yours truly. Here's the lineup:
RED PLANET BLUES (Introduction) by George R.R. Martin
MARTIAN BLOOD, by Allen M. Steele
THE UGLY DUCKLING, by Matthew Hughes
THE WRECK OF THE MARS ADVENTURE, by David D. Levine
SWORDS OF ZAR-TU-KAN, by S.M. Stirling
SHOALS, by Mary Rosenblum
IN THE TOMBS OF THE MARTIAN KINGS, by Mike Resnick
OUT OF SCARLIGHT, by Liz Williams
THE DEAD SEA-BOTTOM SCROLLS, by Howard Waldrop
A MAN WITHOUT HONOR, by James S.A. Corey
WRITTEN IN DUST, by Melinda Snodgrass
THE LOST CANAL, by Michael Moorcock
THE SUNSTONE, by Phyllis Eisenstein
KING OF THE CHEAP ROMANCE, by Joe R. Lansdale
MARINER, by Chris Roberson
THE QUEEN OF NIGHT’S ARIA, by Ian McDonald
Gargoo and I had a lot of fun putting this one together, and I hope you folks will have as much fun reading it.
And now... fasten your seat belts and rev up those rockets, boys and girls, we'll be blasting off for OLD VENUS next... arrival scheduled for about a year from now.
(We make no promises about OLD URANUS).
OLD MARS, a new anthology of science fiction and fantasy stories about Old Mars (not the real post-Mariner Mars, but the one we all loved as kids, with the canals and the dead cities and the various flavors of Martian) is complete, and has been delivered to our editors at Bantam.
When we know the publication date, you will too.
The anthology will feature fifteen original, never-before-published short stories and novelettes, story notes and author intros by Gardner, and an introduction by yours truly. Here's the lineup:
RED PLANET BLUES (Introduction) by George R.R. Martin
MARTIAN BLOOD, by Allen M. Steele
THE UGLY DUCKLING, by Matthew Hughes
THE WRECK OF THE MARS ADVENTURE, by David D. Levine
SWORDS OF ZAR-TU-KAN, by S.M. Stirling
SHOALS, by Mary Rosenblum
IN THE TOMBS OF THE MARTIAN KINGS, by Mike Resnick
OUT OF SCARLIGHT, by Liz Williams
THE DEAD SEA-BOTTOM SCROLLS, by Howard Waldrop
A MAN WITHOUT HONOR, by James S.A. Corey
WRITTEN IN DUST, by Melinda Snodgrass
THE LOST CANAL, by Michael Moorcock
THE SUNSTONE, by Phyllis Eisenstein
KING OF THE CHEAP ROMANCE, by Joe R. Lansdale
MARINER, by Chris Roberson
THE QUEEN OF NIGHT’S ARIA, by Ian McDonald
Gargoo and I had a lot of fun putting this one together, and I hope you folks will have as much fun reading it.
And now... fasten your seat belts and rev up those rockets, boys and girls, we'll be blasting off for OLD VENUS next... arrival scheduled for about a year from now.
(We make no promises about OLD URANUS).
August 23, 2012
Me and Marvel
Here's an interview I don't believe I have linked to yet... mostly about my days as a comic book fanboy in the dawn of comics fandom, and my relationship with Marvel and comics in general.
http://marvel.com/news/story/18400/the_marvel_life_george_r_r_martin
Hard to believe how many decades have passed. What a long, strange trip it's been.
http://marvel.com/news/story/18400/the_marvel_life_george_r_r_martin
Hard to believe how many decades have passed. What a long, strange trip it's been.
August 19, 2012
Writing
These worldbook "sidebars" are all threatening to turn into novellas.
Sure hope you guys and gals like fake history.
Sure hope you guys and gals like fake history.
August 15, 2012
RIP, Harry Harrison
We have lost another Grand Master, I fear. I've just learned that Harry Harrison has died.
I did not know Harry well, but I always liked him, and enjoyed his writing. BILL THE GALACTIC HERO, THE TECHNICOLOR TIME MACHINE, DEATHWORLD (the first one is the best), THE STAINLESS STEEL RAT (ditto)...
He was a hard-drinking, fun-loving guy. I remember him tending bar at the SFWA suite. When you asked Harry for a gin and tonic, you got a tumbler of gin with a splash of tonic. He kept his money on the Isle of Man, and would tell anyone who would listen that they should move their money there as well. And back before the Brits reformed their currency, he was famous for insisting that all his UK contracts be paid in guineas rather than pounds.
Farewell, Harry. It was good reading you.
I did not know Harry well, but I always liked him, and enjoyed his writing. BILL THE GALACTIC HERO, THE TECHNICOLOR TIME MACHINE, DEATHWORLD (the first one is the best), THE STAINLESS STEEL RAT (ditto)...
He was a hard-drinking, fun-loving guy. I remember him tending bar at the SFWA suite. When you asked Harry for a gin and tonic, you got a tumbler of gin with a splash of tonic. He kept his money on the Isle of Man, and would tell anyone who would listen that they should move their money there as well. And back before the Brits reformed their currency, he was famous for insisting that all his UK contracts be paid in guineas rather than pounds.
Farewell, Harry. It was good reading you.
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