George R.R. Martin's Blog, page 195
March 16, 2011
Calendars, Calendars, Calendars
Does anybody ever really know what day it is? Does anybody really care?
Well, you would... if you had an official SONG OF ICE AND FIRE CALENDAR.
Reports are in on the 2011 calendar, with Ted Nasmith's gorgeous castle paintings. Looks like it did quite nicely, thank you. If you missed the chance to pick up one of these... well, hey, you can still pick up one on Amazon, I think. And it's only March! Still lots of months left!
Meanwhile, John Picacio continues to paint up a storm on the 2012 calendar. At last report he had completed eight of the twelve paintings, with two more very close to completion and the last two roughed out. John's approach is very different from Ted's -- characters rather than castles -- but just as spectacular, I think.
The 2012 calendar should debut at the San Diego Comicon in July, but it is already available for preorder on Amazon. Check it out.
Random House and I share the same hope for these calendars: we want to make them an annual event, like the long-running Tolkien calendar, with each year featuring a new take on Westeros and its peoples by one of the world's leading fantasy artists.
And with that in mind, we're pleased to announce that we're signed the artist for the 2013 calendar -- the wonderful MARC SIMONETTI. Marc first came to our attention when he painted four stunning covers for the recent French reissues of the series from J'ai Lu, covers that have also been seen on the Brazilian editions. Here's a look:
I hope you are all as excited as I am to see Marc return to the Seven Kingdoms with twelve new and original paintings. He's already sent us his first color sketch, and it's a stunner.
For more information about our amazing artists, I encourage you to visit their respective websites... and don't forget Michael Komarck, who did the FIRST Ice & Fire calendar, the ill-fated 2009 calendar, which was (through no fault of Michael's) gorgeous but cursed.
TED NASMITH: http://www.tednasmith.com/
JOHN PICACIO: http://www.johnpicacio.com/
MARC SIMONETTI: http://marcsimonetti.artworkfolio.com/
MICHAEL KOMARCK: http://www.komarckart.com/
I feel privileged to have my world brought to life by all these guys... and I hope we can keep doing calendars for twenty more years, since there's a lot of other artists I'd love to turn loose on Westeros. (Yes, in case you haven't guessed, I love great SF and fantasy art)
Oh... and I should also mention that there is a possibility that HBO may put out their own calendar as well. Nothing definite on that front yet, but it's being talked about. If it does happen, of course, it will feature photographs of the actors, characters, and scenes from the television series, quite different from the "art" calendars Random House is doing.
Well, you would... if you had an official SONG OF ICE AND FIRE CALENDAR.
Reports are in on the 2011 calendar, with Ted Nasmith's gorgeous castle paintings. Looks like it did quite nicely, thank you. If you missed the chance to pick up one of these... well, hey, you can still pick up one on Amazon, I think. And it's only March! Still lots of months left!
Meanwhile, John Picacio continues to paint up a storm on the 2012 calendar. At last report he had completed eight of the twelve paintings, with two more very close to completion and the last two roughed out. John's approach is very different from Ted's -- characters rather than castles -- but just as spectacular, I think.
The 2012 calendar should debut at the San Diego Comicon in July, but it is already available for preorder on Amazon. Check it out.
Random House and I share the same hope for these calendars: we want to make them an annual event, like the long-running Tolkien calendar, with each year featuring a new take on Westeros and its peoples by one of the world's leading fantasy artists.
And with that in mind, we're pleased to announce that we're signed the artist for the 2013 calendar -- the wonderful MARC SIMONETTI. Marc first came to our attention when he painted four stunning covers for the recent French reissues of the series from J'ai Lu, covers that have also been seen on the Brazilian editions. Here's a look:
I hope you are all as excited as I am to see Marc return to the Seven Kingdoms with twelve new and original paintings. He's already sent us his first color sketch, and it's a stunner.
For more information about our amazing artists, I encourage you to visit their respective websites... and don't forget Michael Komarck, who did the FIRST Ice & Fire calendar, the ill-fated 2009 calendar, which was (through no fault of Michael's) gorgeous but cursed.
TED NASMITH: http://www.tednasmith.com/
JOHN PICACIO: http://www.johnpicacio.com/
MARC SIMONETTI: http://marcsimonetti.artworkfolio.com/
MICHAEL KOMARCK: http://www.komarckart.com/
I feel privileged to have my world brought to life by all these guys... and I hope we can keep doing calendars for twenty more years, since there's a lot of other artists I'd love to turn loose on Westeros. (Yes, in case you haven't guessed, I love great SF and fantasy art)
Oh... and I should also mention that there is a possibility that HBO may put out their own calendar as well. Nothing definite on that front yet, but it's being talked about. If it does happen, of course, it will feature photographs of the actors, characters, and scenes from the television series, quite different from the "art" calendars Random House is doing.
March 15, 2011
HBO Sale
The HBO is having a sale on GAME OF THRONES merchandise.
Twenty per cent ( 20 %) off... but today only!
http://store.hbo.com/
Just sayin'
Twenty per cent ( 20 %) off... but today only!
http://store.hbo.com/
Just sayin'
Ye Olde Tie-In
And herewith... drum roll, please... the cover art for the new TV tie-in edition of A GAME OF THRONES. Which seems to have lost its "a" but gained the soon-to-be-iconic image of Sean Bean upon HBO's Iron Throne.
So much stuff happening on so many fronts of late that I could spend all days posting updates here and still would not catch up. So forgive me if I am late announcing This or talking about That. I do my best, but Kong is a mighty foe.
Back to Skull Island.
So much stuff happening on so many fronts of late that I could spend all days posting updates here and still would not catch up. So forgive me if I am late announcing This or talking about That. I do my best, but Kong is a mighty foe.
Back to Skull Island.
March 14, 2011
And Still More!
And here's yet another trailer that premiered on HBO tonight.
It's called "Fear and Blood."
Lovely glimpse of the late Margaret John as Old Nan. She will be missed as the show goes forward.
It's called "Fear and Blood."
Lovely glimpse of the late Margaret John as Old Nan. She will be missed as the show goes forward.
Meet the Starks
Here's the latest video treat from HBO: an introduction to the Starks of Winterfell.
Some great footage of the kids in this one. And the first glimpses of Robb, Varys, and a few of other stalwarts. Cool stuff.
(Though I do feel the need to mention that the part where I'm saying how direwolves existed in the real world was originally followed by me saying that MY direwolves are much bigger than the actual prehistoric ones. Just don't want anyone to go away thinking I believed actual real world direwolves were as large as ponies. Everything's bigger in fantasy).
Anyway, hope you all enjoy seeing this as much as me.
Closer and closer...
Some great footage of the kids in this one. And the first glimpses of Robb, Varys, and a few of other stalwarts. Cool stuff.
(Though I do feel the need to mention that the part where I'm saying how direwolves existed in the real world was originally followed by me saying that MY direwolves are much bigger than the actual prehistoric ones. Just don't want anyone to go away thinking I believed actual real world direwolves were as large as ponies. Everything's bigger in fantasy).
Anyway, hope you all enjoy seeing this as much as me.
Closer and closer...
March 12, 2011
Roy Sets a Record
Congratulations to my friend Roy Dotrice, who has been officially awarded a world's record for his audibook performance of A GAME OF THRONES.
They sent him a certificate and everything:
(I especially like the stain on the certificate, obviously meant to suggest the ring left by a mug of Guinness Stout).
Of course, I am not sure how long this particular record will stand. In fact, I think Roy may well have broken it already with his recordings for A CLASH OF KINGS and (especially) A STORM OF SWORDS. But I will leave the Guinness people to sort that out.
And, yes, yes, we are doing all we can to make sure it is Roy Dotrice who will record the audiobook for A DANCE WITH DRAGONS. He was my choice to begin with, and remains so. So you can all stop sending me emails and messages. I'm with you.
They sent him a certificate and everything:
(I especially like the stain on the certificate, obviously meant to suggest the ring left by a mug of Guinness Stout).
Of course, I am not sure how long this particular record will stand. In fact, I think Roy may well have broken it already with his recordings for A CLASH OF KINGS and (especially) A STORM OF SWORDS. But I will leave the Guinness people to sort that out.
And, yes, yes, we are doing all we can to make sure it is Roy Dotrice who will record the audiobook for A DANCE WITH DRAGONS. He was my choice to begin with, and remains so. So you can all stop sending me emails and messages. I'm with you.
A Pox on Both Your Houses
Regular readers of this Not A Blog will know what a fanatic fan of the NFL I am.
I cannot possibly express how disgusted and pissed off I am by the failure of the NFL owners and players to reach an agreement, which has now led to a lockout and may possibly imperil the 2011 season. There are no good guys in this scenario. It is millionaires versus billionaires, and it's all about greed, greed, greed.
Don't believe what Gordon Gekko told you. Greed is not good. Greed sucks.
When the pie is as big and rich and gooey as the NFL's, the inability of the principals to come to any agreement about how to slice it up is just obscene.
Locking out the players? Owners, shame on you.
Decertifying as a union so you can sue? Players, shame on you.
The last bit is ESPECIALLY offensive in the light of what is happening in places like Wisconsin, Indiana, and Ohio, where real working class people are fighting desperately to keep their unions in the face of a concerted effort by the Radical Right to strip them of their right to collective bargaining. The teachers in those states are battling for their pensions, their health care, and salaries in the mid five figures, while NFL players decertify to make certain their seven figure salaries don't get trimmed down to six.
Here's a proposal for you: the legislatures in every state with an NFL franchise should pass a new tax. For every game missed due to a strike or lockout, the franchise owners should be required to take all the money they would have paid the players, and pay it instead into a pool to fund teacher salaries, benefits, and pensions.
Oh, to be the king. Oh, to have some dragons.
I cannot possibly express how disgusted and pissed off I am by the failure of the NFL owners and players to reach an agreement, which has now led to a lockout and may possibly imperil the 2011 season. There are no good guys in this scenario. It is millionaires versus billionaires, and it's all about greed, greed, greed.
Don't believe what Gordon Gekko told you. Greed is not good. Greed sucks.
When the pie is as big and rich and gooey as the NFL's, the inability of the principals to come to any agreement about how to slice it up is just obscene.
Locking out the players? Owners, shame on you.
Decertifying as a union so you can sue? Players, shame on you.
The last bit is ESPECIALLY offensive in the light of what is happening in places like Wisconsin, Indiana, and Ohio, where real working class people are fighting desperately to keep their unions in the face of a concerted effort by the Radical Right to strip them of their right to collective bargaining. The teachers in those states are battling for their pensions, their health care, and salaries in the mid five figures, while NFL players decertify to make certain their seven figure salaries don't get trimmed down to six.
Here's a proposal for you: the legislatures in every state with an NFL franchise should pass a new tax. For every game missed due to a strike or lockout, the franchise owners should be required to take all the money they would have paid the players, and pay it instead into a pool to fund teacher salaries, benefits, and pensions.
Oh, to be the king. Oh, to have some dragons.
He's STILL a king in his world...
... and he's taught me fear.
I've tied the last kraken up in knots, only to have another swarm up from the depths.
Aiieeee.
As of this morning, A DANCE WITH DRAGONS is thirty (manuscript) pages longer than A STORM OF SWORDS. And. Not. Done. Yet.
Dragons, krakens, monkeys, I hates them all.
But I press on. Kong, Kong, I will beat you yet! Where's my bloody biplane???
I've tied the last kraken up in knots, only to have another swarm up from the depths.
Aiieeee.
As of this morning, A DANCE WITH DRAGONS is thirty (manuscript) pages longer than A STORM OF SWORDS. And. Not. Done. Yet.
Dragons, krakens, monkeys, I hates them all.
But I press on. Kong, Kong, I will beat you yet! Where's my bloody biplane???
March 10, 2011
Ye Official Poster!
Look on HBO's works, ye mighty, and despair.
Suvudu Cage Match
Those scalawags and wackaroonies at Suvudu are at it again!
Last year they staged their infamous "Cage Match," pitting various characters from a wide varity of SF and fantasy books and films against one another in battles to the death, with the ultimate winner decided by the votes of you, the fans and readers. (AFter spirited and sometimes rather acrimonious debate, it must be said). They plucked Ser Jaime Lannister out of Westeros to represent my books, and he did rather well... Assisted by his brother Tyrion, he defeated Hermione Granger, Kvothe, and the Great Cthulhu on the way to the finals, where he ultimately fell to THE WHEEL OF TIME's Rand al'Thor, despite some help from Haviland Tuf, the Great and Powerful Turtle, Popinjay, and other friends.
Suvudu followed that up with a Villains Cage Match, another death derby. This time Westeros prevailed, when Ser Gregor Clegane, the Mountain That Rides, went all the way, proving himself the most nefarious and brutal badboy of all time and space. But then he got his ass kicked by Rand in the Hero v. Villain showdown.
And now here we are again. This time the Westerosi contestant is JON SNOW.
art by Michael Komarck
In his first match, Jon is facing Takeshi Kovacs .
Here's the write up:
http://sf-fantasy.suvudu.com/2011/03/cage-match-2011-takeshi-kovacs-versus-jon-snow.html
Vote early and often.
Last year they staged their infamous "Cage Match," pitting various characters from a wide varity of SF and fantasy books and films against one another in battles to the death, with the ultimate winner decided by the votes of you, the fans and readers. (AFter spirited and sometimes rather acrimonious debate, it must be said). They plucked Ser Jaime Lannister out of Westeros to represent my books, and he did rather well... Assisted by his brother Tyrion, he defeated Hermione Granger, Kvothe, and the Great Cthulhu on the way to the finals, where he ultimately fell to THE WHEEL OF TIME's Rand al'Thor, despite some help from Haviland Tuf, the Great and Powerful Turtle, Popinjay, and other friends.
Suvudu followed that up with a Villains Cage Match, another death derby. This time Westeros prevailed, when Ser Gregor Clegane, the Mountain That Rides, went all the way, proving himself the most nefarious and brutal badboy of all time and space. But then he got his ass kicked by Rand in the Hero v. Villain showdown.
And now here we are again. This time the Westerosi contestant is JON SNOW.
art by Michael Komarck
In his first match, Jon is facing Takeshi Kovacs .
Here's the write up:
http://sf-fantasy.suvudu.com/2011/03/cage-match-2011-takeshi-kovacs-versus-jon-snow.html
Vote early and often.
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