‘Winds of Winter’ Release Date: Why is 'GoT' Sequel Taking So Long? Author Responds

Game of Thrones, the HBO adaptation of George R. R. Martin's book series A Song of Ice and Fire, has turned into a pop culture sensation since its release, but the latest installment of the story, Winds of Winter, has taken too long to become available and the author keeps making excuses with no release date announced as of yet.

According to The Independent, however, the author has already given his public a broad array of excuses on the subject, some of which are bordering on the offensive to the fans, including how he claims his new role as famous author of an Emmy-winning show drains too much out of him.

Martin has also said he doesn't write anywhere other than his house, so the fact that he's taking this long is partially everyone else's fault for inviting him to places instead of leaving him alone with his art at home where he's "undisturbed."

In another excuse that actually doesn't blame everyone else, Martin has also implied that he's suffering from writer's block, which definitely makes sense as he's now taken nearly five years to write a novel. The previous book, A Dance with Dragons, was released in July 2011 in the U.S.

For months on end, the author behind beloved characters like Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen has been surrounded by rumors regarding the next installment of his book series now that the show has caught up with the written material, and though it's been said that Winds of Winter might come out in the spring ahead of the show's sixth season, 2015 is coming to an end and there's still no sign of the sequel.

For now, the biggest clue regarding the release date of the highly anticipated book broke last September, when fan site Watchers on the Wall revealed that the editor in Spain with the publishing rights for Martin's works had let slip that the manuscript was expected soon for a 2016 release date.