---QUOTES from George R.R. Martin • “In real life, the hardest aspect of the battle between good and evil is determining which is which.”   • “I have an instinctual distrust of conventional happy endings.” This week's guest on REPORT FROM SANTA FE is George R.R. Martin, award-winning author of fantasy, horror, and science fiction prose, as well as a screenwriter and television producer. He is best known for “A Song of Ice and Fire,” his international best selling series of epic fantasy novels that HBO adapted for their dramatic series GAME OF THRONES. Martin serves as the series' co-executive producer, while also scripting one of each season's 10 episodes.

Martin was Selected by Time Magazine as one of the "2011 Time 100," a list of the "one hundred most influential people in the world." 

Martin discusses his writing process, his journalism background, his purchase of Santa Fe's beloved Jean Cocteau Theater, and the impact living in New Mexico has had on his craft. He describes the special relationship he has with his fans, and how HBO's “Game of Thrones” has expanded his fame and world exposure. GRRM, as Martin is sometimes called, looks back at his long career as an author and remarks, “It took 40 years of hard work to become an overnight success!” One of the best known authors in the world, Martin had previously earned international fame and a vast and dedicated fan base, which has exploded over the past few years due to the passionate followers of HBO's GAME OF THRONES. *****GAME OF THRONES was the most pirated series in the world for the second year in a row, with over 5.9 million people watching pirated versions – more than actually paid to watch it.  Part of this pirating could be attributed to the nature of the international release of the series, as episodes were staggered around the world, and fans refused to wait to see it. “A Song of Fire and Ice,” the series of 7 novels - of which 5 have been published (“Game of Thrones, The Clash of Kings, A Storm of Swords, A Feast of Crows and A Dance with Dragons”) - has sold over 20 million copies and has been translated into over 40 languages. Martin is also an editor and last year produced 2 anthologies “Dangerous Women” and “Old Mars.” He has received the World Fantasy Award for Lifetime Achievement, and many Hugo, Nebula, Locus Poll and other awards.