'The Winds of Winter' Release Date News Update: R.R. Martin Does Not Want to be Tied Down to Schedule

"The Winds of Winter," the much-awaited sixth novel in "A Song of Ice and Fire" series, is unlikely to get published before 2016, with acclaimed author George R. R. Martin expressing no commitment on when he will finish his ongoing project.

Martin's novels are the bases for the highly popular and critically-acclaimed "Game of Thrones" TV series on HBO.

On the question on when he will finish writing his sixth novel, Martin wrote on his blog: "When it's done, I will say that it's done, on whatever day I happen to finish."

He said his publishers should not announce a schedule for the release of the book.

As Season 5 of "Game of Thrones" will premiere on April 12, by the end of said season, the whole 5 books of the series would have already been covered. This is basically why everyone seems to be "pushing" R. R. Martin to complete Book 6 and release it, since the TV series would have overtaken the books and Season 6 will then have to be based on something that has never been published.

Moreover, Book 6 is not the end of it since there is a seventh and final book of the series titled "A Dream of Spring." It will become the most awaited book as soon as "Winds of Winter" finally gets published.

Apart from the "Winds of Winter" release date, what is being hotly discussed online is the predictions on what will happen to the characters in the book. A letter from R. R. Martin was rumored to have leaked that the upcoming novel will focus on five main characters.

R. R. Martin posted an excerpt from "The Winds of Winter" in his website. It features Arya Starkas Mercedene or Mercy, a mummer at a playhouse called "the Gate" in Braavos. The excerpt begins with Mercy preparing for a performance and interacting with her co-workers and ends with Arya getting all bloodied up and smiling.