George R.R. Martin Won't Return To GAME OF THRONES For Season 6

We knew that A Song of Ice and Fire author George R.R. Martin wouldn't write an episode of the current fifth season of HBO's Game of Thrones, but now Entertainment Weekly says that the author won't contribute an episode to the upcoming sixth season either, instead devoting more of his time to finishing The Winds of Winter, the next book in the popular series.

We've already written about how Martin is skipping his normal San Diego Comic-Con appearance this year in order to focus on completing his book, which he hopes to have published before Season 6 of Game of Thrones begins airing, which, if it lives up to historical precedent, will be next April. I just finished reading A Storm of Swords, the third book in the series, and it's one of the best books I've ever read. SO MANY of the series' biggest moments take place in that particular book, and I'm eager to continue reading in the hopes of catching up before next season begins. Martin has really been hunkering down lately to finish The Winds of Winter, and as the show continues to stray ever farther from the books, fans are hoping the author finishes quickly so they can consume the next chapter of his awesome fantasy saga.

“Maybe I’m being overly optimistic about how quickly I can finish,” the author told EW. “But I canceled two convention appearances, I’m turning down a lot more interviews—anything I can do to clear my decks and get this done.”