No plans to split 'Winds of Winter' in two

George RR Martin has confirmed that he doesn’t have plans at the moment to split his upcoming book “Winds of Winter” into two for faster release. The author added that he is working on two “Fire and Blood” novels scheduled to be released this year.

Martin had previously said that he hopes “A Song of Ice and Fire” will be completed as seven books according to plan. Some readers saw this as a hint that the voluminous next book in the series may be split into two, taking the total number to eight. The last book is tentatively titled “A Dream of Spring.”

Replying to a comment on his blog, Martin made it clear that as of now, there are no plans to increase the number of books in “A Song of Ice and Fire.” Fans had asked if there is a “secret” eighth book, but the author joked that if such existed, it would be news to him.

When asked if there are releases this year that have something to do with the world of "Game of Thrones," Martin pointed to “Fire and Blood” as the one that is planned. The book will be launched in two volumes, and it is about the history of the Targaryen family.

Martin’s comments suggest that there are no plans to release “Winds of Winter” this year, which will come as a big disappointment for fans hoping to read the book before the final season of “Game of Thrones” in 2019.

However, it may still be possible to have the book by the end of the year if the author manages to submit the manuscript to the publishers. Martin has said that he will announce the work's completion on his official blog, which will give fans an idea of when to expect the book.