Last week, the big news in the world of popular fantasy authors whose books have been turned into nudity-filled premium cable shows was that George R.R. Martin, whose A Song of Ice and Fire series was turned into the HBO phenomenon Game of Thrones, would not finish his next book before the new season debuts in April. The rub there is that now the show will be ahead of the books in some places, and could theoretically spoil the source material. It was a whole thing.
And now it has led to this week’s big news in the world of popular fantasy authors whose books have been turned into nudity-filled premium cable shows: At a recent panel at the 2016 TCAs, Diana Gabaldon, author of the Outlander books that have become the Starz series of the same name, chimed in on Martin’s missed deadline. And while she did make it clear that she admired Martin and recognized that every writer’s process is different, I am going to ignore that and insert Funkmaster Flex bomb sounds between all her quotes, like the two authors are beefing rappers, mostly because I just really want to do it. We all have a part to play.
“Unlike George, I write no matter where I am or what else I’m doing.”
“I’ve always written in every spare minute I’ve had, when I had two full time jobs and three small children, so I’ve kept that work ethic, so to speak.”
“He likes to travel and he can’t write when he travels. I write when I travel so, no.”
“I know [my publishers] can actually get it from the manuscript to bookstores in about 5 weeks – because they do.”
“Eventually we get down to my deadline, which is when the book is talking to me so strongly I’m not doing anything else.”
It’s getting real out here in these fantasy streets. Now we just have to wait for Martin to reply in a diss track on his next mixtape. “Haters keep hatin’, but they’re really just admirin’. I rule this whole genre from my throne made of iron.” That one’s free, George. My gift to you.
