Massively Multiplayer Tease

July 11, 2012 at 1:12 am

Bigpoint has unveiled a short teaser for their forthcoming GAME OF THRONES mmorpg. I thought the gamers out there might enjoy a look

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If the scenery and music seems familiar, that’s because this game is being produced under a license from, and with the cooperation of, HBO and is based on the TV show, whereas the previous Cyanide videogames were based on the books.

Moreover, I’m informed that BigPoint will be previewing the game this weekend at the San Diego Comicon. To have a look, visit the Dark Horse booth. I know I will… I want to see what they’re doing just as much as you do!!

Here’s the BigPoint press release:

July 2, 2012 !“ San Francisco !“ Bigpoint !“ a global leader in online video games !“ today revealed the official name of its upcoming free-to-play (F2P) fantasy massively multiplayer online role playing game (MMORPG) as Game of Thrones Seven Kingdoms. Bigpoint has partnered with HBOÂ® to develop the game inspired by the network’s critically acclaimed television show, Game of ThronesÂ®, adapted from the bestselling fantasy book series, A Song of Ice and Fire, written by George R.R. Martin. Game of Thrones Seven Kingdoms will be set within the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros, giving players the chance to experience epic moments from the television series. At the upcoming San Diego Comic-Con, July 12-15, Bigpoint will release a new exclusive video trailer for Game of Thrones Seven Kingdoms.

!œSelecting a game’s title can be quite an arduous process, especially in the free-to-play space where games must be easily discoverable by players around the world,! said Max Pfaff, Producer, Bigpoint. !œBy selecting Game of Thrones Seven Kingdoms we’re confident that we’ve chosen an identifiable name that will resonate with the global community of diehard Thrones fans.!

In context of the lore, the Seven Kingdoms were originally independent countries which rose up over thousands of years until the Targaryens ruled over them as one nation of Westeros. Game of Thrones Seven Kingdoms begins after the deaths of King Robert Baratheon and Ned Stark. The Starks of the north declare war on the south and Baratheon’s two brothers both make claims to the throne. Players are challenged to form alliances through Player vs. Player (PvP), Siege combat and politics to control Westeros.

Fans attending San Diego Comic-Con (July 12-15) will also have the opportunity to get a first look at the exclusive new Game of Thrones Seven Kingdoms trailer by Bigpoint which can be viewed at booth 2615 (Dark Horse). The teaser captures the essence of gameplay and visual fidelity that players will get to experience when the game is launched.

Bigpoint is collaborating with Norwegian development studio, Artplant, on the development of the forthcoming Unity-based project. Bigpoint and Artplant have previously partnered on the production of Battlestar Galactica Online, a breakthrough F2P space combat MMO that recently celebrated its first birthday and 10 million registered pilot milestone.

Game of Thrones Seven Kingdoms beta testing is slated to begin later this year. Fans are encouraged to visit: http://www.GameofThronesMMO.com/ for more information and to follow the latest Twitter updates @GOTMMO.

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Tags: conventions, game of thrones, hbo, videogame

Wolf Sanctuary Gifts

July 10, 2012 at 10:58 am

Thanks to everyone who donated to the Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary. We had an extremely successful donation drive, and the generosity of my fans is humbling. Thank you all very much.

However, because we were so successful, my overworked assistants are struggling to get all of the gifts shipped out. All of the Dance with Dragons have been shipped, but not all of the Captain of the Guard chapbooks have. Please be patient. They’re being processed as fast as possible.

Again, thank you for helping this worthy cause.

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Home Again…

July 9, 2012 at 9:32 am

… for two whole days.

Had a great week teaching at Clarion West. A very talented group of young(ish) writers. You’ll be hearing from some of them in the next few years, I suspect. Assuming they want it badly enough. Persistance and hunger and a certain amount of luck are required to make it in the writing game, as well as talent. Anyway, I have left them to the not-so-tender mercies of Connie Willis, SFWA’s newest Grand Mis… er, Master.

Now I get to be home for those TWO WHOLE DAYS and catch up on a thousand emails.

On Wednesday, I am off to San Diego for Comicon. I go direct from there to Spain. Don’t expect a lot of posts here for the next month.

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Tags: convention, the writing life, travels, writing

Off to Seattle…

June 30, 2012 at 2:02 pm

… to teach at Clarion West.

But there’s a reading and signing at Town Hall as well, sponsored by the University Bookstore. Check with them for details, Seattle-ites.

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Tags: appearances, signings, teaching

Weeklong Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary Charity Drive

June 29, 2012 at 10:55 pm

ENDING SOON!!!

Our supply of DANCE WITH DRAGONS is sold out, but there are still copies of the CAPTAIN OF GUARDS chapbook available for a $10 donation to the wolves.

==================================================================

I’ve always been fond of wolves… direwolves in Westeros, and real wolves in the real world.

Wolves have faced a tough road for the last century or so. US wolf populations hit critical lows during the twentieth century, and finding a way for humans to co-exist with this majestic creatures is an important part of the conservation movement. Here in my home state of New Mexico, we have the Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary (http://www.wildspiritwolfsanctuary.org/index.php) doing important work in protecting the animals and in educating their two legged neighbors on how to get along. It’s work I strongly support, with both my words and my checkbook.

I invite you to join me over the next week. In conjunction with Wild Spirit, I’m sponsoring a charity drive to raise funds for the shelter. For the next week, we’ll be offering a pair of items from my personal library to people making donations. You can find the books being offered and the donation amounts here: http://www.wildspiritwolfsanctuary.org/georgemartin_bookfund.php

For a donation of $100 to the Wild Spirit Sanctuary, I will send you a first edition hardcover of A DANCE WITH DRAGONS, autographed… autographed and personally inscribed (upon request). For the most part I have been forced to stop doing personal inscriptions at my bookstore signings, con appearances, and the like… the crowds have simply gotten too large… so this is a rare chance for those who’d like to have a book personalizations. But the offer is limited to forty (40) copies, first come, first served. So if you want one, click on the link and make that donation NOW.

Dance with Dragons

For those who can’t afford a hundred bucks, or arrive at the party too late after the forty copies are gone, we have another offering — a special promotional chapbook featuring the “Captain of the Guards” chapter from A FEAST FOR CROWS. This was prepared by Bantam as a promotional item for the BEA (Book Expo America) and was given away to attendees at that event, but copies were never sold in any bookstore, so it’s a pretty cool collectible for the fans who have everything, and a $10 donation to the sanctuary will snag you a copy. I will be glad to sign these items as well — but, alas, only a straight signature, no personalization or inscription.

Captain of the Guards

So $10 will get you a signed CAPTAIN OF THE GUARDS, and $100 will get you a signed and inscribed DANCE WITH DRAGONS. But don’t do it for the books. Do it because the world would be a much worse place without this face in it.

Ally the happy wolf

THIS DRIVE WILL END ON SATURDAY AT MIDNIGHT. So if you would like to make a donation and give some wolves a hand, act now. Do it for House Stark. If we raise enough money, maybe I’ll let some Starks live a little longer…

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Tags: charity, dance with dragons, signed books

Yadda Yadda Yadda

June 26, 2012 at 11:09 pm

For those of you out there who have not yet gotten your fill of hearing me talk as yet, there are a couple of new interviews up on the net that you might want to check out.

From my visit to the UK in April, an interview with British television personality and journalist Grace Dent (beware, there are some BIG SPOILERS in this one).

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((The interview was actually much longer than that. They added some spiff visuals and clips of the show, but trimmed some of the Q and especially the A… and also said some rather extravagant stuff about yours truly that made my modesty klaxon go off as I watched it. Still, a fun interview. At least for me)).

And for the popular webcast Sword & Laser, here I am again, just last week:

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The Sword & Laser episode also contains an episode with the fellow who wrote the book about philosophy in GAME OF THRONES, a discussion of Guy Gavriel Kay’s novel TIGANA, and some other cool stuff. And check out their excellent interview with James S.A. Corey from a couple of episodes back as well.

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Tags: interviews

Monkeys on My Back

June 23, 2012 at 2:57 pm

This is for those who complain I never blog about my work. (I do, but not often. I prefer to announce when something is finally done, rather just endless reiterations of “I am working on X, I am working on Z,” and I am never going to be one of those “I wrote three pages today” writers. Sorry, that’s not how I roll).

One little monkey off my back:

THE LANDS OF ICE AND FIRE — also known as “the map book” — is now DONE AND DELIVERED, and scheduled for publication at year’s end.

Monkeys remaining on my back? Lots o’ them:

THE WINDS OF WINTER. Also known as “Son of Kong.” Working on it. Lots to do.

THE WORLD OF ICE AND FIRE. The concordance. Elio and Linda are my partners on this one, a compendium of the history and legends of the world of Westeros. A coffee table book, lots of gorgeous art from such talents as Ted Nasmith, Justin Sweet, and others. Making good progress on this one of late, lots of great historical stuff that I think my readers will enjoy. Never before revealed details of Aegon’s Conquest, the War With the Faith, The Dance of the Dragons, the Paramours of Aegon the Unworthy, etc.

Poul Anderson story. An original short story for the Poul Anderson tribute anthology. Way, way overdue, but I am getting to it.

Dunk & Egg #4, An original novella of Dunk & Egg. Working on it. Hope to have it done by worldcon. It’s scheduled to be published in

DANGEROUS WOMEN. A huge crossgenre anthology that Gardner Dozois and I are doing for Tor. Largely complete, except for Dunk & Egg. Well, we’re waiting for three rewrites, but my own story will likely be the last one in, then we can move this one to “done and delivered.”

LOWBALL. Volume twenty-two in the Wild Cards series. Working on that one with Melinda Snodgrass, my co-editor. Late, but almost done, a few last sections remain to be completed.

OLD MARS. Original anthology for Bantam, coedited with Gardner Dozois. Three-quarters done, a few stories still due in, three or four rewrites in progress. Not due quite yet.

OLD VENUS. The sequel to Old Mars. Well back in the pipeline, not due for a year.

ROGUES. Big crossgenre anthology I am doing with Gardner Dozois. One story already in, several in progress, but there’s lots of time on this one too.

So there we are…

No more monkeys, please. Don’t write to me with any tempting offers or cool new projects. I am practicing saying No.

No, no, no, no, no. Sorry, can’t, pass, no way, count me out, too busy, no, no, no, thanks but no thanks, no thanks, no thanks.

I love my monkeys, but I have enough.

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Tags: anthologies, the winds of winter, writing

Janet Aulisio

June 22, 2012 at 11:27 am

Anyone out there in the wide world of the internet have current contact information for the artist Janet Aulisio, who illustrated the Meisha Merlin edition of TUF VOYAGING?

My publisher has been trying to get in touch with her, but all our contact info seems to be outdated. We have a Minneapolis address, plus a phone number (land line) that no one ever answers.

Any info later than 2003 would be welcome. Thanks.

THANKS, EVERYONE.

I got a lot of emails with helpful suggestions, and we have tracked down Janet and put her in touch with Bantam. Appreciate all the help.

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Tags: meisha merlin

Westeros Attack Ads

June 20, 2012 at 12:47 pm

From MOTHER JONES.

These are great.

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Tags: game of thrones, humor

Dancing With LOCUS

June 18, 2012 at 12:14 am

I’m very pleased to announce that A DANCE WITH DRAGONS has won the LOCUS Award as the Best Fantasy Novel of 2011. I wasn’t able to attend the awards banquet myself, but Ty flew out (he was also nominated, for LEVIATHAN WAKES in the SF category) and accepted on my behalf. Presumably he will even bring me back the award, if I can pry it out of his fingers.

For a full list of this year’s finalists and winners, go to the LOCUS website at:
http://www.locusmag.com/News/2012/06/locus-awards-2012-winners/

LOCUS, founded by the late great Charles Brown, is the trade magazine of science fiction and fantasy, and has been the bible for me and a lot of other professional writers for decades. Their annual awards poll draws more votes than the Hugo and Nebula Awards combined.

A DANCE WITH DRAGONS is the fifth volume in A SONG OF ICE & FIRE to be nominated as the year’s best fantasy by the readers of LOCUS, and the fourth to win. What can I say? Those LOCUS readers have really good taste.

Thanks to the good folks at LOCUS, and to everyone who voted, whether it was for me or for one of my excellent fellow nominees.

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Tags: a dance with dragons, awards, locus awards

Not a Blog

Massively Multiplayer Tease

Wolf Sanctuary Gifts

Home Again…

Off to Seattle…

Weeklong Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary Charity Drive

Yadda Yadda Yadda

Monkeys on My Back

Janet Aulisio

Westeros Attack Ads

Dancing With LOCUS

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