GRRM ~ Interviews ~ Podcast

MP3

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http://worldfantasy2008.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=315521
http://awoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/A_Song_of_Ice_and_Fire#_note-8

Chats, Interviews, Etc

http://www.westeros.org/Citadel/SSM/Category/C93/

"I would offer you my sword, but I seem to have mislaid it."

The "Kingslayer" was bound and on his knees in the Whispering Wood.

A mob of men followed him up the slope, dirty and dented and grinning, with Theon and the Greatjon at their head. Between them they dragged Ser Jaime Lannister. They threw him down in front of her horse. "The Kingslayer," Hal announced, unnecessarily.

Lannister raised his head. "Lady Stark," he said from his knees. Blood ran down one cheek from a gash across his scalp, but the pale light of dawn had put the glint of gold back in his hair. "I would offer you my sword, but I seem to have mislaid it."

AGoT, Catelyn X

—Lady Stark —dijo Lannister de rodillas alzando la cabeza. La sangre que manaba de un corte en el cuero cabelludo le corría por la mejilla, pero la escasa luz del amanecer volvía a dar un matiz dorado a su pelo—. Os ofrecería mi espada, pero la he extraviado.

JdT, Catelyn X

"No one can fault Lannister on his courage," Glover said. "When he saw that he was lost, he rallied his retainers and fought his way up the valley, hoping to reach Lord Robb and cut him down. And almost did."

"He mislaid his sword in Eddard Karstark's neck, after he took Torrhen's hand off and split Daryn Hornwood's skull open," Robb said. "All the time he was shouting for me. If they hadn't tried to stop him-"

AGoT, Catelyn X

—Nadie podrá decir que a Lannister le falta valor —dijo Glover—. Cuando vio que la derrota era inminente, se adelantó a todos sus hombres y trató de llegar hasta Robb para matarlo. Estuvo a punto de conseguirlo.
—«Extravió» su espada en el cuello de Eddard Karstark —dijo Robb—, después de cortarle la mano a Torrhen y abrirle el cráneo a Daryn Hornwood. Todo eso sin dejar de llamarme a gritos. Si no hubieran intentado detenerlo...

JdT, Catelyn X

grrm.livejournal.com ~ The Big Six-Oh

¡Hoy es el cumpleaños de GRRM!
Leer comentario en su livejournal: The Big Six-Oh

The Big Six-Oh

• Sep. 20th, 2008 at 3:16 PM

Yes, it's true. I was born on September 20, 1948. Which means that today I reach the big six-oh. I know, I know, sixty is the new forty. Somehow it still feels like the old sixty. Dare I eat a peach?

"It beats the alternative," I hear people saying. People always say that when one complains about aging and its indignities. These people lack imagination, I say. Clearly they can't be science fiction and fantasy fans. The only way getting old beats the alternative is if the alternative is dying... but after a lifetime of reading SF, I yearn for other alternatives, like eternal youth and health.

Inside, at least, I don't feel all that different than I did at twenty-five. Yesterday I was a young turk, today I seem to have become a grey eminence. That has its good points, of course. But so did being twenty-five.

Ah, well. I shouldn't complain. It's been an interesting ride so far, and I am hoping to continue for another sixty years at least. I've got my health, I'm financially secure, I love my work, I have more readers than I ever dreamed of having, I have great friends both old and new... and of course I have Parris. (I love you, honey). I'm a lucky guy. Hell, the Giants even won the Superbowl.

And now that I'm sixty, I am legally entitled to be a Cranky Old Phart. I've buying myself a cane to shake at people, and learning how to growl, "Hey, you kids, get out of my yard!"

• Mood: cranky

Retrieved from "http://grrm.livejournal.com/52757.html"

grrm.livejournal.com ~ rain, rain go away

rain, rain go away

• Aug. 25th, 2008 at 2:15 PM

It rained in Santa Fe yesterday afternoon. At least on the north side of town.

"Rain" is a bit of an understatement, though. The water fell in blinding sheets, alternating with hail. Hailstones piled up on the ground like styrofoam peanuts, forming ankle-deep white drifts. The streets turned into rivers, and lakes formed in some of the intersections. We had cars stalling out on Alameda when they tried to drive through waters that came halfway up their tires.

And of course our roofs sprung leaks. Minor leaks in the main house with its new pitched roofs, where the violence of the storm forced water in through vents and such. Major leaks in the office house, which is partially torn down as my new book tower is constructed, and has an old flat roof over the parts not torn down. The hole that will eventually be my basement is now a swimming pool. And the worse leak of all, of course, was in back closet where some valuable books and comics were being stormed. Half of my remainining stock of the now out-of-print Guardians of Order GAME OF THRONE rpg suffered water damage, to a greater or lesser degree. We caught it early enough to rescue the rest of the stock, thankfully, but some of the books are still ruined, and the carpet in that room is soggy and already beginning to molder and will need to be ripped up.

A real mess.

I blame Parris. For years now she's been teaching her Irish godchildren to chant, "Rain, rain go away, go and rain on Santa Fe." The gods must have been listening.

• Location: drying out in Santa Fe
• Mood: morose
• Music: A Hard Rain's A Goin' to Fall

Retrieved from "http://grrm.livejournal.com/50193.html"

grrm.livejournal.com ~ Obama

Obama

• Aug. 29th, 2008 at 1:52 PM

Amazing speech last night.

I've been following politics since 1960, and watching the conventions every time they come around. I've seen a lot of dull speeches, some good ones, a handful of great ones. Obama's acceptance speech ranks right up there with the best.

Maybe our eight-year-long national nightmare is finally near its end.

• Mood: impressed
• Music: Happy Days Are Here Again

Retrieved from "http://grrm.livejournal.com/50891.html"

The Ice Dragon - GRRM interview - You Tube

¿Captáis la diferencia?

-¡Nadie amenaza a Su Alteza ante la Guardia Real!
-No estoy amenazando al rey, ser. Estoy educando a mi sobrino. Bronn, Timett, la próxima vez que Ser Boros abra la boca lo matáis. Eso sí que era una amenaza. ¿Captáis la diferencia?

Choque de Reyes, capítulo 32, SANSA III

Rock of Gibraltar model for Casterly Rock.

If you're in Spain and would like to get a book signed, hear me talk, hear me read, ask me a few questions, turn up at one of these events. I'll be glad to meet you. I especially recommend Semana Negra, the amazing pop culture festival in Gijon, which will feature lots of other exciting guests from the worlds of mystery, comics, SF, fantasy, thrillers, from all over the world, and a carnival to boot. Parris and I had a wonderful time the last time we attended, eating dinner at midnight and drinking sangria in the booth of the red chicken.

I also hope to make it down south to visit the Rock of Gibraltar (my model for Casterly Rock) and the Alhambra, but so far no public events are scheduled for that portion of the tour. If that changes, new events will be adding on my appearances page.

May. 29th, 2008 at 12:27 AM
Retrieved from "http://grrm.livejournal.com/44684.html

See also "http://towerofthehand.com/blog/2008/05/29_viaja_a_espana/index.html"

Gibraltar Barbary Macaques

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gibraltar_Barbary_Macaques"

A Barbary Macaque sitting on a railing. The Rock of Gibraltar can be seen in the background.

The Barbary Macaque population in Gibraltar is the last in the whole of the European continent, which, unlike that of North Africa, is thriving. At present there are some 230 animals in five troops occupying the area of the Upper Rock, though occasional forays into the town may result in damages to personal property. As they are a tailless species, they are also known locally as Barbary Apes or Rock Apes despite the fact that they are monkeys (Macaca sylvanus). Forming a double paradox, locals simply refer to them as monos (Spanish: monkeys) when conversing in Spanish or Llanito (the local vernacular).

The Barbary Macaque is considered Gibraltar's unofficial national animal.

This young Barbary Macaque will form part of a group of 25 to 70 individuals, an assemblage of several Gibraltar monkey families.

The Barbary Macaques are considered by many to be the top tourist attraction in Gibraltar. The most popular troop is that of Queen's Gate at The Apes' Den, where people can get especially close to the monkeys. They will often approach and sometimes climb onto people as they are used to human interaction. Nevertheless, they are still wild animals and will bite if frightened or annoyed.[3]

The Barbary Macaques' contact with large numbers of tourists was causing the integrity of their social groups to break down, as they began to become dependent on humans. This induced the monkeys' urge to foray into the town, resulting in damages to personal property such as buildings, clothing and vehicles. For this reason, feeding the macaques in Gibraltar is now an offence punishable by law. Anyone caught feeding the monkeys will incur a penalty fine of up to £500.[4]

The monkeys are currently managed by the Gibraltar Ornithological and Natural History Society (GONHS) and veterinarian expertise is provided by the Gibraltar Veterinary Clinic (GVC). The macaques receive a daily supply of fresh water and vegetables, fruit and seeds as supplement to natural food resources (leaves, olives, roots, seeds and flowers). The animals are caught on a regular basis in order to check their health status. Additionally, body size, weight and several other measures are taken. Finally, the animals are given a tattoo number and a micro chip as a means of identification. But tattoos are not the only way to recognise animals. Barbary macaques quite often show particular marks, scars or spots which can be used as distinguishing features. All monkeys are photographed and the pictures together with individual characteristics catalogued. Cataloguing work is carried out by the GONHS, and there are collaborative studies also with the Scientific Institute of Rabat-Agdal University (Morocco), University of Notre Dame (Indiana, USA), the University of Vienna (Austria), the German Primate Centre (Germany) and the University of Zurich (Switzerland).

Once every year, a census is conducted in order to actualise data and monitor reproductive success of the whole population. These demographic data are important for the management of the population generally, but also when it comes to the point of fertility regulation in selected individuals. Since Barbary macaque females reproduce well, the population on Gibraltar is steadily increasing, which in turn puts pressure on the limited habitat. Population control is therefore an essential part of the effective management of the Gibraltar monkey population.[5]

ASoIaF ~Covert-art ~ Wikipedia

US covers for the first five books of "A Song of Ice and Fire"

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Song_of_Ice_and_Fire"