George has updated!!

[Boaz]

gaseous.

I used to be a spelling Nazi on the first forums I visited years ago. I've basically given up hope for western civilization. Now I only point out typos if I can make a joke out of them.

Ahhh, yes, the Magic 8 Ball. I swear that Mattel sealed the souls of the ancient Babylonian magicians, Egyptian diviners, Chinese seers, and Indian prophets into those balls. How else can you explain the extremely low percentage of correct answers from those things? Here's a typical kid's interaction with the ball.

"Does my teacher wear a girdle?"

It is certain.

"Ha ha. Does Jenny like me?"

Reply hazy, try again.

"Does Jenny like me?"

Don't count on it.

"Does Jenny like me?"

Very doubtful.

"Does Jenny like me?"

Without a doubt.

"Hey, now you're on track. Ummmmm, will the sun rise tomorrow?"

Better not tell you now.

"Oooookaaaaay. Well, does this mean the end of the world?"

You may rely on it.

"I don't believe you. Are you lying to me?"

My sources say no.

"Sources? Are you communicating with other balls?"

Concentrate and ask again.

"Do you have a telepathic link to the toymakers at Mattel?"

Cannot predict now.

"That was not a question about the future. Ha! Are you a complete waste of time?"

As I see it, yes.

"So you don't really know if the sun will rise tomorrow?"

My reply is no.

"Will my life be better if I rely on your answers?"

Outlook not so good.

"Doh!"

I think booksellers must use the Magic 8 Ball when predicting release dates.

"Will GRRM finish his book, get it printed, published, distributed, and marketed in time for us to meet sales projections of the third quarter?"

Signs point to yes.

 

[Winters_Sorrow]

You crack me up, Boaz

Of course my 8-ball is the only one in existence which does predict the future....I've yet to get a positive answer out of the damned thing!
I'm sure it's bloody defective

 

[AandKsavetheDAY]

When I procured a magic 8 ball-ish toy that was shaped like Jesus, I knew I was in the money.

A lot of writers have a lot of trouble on some parts of a book (obviously the prologue, for grrm) and even whole books. Plus, I'm sure that this one wasn't easy, since its supposed to be paralleling affc, plus extra. I wouldn't be discouraged about the other books just yet: maybe once this one is finished the next will be a releif to write!

 

[Boaz]

By the way, Martin updated his Not A Blog page a couple of day ago. It has nothing to do with his writings, it's a eulogy for American Football coach Bill Walsh.

 

[Werthead]

New update:

The third Dunk 'n' Egg story has the working title The Mystery Knight. It will be published in his 2009 anthology, Warriors.

Work on ADWD continues. He's polishing off three Tyrion chapters and then has to catch up with a few other POVs. I was getting the vibe that these were Tyrion's last chapters but we'll see.

 

[The Curious Orange]

By the way, did you mean "naseous" or nauseous? Nauseous I can understand. I'm betting "naseous" does not appear in the dictionary (but I've been wrong before), although it does seem to hint at meaning "characterized by the nose". Does thinking about TWOW make you nosey? Inquisitive? Hmmm, "naseous" now seems to make sense to me.

Now, if you're going to get like that , I think he meant "Nauseated," as did you.

The roller-coaster is nauseous, ie: it induces a state of nausea.

I feel nauseated after riding the roller coaster, ie: I am suffering from a state of nausea.

I nevr spillcheck eivver, so dont pik on us!

 

[Werthead]

Interesting. GRRM addressed the concerns of those fearing he's losing interest in the series:

I haven't lost my enthusiasm for writing A DANCE WITH DRAGONS.

I have, however, lost my enthusiasm for answering questions about it.

And I have REALLY lost my enthusiasm for people writing that I am "not a young man" and speculating about my possible death.

I am not working "only sporadically" on DANCE. But it's not simple equation: x many hours does not necessarily produce X many pages. Oh, sure, some writers can do that. Not me.

For me, especially on this book, there's a lot of rewriting (and restructuring) involved. I write a chapter, sometimes several, decide later it isn't working, go back and rewrite and cut it all out.

These are aspects of the creative process that are NOT FOR PUBLIC VIEW. I am wrestling with my story, my characters, and my muse, and that's one wrestling match you won't see on Pay Per View.

Someday I will die, and I hope you're right and it's thirty years from now. When that happens, maybe my heirs will decide to publish a book of fragments and deleted chapters, and you'll all get to read about Tyrion's meeting with the Shrouded Lord. It's a swell, spooky, evocative chapter, but you won't read it in DANCE. It took me down a road I decided I did not want to travel, so I went back and ripped it out. So, unless I change my mind again, it's going the way of the draft of LORD OF THE RINGS where Tolkien has Frodo, Sam, Merry, and Pippin reach the Prancing Pony and meet... a weatherbeaten old hobbit ranger named "Trotter."

And that's about as much as I'm going to say on this subject. Which is probably too much. I guarantee you, I will now get a bunch of letters from those who want to read this deleted chapter. (No. Thank you, but no).

I'm working on it.

It will be done when it's done. When it is, I'll let you know.

Why isn't that enough?

 

[Culhwch]

It's enough, George.

 

[TK-421]

Amen, George!

 

[Wiggum]

Where is that quote from Wert?

I didn't see it when I gave his page a brief once over.

 

[Boaz]

Now, if you're going to get like that

I'm always, err, usually like that. Welcome to the GRRM forum!

Sometimes I'm oblivious to the fact that other people are human beings... now that sounds ridiculous, but it equates to being a bull in a china shop. Moving on from spelling (I assumed Wiggs knew I was just being a prat (that's the word that a Brit used to describe me on these threads... lovingly, I might add)) and on to GRRM's update... I once posted here regarding GRRM's seeming unhealthy appearance. I was rebuked by a good poster. Subsequently, I realized I was passionate about GRRM's creation, but uncaring toward the man... and that's not right. I apologized.

Reading and dreaming of a fantasy world that someone else has created tends to lead people to think in unrealistic ways regarding all aspects of that fantasy. Casually discussing the author's mortality or believing that he owes part of his soul to his readers is wrong.

George R.R. Martin has given us a number of gifts. If we support him, thank him, and cherish him, then mayhaps he'll continue to give us more gifts.

 

[Koopa]

Seriously, the world MUST be coming to an end. Not only did somebody agree with Boaz crazy ideas a few days ago, Boaz himself is going soft.

For all God-loving people who can bring themselves to believe, i assure u that the judgement day is finally upon you. Everyone else (me included) can just relax, and thank his lucky stars that you are a non-believer and that thus there is no Judgement day for them.

QUOTE : " The Raven NEVERMORE "

 

[Boaz]

Seriously, the world MUST be coming to an end. Not only did somebody agree with Boaz crazy ideas a few days ago, Boaz himself is going soft.

For all God-loving people who can bring themselves to believe, i assure u that the judgement day is finally upon you. Everyone else (me included) can just relax, and thank his lucky stars that you are a non-believer and that thus there is no Judgement day for them.

QUOTE : " The Raven NEVERMORE "

Kiwi, you're right. I've renounced Spelling Nazism, eating trans fats, and Posting Fascism. In fact, I was just on GRRM's website and when I clicked on his name I got an option to send an email to georr@aol.com... so I emailed him. I thanked him for ASOIAF and encouraged him not to listen to gripers, false fans, or jerks (like me).

Or mayhaps I just have the flu.

 

[Florian the Fool]

Wiggs,

I wondered where Wert had found that quote as well, as it wasn't part of the blog entry, so I took a deep breath and looked in the comments.

I don't usually bother looking in there are most comments are either sycophantic or assinine. Wert's post is a cut and paste from GRRM's reply to one poster who had outlined his theory that the author had lost interest in the series, before moving on to comments along the lines of "hasn't he considered what would happen to us if he dies before he finishes?"

Under the circumstances, I think GRRM's reply is polite and considered.

 

[Wiggum]

Thanks Florian.

I can't make it through the comment section without my eyes bleeding and locusts coming out my ears.

 

[TK-421]

You know Wigg, I had the same problem but you may want to see your doctor. Maybe something like Lipitor could help.

 

[Boaz]

GEORGE HAS FINISHED HIS DANCE! WOO HOO! Check out the update on GRRM's official site!

Not A Blog

 

[chopper]

eh? i only saw the April Fools Livejournal entry......

 

[Aegon the Unworthy]

This is Boaz thinking he's being funny again. He does it from time to time. Pay him no mind. Normally on his good days he's quite hilarous, and sometimes even thought-provoking....but today is not one of those days. Maybe his medications slipped, or a someone else has assumed his namesake. But lets pray the universe is righted and humorous Boaz returns to us.

Dont hold this against him. He's a good sort.

 

[chopper]

hmm. he sounds a lot like me.

get well soon boaz!