George R.R. Martin Biography

Fast Facts

• Frequently attends numerous science fiction conventions across the country and meets with fans of his work on a regular basis
• Gained international popularity following the release of the fantasy series, A Song of Fire and Ice, which would remain on the New York Times bestseller list for more than a year in the early 90s
• Credits his wild imagination to living poor as a child in tenement housing in New Jersey and having nothing more to play with than his pet turtles who lived in a toy castle which would serve as inspiration for his first stories
• Quote: "There is something old and true in fantasy that speaks to something deep within us, to the child who dreamt that one day he would hunt the forests of the night, and feast beneath the hollow hills, and find a love to last forever․"
• Quote: "[when asked if he would leave any character alive by the end of "A Song of Fire and Ice"] "No one will be alive by the last book․ In fact, they all die in the fifth․ The sixth book will be just a thousand-page description of snow blowing across the graves․""
• After graduating from Northwestern University in 1970 with a journalism degree, he began selling his fictional stories to magazines at the age of 21
• Began a career in television with a revival of the "Twilight Zone" following the commercial failure of his fourth book, The Armageddon Rag
• Conceived the idea for the first Hugo Losers Party, fantasy and science fiction's oldest awards, after losing his first two nominations at the ceremony in 1976
• Is often criticized by fans of his work for taking long periods of time to complete forthcoming installments of each book series
• Obtained conscientious objector status to avoid being drafted in the Vietnam War, which he objected