【Kurt Meinicke】

UPDATE 10 PM ET: Martin has clarified that he was only too busy to catch up while on Kurt Meinicketour in the UK, where he wasn't watching any TV. In an email to EWhe explained that he's just behind on Season 7 at the moment. Some of us know all about that, George.

At a certain point every summer it feels like everyone in the world is watching Game of Thrones, but there is one notable exception. Original author of A Song of Ice and Fire George R.R. Martin was heavily involved in the early seasons of HBO adapting his book series, but he hasn't written an episode since Season 4 -- and he's even had to take a break from watching the show.

Metroreported that Martin no longer has time to keep up with Season 7 because of travel, speaking engagements and, you know, writing the next book.

“The book series and TV adaptation go their separate ways," Martin said. “On the screen characters are killed right and left. About twenty of them have died already, which are quite alive to me and will appear in a new book.”

Martin later clarified that he does watch the show in general, but he hasn't been watching any TV while touring, not even Game of Thrones.

So, any updates on The Winds of Winter, George?

"I did not start to write slower over the years," Martin told Metro. “I was working on the first book for six year and four years on the second one. Fantasists who release their novels every year, do not offer books of large volume. These are not 1.5k pages like mine, but, for example, 500. In addition, I have not become younger. Age does not add enthusiasm.”

Luckily, his fans are as enthusiastic as ever.

(Editor: {typename type="name"/})