A butterfly effect indeed ;

If HBO hadn't come along I am pretty sure we'd have gotten Winds of Winter by now. But let's be honest, if HBO hadn't come along most of us wouldn't even know about it. There must be but a few who are invested in this song since 1996 though by now most of us love this world, in both mediums.

Martin doesn't owe us anything, least of all an explanation.

Writing is difficult
but is it supposed to be hard?

There will always be a Spring to dream about.

There are more worlds out there.