Martin Adds Dire Wolf Pups Amid Book Delay

George R.R. Martin has described the 13-year delay of his highly anticipated novel, The Winds of Winter, as 'the curse of my life,' expressing both his own and fans' frustration over its unfinished status. Martin continues to make intermittent progress but is frequently diverted by commitments to HBO Game of Thrones spin-offs, other writing projects including video games and TV series, and personal ventures such as his bookstore and theater. He insists these side projects do not consume as much of his time as fans believe and reiterates his active engagement in writing the novel. Recently, Martin's involvement with de-extincted dire wolf pups, reminiscent of creatures in his books, has led to renewed fan jokes about the prolonged delay. Although he acknowledges readers' impatience, he only offers a 'tiny glimmer of hope,' saying the book is progressing but slower than desired. No definitive release date for The Winds of Winter has been announced.