When I am writing best, I really am lost in my world. I lose track of the outside world. I have a difficult time balancing between my real world and the artificial world.

There is a savage beast in every man, and when you hand that man a sword or spear and send him forth to war, the beast stirs.

For the night is dark and full of terrors.

What would a Frey know of honor? - Sir Davos Seaworth

A Lannister always pays his debts.

There’s an old writing rule that says ‘Don’t have two character names start with the same letter’, but I knew at the beginning that I was going to have more than 26 characters, so I was in trouble there. Ultimately it comes down to what sounds right. And I struggle with that, finding the right name for a character. If I can’t find the right name I don’t know who the character is and I can’t proceed.

Eat your heart out, Rowling. Maybe you have billions of dollars and my Hugo, but you don't have readers like these.