George R.R. Martin releases a chapter of ‘Winds of Winter’

Thanks to George R.R. Martin, a little bit of winter is here.

Martin has released a chapter of “The Winds of Winter,� his hotly anticipated next installment in the Song of Ice and Fire series, known to TV fans as “Game of Thrones.�

Although the first books appeared in two-year installments, the books started being released further apart. Five years passed between “A Storm of Swords� and “A Feast for Crows,� and another six did before “A Dance with Dragons� came out in 2011. He’s so busy now with “The Winds of Winter� that he’s canceled plans to attend the World Fantasy Convention and San Diego’s Comic-Con.

In the past, publication delays have meant Martin has faced the ire of fans who want him to write faster. By releasing a chapter, he’s appeasing the ravenous desire for the next novel. He released another chapter, “Mercy,� in March of last year.

On his blog (called Not a Blog), Martin writes, “Yes, I know, I’d said there would be no more sample chapters, but (1) it had been more than a year since Mercy, (2) lots of you were asking, and (3) Anne Groell and my friends at Bantam twisted my arm.�

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