Not a Blog

Stolen Scripts

August 13, 2011 at 1:34 pm
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Parris and I have always been big supporters of the various charities, both fannish and mundane, that raise funds through auctions at SF and fantasy conventions. It’s a great way to raise money for worthy causes, have a little fun, and get some unique items into the hands of collectors. In fact, I just finished shipping off five huge boxes of books, games, t-shirts, and other collectables to our hotel in Reno, to donate to the various charity auctions at worldcon.

(Some items will go to SFWA Emergency Medical Fund auction, some to the BWB fund-raising drive to pay for their party, some to the worldcon’s own charity).

Unfortunately, there are a couple items that won’t be auctioned at worldcon. We had hoped to bring a couple of signed scripts from the first season of the HBO series GAME OF THRONES with us, and the good folks in Belfast were kind enough to donate them. Dan Weiss sent them across the pond (registered and priority, signature required).

All that arrived was a battered envelope and Dan’s cover letter.

The US post office delivered the envelope in a plastic baggie with a pre-printed note apologizing for the “damage.” But this was no error in handling. The envelope was torn open at one end, and both scripts were gone, though Dan’s letter remained.

I am convinced the scripts were stolen.

Last year we donated a signed STAR TREK script to a charity auction and it brought $1200. These two scripts may not have gone for quite that much, but they would have brought home some significant bucks. Someone in the US Post Office (we believe the package made it across from Belfast relatively unscathed) recognized their value and removed them.

So… I am putting out the word to all my fans and readers. Whoever sold these scripts will presumably try to cash in at some point. So if any of you ever see scripts fitting this description turn up on ebay, one of its competitors, or on some dealer’s table — notify me at once, and report the stolen property to whatever local authorities are appropriate.

Here’s what was taken: two teleplays, final shooting scripts for episodes nine and ten of season one, “Baelor” and “Fire and Blood,” autographed by writers David Benioff and D.B. Weiss and director Alan Taylor, printed on white paper.

Like Bloodraven, I have a thousand eyes and one. So let’s keep ’em all peeled, boys and girls.

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A Lighter Shade of Pale

August 9, 2011 at 4:14 pm
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Thrice nominated, once victorious. A double threat. He wrote the script for his own wedding. Has struggled against the Spider’s sort, taken on Santa, caught a tiger by his tail. Never reads the same book twice. Last seen dancing home.

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Across the Atlantic Sea

August 8, 2011 at 7:55 pm
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From England, England hails this fellow, an ideal choice. He’s been a madman, a nut, a spud, a martian, a king, and a slaver, he’s gone up with a balloon and down with a ship. But why he is so sad when he’s stroked so many women?

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Best New Show!

August 7, 2011 at 4:11 pm
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And this year it’s… drum roll, please… GAME OF THRONES.

GOT just took the “Outstanding New Program” award at the 2011 TCA awards, voted by the members of the Television Critics of America, an organization of professional television critics, reviewers, and journalists.

Here’s the scoop:

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/friday-night-lights-game-thrones-220054

Goes without saying that we’re all jazzed.

Thanks to all the members of the TCA for the recognition, and to Dan and David and the rest of their team, whose efforts produced a series we can all be proud of.

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Hot New Casting Hints

August 6, 2011 at 3:28 pm
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Down under he was the voice of wisdom.

Later on he was the voice of everyone.

Now he’s wisdom.

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Coming to Comicon

July 19, 2011 at 4:19 pm
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I’m off to San Diego tomorrow morning, for comicon.

Tickets have been sold out for months, alas. But for you lucky 150,000 who will be lucky enough to get in, here’s my current schedule of signings, panels, and other public events.

THURSDAY, JULY 21

10:00 am – 12 noon Daniel Abraham and I will be signing copies of the FEVRE DREAM graphic novel at the Avatar booth (#2701),

12 noon – 1:00 pm EPIC FANTASY panel, rm 6A

1:30pm – 2:30 pm The panelists from Epic Fantasy will be signing in autograph area AA1

3:00pm – 4:00 pm The GAME OF THRONES panel, an hour long discussion of the HB0 series with showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss and actors Lena Headey (Cersei), Peter Dinklage (Tyrion), Emilia Clarke (Daenerys), Jason Momoa (Khal Drogo), Kit Harington (Jon Snow), Nicolaj Coster-Waldau (Jaime). I’ll be moderating.

4:30pm – 5:45pm The GAME OF THRONES cast and I will be signing posters at the Warner Brothers booth #4545.

FRIDAY JULY 22

10:00 am – 11:00 am I will be signing copies of the DOORWAYS graphic novel at the IDW
booth (#2643)

3:00 pm – 5:00 pm John Picacio and I will be signing copies of the 2012 Ice & Fire calendar in the autograph area, AA 21 I will also be signing A DANCE WITH DRAGONS and my other Ice & Fire books during this appearance.

SATURDAY JULY 23

1:00 pm – 3:00 pm I will be signing A DANCE WITH DRAGONS, the other Ice & Fire books, and anything else you care to bring in the autograph area, AA 18.

5:00pm – 6:00 pm Tor Books will be giving away complimentary copies of INSIDE STRAIGHT at their booth, and I’ll be on hand to sign them, along with Melinda Snodgrass, Daniel Abraham, Carrie Vaughn, and other members of the Wild Cards crew. We’ll also be glad to deface FORT FREAK and any other Wild Cards books you care to present to us.

SUNDAY JULY 24

10:30 am – 11:30 am WILD CARDS panel. Half a dozen of your favorite Wild Cards writers will assemble to talk about the past, present, and future of the long-running shared world series in the field.

12:00 noon – 1:00 pm The Wild Card panelists will adjourn to AA1 to sign your books.

Later that afternoon, I will heading over to Mysterious Galaxy for my signing there, but that’s offsite, and not an official part of the SDCC schedule.

A couple of notes about the signings:
1) as on my tour, I will be autographing your books, but I won’t be able to inscribe or personalize them (unless by some chance you catch me at a slow time when there’s no line),
2) many of these signings are keyed to particular books and projects. At Avatar, I’ll be signing FEVRE DREAM, at IDW it will be DOORWAYS, for Tor WILD CARDS. The place to get your DANCE WITH DRAGONS signed is at the big general signings on Friday and Saturday. We’ve scheduled me for four hours of signing between those two days… so please, respect my other publishers and DO NOT ask me to sign your Ice & Fire books at the booth signings. Those are meant to promote my other projects.

[[AFTER THE CUT IS NSFW. ]]

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Of course, there are certain things I am always willing to sign.

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Who am I?

July 19, 2011 at 11:28 am
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His fate is one that Derek Jacobi has tasted twice.

He knew Indiana Jones, has hung with droids and jedi, thrice contended for a Larry, winning once. He’s been a knight (often), an archbishop (twice), a dean, a priest, a doctor.

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The Maid of Tarth

July 7, 2011 at 10:29 pm
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I see you guys are just as sharp as ever. The long layoff between first and second season casting hasn’t made you rusty. Once again, you nailed my obscure hints within minutes.

Well, okay, I did fool a few of you. For a couple minutes, anyway. But others correctly puzzled out the casting. The part of Brienne, Maid of Tarth, will be played by British actress GWENDOLINE CHRISTIE.

This was another one of those cases where there was hardly any debate. The day the first batch of auditions went up for the role, we looked at a dozen actresses who were reading for Brienne and one actress who WAS Brienne. Gwendoline gave a great reading, and her look was just perfect. No, when she auditioned, she did not look she does in the photo above. She came in looking… well, like Brienne.

As for my clues… Christie played in a music video called DAMARIS, which includes a song about Isabelle, the She-Wolf of France (wife of King Edward II, for the history nerds out there), and played in Shakespeare’s CYMBELINE at the Barbican theatre. She also posed for Australian photographed Polly Borland for a show called “Bunny.”

She also appears in the recent IMAGINARIUM OF DOCTOR PARNASSAS, though I did not use that one in my clues.

Gwendoline will be a great Brienne. It’s a thrill to have her join the cast.

Congratulations to everyone who figured it out… and for those who guessed wrong, well, better luck next time.

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I’m Blue

July 7, 2011 at 5:16 pm
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The she-wolf of France has stormed the barbican. The Aussie turned her into a bunny.

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Working Away

July 5, 2011 at 7:16 pm
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One more monkey down.

Today I delivered the first draft of “Blackwater” to Dan and David. (Finally) A bit overdue, as always. And probably too long and long expensive, as my scripts always are. (I got to write the Battle of the Blackwater. I tried to be good and restrain myself, but you know how things go. Oh, well. I knew the job was dangerous when I took it).

This is television… (no, it’s not TV, it’s HBO)… so there will undoubtedly be many further drafts and revisions. But the first draft is the hard one.

And it’s a good thing it’s done. On Sunday I leave for the first leg of my US book tour.

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