So here’s the thing. I am a dinosaur, as all my friends will tell you. A man of the 20th century, not the 21st. Yes, I have been using a computer for twenty years now, but while I cruise this interwebby thing with a PC and Windows, I still do all my writing on an old DOS machine running WordStar 4.0, the Duesenberg of word processing software (very old, but unsurpassed). I have my website, which someone else runs for me, and I have this LJ account, the blog that I vainly called my Not A Blog in hopes that might prevent me from blogging.

But that’s it.

I am not on Facebook.

I am not on Twitter.

I will not be on the next new thing to come along, the one that makes Facebook and Twitter as obsolete as GEnie and CompuServe and The Source, those halcyon communities of yore.

Now some of you may think you’ve seen my page on Facebook. Others may swear they’ve read my tweets. Wrong and wrong. ’twas not me. Friends of mine who do these things inform me that there are several Facebook pages with my name on ’em. Some seem to be the work of well intentioned fans, and do nothing but copy my posts from here. Others are the work of trolls, established for purposes of abuse, since Ty keeps a lid of that kind of crap on LJ. A few are rank imposture, I hear, featuring nasty comments by assholes pretending to be me. The same sort of stuff is going on with Twitter, I’m told.

I have neither the time, the energy, or the inclination to get on any of these social media myself. There’s WAY too much on my plate, and keeping up with the Not A Blog and my website are taxing enough. So here’s what I’ve done. I’ve given my friend Elio… better known to the denizens of Westeros as Ran… permission to syndicate my posts and comments on both Facebook and Twitter.

Here’s the URLs:

http://twitter.com/westerosorg

http://www.facebook.com/Westeros

These Westeros sites will post my own stuff, yes… but also a lot of other material about the novels and TV shows. “Our social media sites are, we think, a pretty good place to keep on top of the latest news related to you and your projects,” Elio writes. Just so.

And these are the ONLY social media feeds I’ve authorized. If you want to follow me on Facebook or Twitter, accept no substitutes.

(Well, in English. Let me modify that statement. I have given some of my foreign fan sites permission to translate my posts into other languages, so if you are reading this in Klingon or Dothraki, you’re just fine).

And now we return you to your regularly scheduled programming, and me to Skull Island, where Kong is staggering a little.

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Pictures of HBO’s version of the Iron Throne are all over the internet these days — in publicity stills, in the teasers and trailers, probably as wallpaper. Love it.

I thought some of you might enjoy having a look at the FIRST Iron Throne: the one that Bantam had built as the centerpiece of their booth at the 1996 American Booksellers’ Association (ABA) show in Chicago.

photo copyright Andrew I. Porter

The official publication date of A GAME OF THRONES — first edition, first printing, with its now infamous embossed silver foil cover — was still months in the future when the 1996 ABA was held, but Bantam had hundreds of glossy hardcovers there at the show, and gave them all away to booksellers. Which is why I have always regarded the US edition as the true first of GAME, even though the British edition from Harper Collins had an earlier official pubdate. The American edition actually EXISTED earlier, and I handed out hundreds of them to the schools of piranha… er, retailers… who appeared out of nowhere whenever a new giveaway began.

Signed most of ’em too. Often while sitting in the giant Iron Throne. Which was actually made of wood, for what it’s worth. As the show was winding down, Bantam offered to let me have it, but somehow I didn’t think the airline would accept it as checked baggage.

Besides, the thing was really uncomfortable. That part they got just right.

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Here’s the latest treat from the good folks at HBO.

This one is called “Invitation to Westeros.”

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Just a reminder… for me and Ty as much as for you folks…

With the HBO series scheduled to debut on April 17, a lot of new people may be finding their way here. People who have seen the show, but have never read the books.

With that in mind, I think we have to put a lid on all spoilers in the comments (and for that matter, in my own posts). Yes, I know that GAME OF THRONES was published fifteen years ago… but for those who have not read it, it will be brand new, and I want some of the twists and turns and deaths in the book to come as a surprise to new readers in 2011, just as they did for my original readership in 1996.

I have not been consistent about this in the past, I know, even the very recent past… but from this point on, Ty and I are going to try and be more vigilant. All comments that include even glancing references to deaths, maimings, and major plot twists will henceforth be removed without posting. I respectfully request your understanding and cooperation.

Thanks.

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Will this damned snow ever cease?

Might be, might be. Saw a sliver of sun last night.

(Oh, it’s a gorgeous sunny happy day in Santa Fe. Just not out on Skull Island).

Wrestling with a pair of krakens. One almost subdued, t’other still writhing and twisting and slapping me alongside the head with her tenatcles. After them, I’ve got a wolf to face.

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Meier is really sclupting up a storm for Dark Sword Miniatures. Here’s a peek at his latest green, an awesome Maester Luwin.

Purists should take special note of the maester’s chain about Luwin’s neck. Tom’s is the most accurate visualization of the chain-of-many-metals I have seen to date. This is how I have always pictured these chains, and how I described them in my books. (though I should mention that Pycelle’s chain is much grander, larger, and more ostentatious, him being the GRAND Maester and all).

Next up from Tom and Dark Sword: Young Robert at the Trident. Watch this space. (And Dark Sword’s website).

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I miss football already. Looking forward to the draft. Not looking forward to months of fighting between the owners and players, and maybe a lockout/ strike.

Things are rolling along nicely on the Ice & Fire comic book. Check out the new interview with Daniel Abraham on Suvudu:

http://graphic-novels-manga.suvudu.com/2011/02/interview-daniel-abraham-on-grrm-comics.html

Suvudu also informs me of a new round of Cage Matches, wherein Jon Snow will be one of the contestants. Details here: http://sf-fantasy.suvudu.com/2011/02/cage-match-2011-its-coming.html

I never had the chance to talk about their “Villains” Cage Match (too busy), in which Ser Gregor Clegane emerged victorious over a murderer’s rows of nasties and narsties from screen and page. Congratulations to the Mountain That Rides, and thanks to all of you who voted!

There’s been lots of talk about ebooks and digital publishing swirling around me of late. It’s a brave new world for this old dinosaur. Kindles, Nooks, iPads, iPods, ebooks, PODs, all confusing as hell. But it is something that I am looking into for some of my backlist titles… some of the out of print Wild Cards books might be well received in such formats, I think. So expect news on that front eventually, though maybe not soon. I have this other book I’m writing, you know, and that comes first. I can deal with putting the old wine in new bottles when that’s done.

That being said, y’know, I DO have some stuff available as ebooks and downloads, for all of you who have been asking. Check out my listings on Fictionwise and Electric Story if you would like to sample some of it:

http://www.fictionwise.com/eBooks/GeorgeRRMartineBooks.htm

https://www.electricstory.com/authors/author.aspx?authorid=78

Meanwhile, over in miniature town, the good folks at Dark Sword are rolling out four great new Tom Meier sculpts in their Ice & Fire range: the Reed siblings, Meera and Jojen, and a double of Hodor (HODOR!) with Bran riding on his back. Have a look at the greens.

The new minis should be available soon from the Dark Sword website at http://darkswordminiatures.com/ Along with the rest of the range, of course.

Should also mention that Hugo nominations are now open, for members of the current worldcon (Reno) and the last one (Melbourne). I did not have a novel out last year (some of you might have noticed that), but I am eligible to be nominated in Best Editor/ Short Form for my anthology work with Gardner Dozois, and in the novella category for “The Mystery Knight” from WARRIORS. All the other stories in WARRIORS and SONGS OF LOVE AND DEATH are eligible as well. I hope you will consider some of them when filling out your ballot; I think there was some fine work in both books, worthy of recognition. And let me once again suggest that it is long past time that MICHAEL KOMARCK was nominated as Best Pro Artist. His cover art for Wild Cards has been extraordinary, and he’s done amazing work for other books as well.

Must run now. Kong is calling.

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… is the latest crossgenre anthology from Gardner Dozois and yours truly. This one is called DOWN THESE STRANGE STREETS, and in its pages you’ll find another all star roster of writers, with a mixture of urban fantasy, science fiction, hardboiled mystery, noir, paranormal romance, historicals, and fantasy PI stories.

The lineup includes a Lord John novella from Diana Gabaldon, a SPQR story by John Maddox Roberts, a True Blood story by Charlaine Harris, a Garrett tale from Glen Cook, an Edge story from Melinda Snodgrass, a Gordianus yarn from Steven Saylor, an incredible WWII mystery novella by Bradley Denton, a Joe Lansdale story than can only be described as Gonzo Lovecraft, and wonderful contributions from Carrie Vaughn, Conn Iggulden, Simon R. Green, Laurie R. King, Lisa Tuttle, M.L.N. Hanover, Patricia Briggs,and S.M. Stirling.

The complete table of contents:

– “The Bastard Stepchild” (introduction), by George R.R. Martin
– “Death by Dahlia,” by Charlaine Harris
– “The Bleeding Shadow,” by Joe R. Lansdale
– “Hungry Heart,” by Simon R. Green
– “Styx and Stones,” by Steven Saylor
– “Pain and Suffering,” by S.M. Stirling
– “It’s Still the Same Old Story,” by Carrie Vaughn
– “The Lady Is a Screamer,” by Conn Iggulden
– “Hellbender,”by Laurie R. King
– “Shadow Thieves,” by Glen Cook
– “No Mystery, No Miracle,” by Melinda Snodgrass
– “The Difference Between a Puzzle and a Mystery,” by M.L.N. Hanover
– “The Curious Affair of the Deodand,” by Lisa Tuttle
– “Lord John and the Plague of Zombies,” by Diana Gabaldon
– “Beware the Snake,” by John Maddox Roberts
– “In Red, With Pearls,” by Patricia Briggs
– “The Adakian Eagle,” by Bradley Denton

Look for DOWN THESE STRANGE STREETS at your favorite bookstore this fall.

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For my readers overseas…

The drumbeat for GAME OF THRONES has started on the other side of the pond.

Here’s a Spanish translation of “Inside Game of Thrones” from Canal+, who’ll be televising the series in Spain.

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And for my friends and fans in the UK and Ireland, we have the first trailer from Sky Atlantic:

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Enjoy.

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… but they play them on TV.

Maisie Williams, Isaac Hempstead-Wright, and Sophie Turner were strangers when they were cast, respectively, as Arya, Bran, and Sansa Stark, but the three have since become fast friends, which I think is cool. They even like to hang when they’re not working.

Anyway, Sophie Turner’s mum Sally sent me this picture of their latest get-together, and I wanted to share it with my readers.

The fourth member of the quartet is the newest member of the Turner family — Zunni, the dog who played Lady. Sophie and Sally adopted her after the show wrapped.

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