'Game of Thrones' fans, rejoice! George R.R. Martin is taking 'The Winds of Winter' seriously

Fans may be disappointed not to see Martin at upcoming events, but few would object to the author's reason: He needs to keep working on the next 'Song of Ice and Fire' book.

To those “Game of Thrones” fans who keep telling George R.R. Martin to quit doing other things and concentrate on writing the next “Thrones” books – he’s listening.

The author recently wrote on his website that he is not planning on attending the World Fantasy Convention, which is held in Saratoga, nor this year’s Comic Con, which takes place in San Diego. Martin wrote on his Livejournal page that he has “too many things on my plate. Son of Kong foremost amongst them.” (The author has nicknamed his upcoming book, “The Winds of Winter,” “Son of Kong,” according to the International Business Times.) 

"Reluctantly, however, I've just had to scratch Saratoga off my list of 2015 appearances,” Martin wrote of the World Fantasy Convention. “I am sure it will be terrific. It's just a matter of time. I have too much to do… My apologies to anyone who saw Saratoga on my Appearances page and planned to go in order to see me. I won't be there. Go anyway. You'll have a great time. since Comicon was never listed on my Appearances page, scratching it is not as big a deal. (Should I complete and deliver WINDS OF WINTER before these cons roll round, I reserve the right to change my mind).”

“A Dance with Dragons,” the newest book in Martin’s series “A Song of Ice and Fire,” was released in 2011. Since then, fans have impatiently awaited the newest installment. As we previously reported, the author stepped away from writing any new episodes for season five, the upcoming season, of the HBO series based on his books as well so as to give himself more time to write. “I have this book I have to finish,” the writer said during last year’s Comic-Con, according to Entertainment Weekly.