One of the hardest parts of writing is writing from the gut or the heart or something like that rather than intellectually.

The common people pray for rain, healthy children and a summer that never ends. It is no matter to them if the high lords play their game of thrones, so long as they are left in peace.

A hound will die for you, but never lie to you. And he'll look you straight in the face.

Some battles are won with swords and spears, others with quills and ravens.

Those are brave men," he told Ser Balon in admiration. "Let's go kill them.

Ruling is hard. This was maybe my answer to Tolkien, whom, as much as I admire him, I do quibble with. Lord of the Rings had a very medieval philosophy: that if the king was a good man, the land would prosper. We look at real history and it's not that simple... Real-life kings had real-life problems to deal with... My people who are trying to rule don't have an easy time of it. Just having good intentions doesn't make you a wise king.

...the man who passes the sentence should swing the sword." "...a ruler who hides behind paid executioners soon forgets what death is.