George R.R. Martin looks exactly how you'd imagine a fantasy author to look. What he lacks in mystery in that respect he makes up for in many other ways; at present, he has millions of readers and viewers across the globe on tenterhooks, eagerly awaiting the closely-held surprise twists that will appear in his forthcoming A Song Of Ice And Fire books, and the Game Of Thrones TV adaptations of such. Considered one of Time magazine's most influential people in the world and referred to as the American Tolkien, all eyes are on Martin. Game Of Thrones has a huge fan base, and a dedicated one - even the author himself will demure to his more obsessive followers when he's looking for information about his characters and the world of Westeros. They know it better than he does. There's plenty they don't know, though. Whilst the writer is a pop culture obsessive himself, and regularly attends conventions where he hobnobs with his fans, but he's quite a private author. He divulges just as much as he wants, through a blog - on LiveJournal, no less - which he has maintained for years. Fans are all too aware of the vagaries of those who sit on the Iron Throne, but what about the man behind it? Thankfully he doesn't have all that in common with the murderous likes of the Lannisters, in either violent or political predilections. Here are twenty mind-blowing facts you never knew about George R.R. Martin.
Tom Baker is the Comics Editor at WhatCulture! He's heard all the Doctor Who jokes, but not many about Randall and Hopkirk. He also blogs at http://communibearsilostate.wordpress.com/
