Sci-Fi Royalty George R. R. Martin Visits San Francisco
CA: More than 7,000 fans showed up for you at the recently concluded comic con. Did you ever envision yourself looking out on a sea of adoring fans as you did recently?
GRRM: It’s been pretty incredible. Anyone who’s been to San Diego Comic Con will know it’s a madhouse – there’s nothing like it. 150,000 people under one roof in one day – it’s pretty frightening but such a powerful pool. There were so many people in line during my presentation that 3-4 hours went by and I still wasn’t able to see all of them. So it was pretty surreal when my turn on stage came and there were about 4200 people screaming, pounding their shoes and making those strange squealing sounds as if I was a member of the Beatles which was pretty startling you know – I mean I can see them reacting that way with the actors from the TV series, but that was me they were actually screaming for in there. But I really enjoyed it and I was able to hang out with people I admire like Nathan Fillion – and it was thrilling to say the least to have Amy Poehler and Seth Myers approach me and say they were fans. I also have to add that earning the 100 Most Influential People list from Time Magazine was really one of the highlights of my career.
CA: I like that you take your time writing your books. But now with the current demands of your work schedule – can you still find time to step back and unwind? What is your idea of relaxation?
GRRM: Sunday is my time to relax because it’s all about the NFL. I’m rooting for the NY Jets and Giants and with any luck it’ll be another year of kicking the Raiders’ ass.
CA: How frequently have you visited San Francisco and what are the things you look forward to doing and eating when you’re here?
GRRM: I do visit San Francisco quite often because of the other Sci-fi conventions that are held here but the House of Hunan in San Francisco is a favorite and must-stop whenever I visit the Bay Area. I have traveled here many times and must have been to that place a dozen times, even when it was just a hole in the wall, and saw how over the years they’ve expanded and grown to what they are now, but the food is consistently good and filling and the flavors always satisfy.
Alex Telander’s Conversation with The Man of Westeros
As anyone who has read his books knows – or perhaps in watching just a few episodes of the show – Martin has some very complicated and complex characters in his Song of Ice and Fire series, as well as a very large cast. When asked how he possibly keeps all these characters organized and separate, he admits to not giving one their own drawer or box, but apart from errant pieces of paper with notes jotted down, he keeps everything – impressively – in his head; though he did admit to the saving tool of the “find and replace” option in his word processing program.
J. K. Rowling made it know relatively early on in the series of Harry Potter that she not only knew the ending, but had the last chapter written and sealed in a protective vault somewhere (perhaps guarded by goblins). Martin admits to knowing what the ending will be, at least for each of the characters, but said that A Song of Ice and Fire is just as much about the journey as it is about the eventual conclusion and end.
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