George R.R. Martin has "always had trouble" with deadlines.

The 77-year-old author had been expected to complete his A Song of Ice and Fire book series before the Game of Thrones TV series finished in 2019 but, 14 years after the release of the most recent book in the series, 2011's A Dance with Dragons, fans are still waiting for the last two novels, The Winds of Winter and A Dream of Spring.

And while George didn't offer an update as to when the next book will be released, he did address the "controversy" surrounding its delay at New York Comic Con over the weekend.

At the start of a panel discussion, moderator Joe Hill quipped: "It's best to begin with the question I'm sure most of the people in this room want answered. I know everyone is hoping you can tell us...Can the Giants keep winning?"

But the fantasy author replied: "I know there's all this controversy about Winds of Winter and how late it is, but I've always had trouble with deadlines, and I don't feel happy breaching contracts or missing a deadline or anything like that."

The author noted how Game of Thrones' success led to studios buying up the screen rights to all his past work and admitted it sends the internet "crazy" because many mistakenly believe he's focusing on the wrong things.

He said: "Every time that happens, and I announce it on my website, half the internet goes crazy.

'Why the f*** is George R.R. Martin writing this other thing when he should be writing Winds of Winter? What is he doing?' And I want to say, 'I did it in 1993, guys. Come on! It was lying in my drawer, and they wanted it, so I sold it to them!'

"Yes, I do love Winds of Winter. I'm still interested in it, I'm still working on it, but honestly, I love these other things, too."

And George joked one particular fan concern is likely to come to fruition.

He quipped: "People are speculating that I might die before [finishing the books].

"I'm not going to die until I see the Jets and the Giants in the Subway Super Bowl. I think that means I live forever."

Earlier this year, the author hit out at critical fans who get annoyed "by everything I announce here that is not about Westeros or The Winds of Winter."

In a blog post on his website, he gave a list of some of the most common complaints he hears.

He wrote: "I will never finish Winds. If I do, I will never finish A Dream of Spring. If I do, it won't be any good. I ought to get some other writer to pinch-hit for me... I am going to die soon anyway, because I am so old. I lost all interest in A Song of Ice and Fire decades ago. I don't give a s*** about writing any longer. I just sit around and spend my money."