I squeaked like a teenage fangirl

My favorite fantasy series is George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire. It's brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. We got HBO for the summer so I could watch Game of Thrones. I love the show. I think it stays true to the books. I'm reading the first book again as I'm watching the show. It's spot on. Okay, yes, there are a few things that are different, but I don't feel they've changed the story itself.

My husband watched the first few episodes with me. He dared to say: "This is like some medieval version of Gossip Girl." He didn't want to watch any more after that. I squeaked my indignation. All the political maneuvering and aristocratic egos are things which make the series great. I wish I could write such a rich and complex world as Martin. Gossip Girl, my behind!

I was lucky enough to meet Martin four years ago at a convention. I waited in line for a long time to get two books signed. Some guy ahead of me had over two dozen books. Martin didn't looked pleased. I practiced in my head what I would say. When I finally walked up to the table, he smiled and said hello. I said hello back and squeaked like a teenage fangirl. I then lost my voice. So embarrassing! Martin said a few more things, and smiled again, waving at me as I walked away. It was my chance to chat with one of my idols and I caught a case of fangirl spaz.

He did a couple of seminars while he was at the convention. One of them was titled "Heroes & Villains." I remember this one specifically because he kept repeating that he didn't know why he was on the panel. He stated that there are no heroes or villains in his novels, only flawed characters. I loved it. And it suits for A Song of Ice and Fire. There are no good guys or bad guys except those we deem as such in our own heads. Characters grow, they falter, they change, and they die. Martin is brilliant. I can't say that enough.

We also got HBO so I could watch True Blood. I'm counting down the hours. Oh, how I've missed you, Eric Northman.