'Game Of Thrones' Author George R.R. Martin Talks About 'Winds Of Winter' Release Date, Reveals Pressure

Bestselling author George R.R. Martin recently admitted that he feels the pressure to release his novel “Winds of Winter.” The book is the sixth installment of “A Song of Ice and Fire,” the book series that serves as the basis for the popular HBO show “Game of Thrones.” In an interview while visiting the New York Jets training camp on Wednesday, Martin spoke about the pressure to nail down a release date.

During a visit to NFL team’s camp, Martin sat down for a quick interview with “Game of Thrones” fan and Jets player D’Brickashaw Ferguson. When the subject came up about the release of “Winds of Winter,” Martin reportedly admitted that the pressure has become “overwhelming” and “challenging.”

The “Game of Thrones” creator has gone to great lengths to show fans that he is focusing on finishing the book. He has skipped writing for the last season of the TV show as well as the coming season. He also skipped several other public appearances and conventions.

“I can write one script per season if I choose to, and I did for the first four seasons, I scripted one episode every season. So the last two seasons I have not done that, simply because I am too busy with the book,” he said. He also explained that while fans are growing impatient, it does not escape him that the full responsibility lies on his shoulders alone.

“There are a lot of people working on the TV show, a lot of very talented people. But I am the only one that can do the books,” he said. “Winds of Winter” is highly anticipated due to the fact that the TV series has now gone through most of the material that’s already in the first five volumes of “A Song of Ice and Fire.”

Season 6 of the HBO series is already in production and this is the first time that book readers and TV viewers are all on the same footing. Basically, everyone knows nothing.

Before flying to the East Coast to attend a wedding and a “Game of Thrones”-themed baseball event, Martin had to assure his fans that he isn’t slacking on getting the book out ASAP. In his live journal Not A Blog, he told fans that people are continuing to work hard on the book even during his absence.

No definite release date has been announced for “Winds of Winter,” but the Season 6 of “Game of Thrones” is expected to air in spring 2016.