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George R. R. Martin
‘Game of Thrones’ author George R.R. Martin reveals depression battle
Brendan MorrowUSA TODAY
Aug. 4, 2026, 12:29 p.m. ET
George R.R. Martin is getting candid about his “stressful” year
The author, whose “A Song of Ice and Fire” fantasy novels were adapted into HBO’s “Game of Thrones” and its multiple spinoffs, shared an update with readers on his blog Aug. 3 after more than five months of inactivity
“This year has been … stressful, to say the least,” Martin wrote. “So much has been happening, it’s been overwhelming. Some great things, exciting things. Dreams coming true. But there have been nightmares too. I have lost friends. Battled sadness and depression. The worst may be yet to come.”
He continued, “I turned seventy-seven last September, and I tell you, getting old is no fun. But there have been amazing times as well. I suppose that’s just life. Of course, I knew that. If you’ve read my stories, you know that.”
Martin devoted the rest of the short blog post to celebrating the nine Emmy nominations for “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms,” the “Game of Thrones” prequel series based on his “Tales of Dunk and Egg” novellas. He serves as an executive producer on the show, which is competing for outstanding drama series
Prior to the new post, fans had noticed Martin’s absence from his blog, which he has regularly used over the years to share updates with readers. In one of his most recent blog posts in February prior to the hiatus, Martin shared that he “lost some close friends during the last few months, along with artists, writers, and other celebrities whose work meant a lot to us, even if we did not know them personally.”
Martin’s comments come amid the wait for “The Winds of Winter,” the long-delayed next novel in his “A Song of Ice and Fire” series. Martin has missed numerous deadlines for the book’s publication, including two in 2015, leading the “Game of Thrones” TV series to run out of material to adapt for its final seasons. The most recent book in the mainline series, “A Dance with Dragons,” was published in 2011
In recent years, Martin has emphasized that he is still working on the book, as fans grow increasingly impatient about the delay. During an appearance at New York Comic Con in 2025, Martin addressed the fact that “there’s all this controversy about ‘Winds of Winter’ and how late it is” but noted he has “always had trouble with deadlines,” adding, “I don’t feel happy breaching contracts or missing a deadline or anything like that.”
In January, Martin told The Hollywood Reporter he believes he “could finish ‘The Winds of Winter’ pretty soon” if he were able to get his other commitments and writing projects “off my back.” Martin has said he also hopes to write more stories about Dunk and Egg, the main characters of “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms,” and a follow-up book to “Fire & Blood,” the book upon which “House of the Dragon” is based
“It’s been made clear to me that Winds is the priority, but … I don’t know,” Martin told the Reporter. “Sometimes I’m not in the mood for that.”
Martin’s new post made no mention of “House of the Dragon,” which is nearing the end of its third season. The author has had a difficult relationship with the HBO show: In 2024, he penned a scathing blog entry slamming changes the series has made to his from Season 3 that he was unhappy about. Martin later deleted the blog
