Author George R.R. Martin
George R.R. Martin, author of the "Song of Ice and Fire" fantasy series that is the basis of the television series "Game of Thrones", pauses during his masterclass at the Neuchatel International Fantastic Film Festival (NIFFF) in Neuchatel July 10, 2014. Reuters/Denis Balibouse

Tired of waiting for an update about the completion and release date of “Winds of Winter,” one fan decided to ask George R. R. Martin about it. The author’s hilarious response has now become a topic of discussion among the fans.

Martin has been asked about the progress of his work so many times now that it has become very funny. The fans have also realised that there is no use pestering the author for an update. The book will be finished when it is finished, but one fan had an interesting idea he shared with the author.

One fan suggested Martin create a “tell all” page that will include details about how long the author expects his series to be, a general outlook of where he is currently in terms of the progress of the book with no specifics about the number of point of view characters or time-line, and most importantly the author need not commit to a release date for “Winds of Winter.”

The response by Martin, posted on Reddit, suggested that the hope of fans stopping with a “tell all” post is too optimistic. The author explained that he has decades of experience with fans asking him about updates. He said there are only two things that can stop the questions; the first is him completing and delivering the book and the next is an asteroid wiping out life on earth.

Martin joked that he has no power over an asteroid striking earth, so he is working on completing and delivering the book to stop the fan questions. The author also added that the day he completes “Winds of Winter” he will be asked about the progress of the final book in “A Song of Ice and Fire” series titled “A Dream of Spring.” Commenting on the post, some fans wondered how likely it is for the asteroid to strike before the author completes the book.