Rumors of an imminent "Winds of Winter" release date have been popping up since author George R.R. Martin has said that he wanted the book out before "Game of Thrones" Season 6, according to IGN.
HBO just confirmed Monday that the next season will air in April, but with still no "Winds of Winter" released, fans are getting worried the book might not be published in time for the series' new season.
Meanwhile, other fans are prompted to take to rumors and guesses when the "Winds of Winter" release date will actually be.
There are currently five of seven books published in Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire" series. "Game of Thrones" Season 6 will be based on "Winds of Winter," and while HBO is keeping up with the schedule, Martin isn't. Fans don't give up easily though.
While Martin admitted earlier this month at a talk at Northwestern University that he's extremely slow at writing, fans are hoping that Martin's recent hint in his personal blog about a "Winds of Winter" release date is true, according to the Christian Post.
The "Game of Thrones" author took to his blog to promote his cameo on Syfy's "Z Nation's" October 30 episode. The cameo showed Martin as a "celebrity zombie" as he is paraded to a collector inside a "celebrity zombie room."
Now, because Martin was seen signing copies of a book named "A Promise of Spring," fans immediately took this as a sign that the "Winds of Winter" release date will come in Spring 2016.
In addition, Five Thirty Eight Life asked Jeff, or known in the online community as "BryndenBFish" (a fan who is one of GRRM's closest observers), whether the "The Winds of Winter" release date could happen before "Game of Thrones" Season 6. Jeff said it is possible.
"BryndenBFish" has reportedly created one of the best analyses of GRRM's pace of writing. His first claim was that "The Winds of Winter" release date would likely come in late 2016 or early 2017.
"While the average turnaround time for a book to go from 'manuscript submission' to 'published and on the shelves' usually ranges from four to six months," Jeff said.
"Random House hustled and published 'A Dance with Dragons' seven weeks after they received the final manuscript," he added.
Martin and his editors' strict confidentiality when it comes to details of "Winds of Winter" has become harder for fans to predict the release date of the book.
According to Jeff, with "Game of Thrones" Season 6 confirmed to premiere on April 24, Martin must submit a book by February 23, in order for publishing to finish before the "GOT" Season 6 premiere.
Check out a "Winds of Winter" spoiler/teaser video below.
