“I was definitely apprehensive before the interview,” Hedgecock said. “My feelings were a mix of nervous energy and anticipation. I felt pressure to make sure I provided a good first impression.”
After arriving and meeting with both Martin and Brennert, the group moved upstairs to a conference room on the second floor of the theater. “I asked Diane to take some posed pictures. One of which was with the two men seated in front of their latest books. Then, spontaneously, George looked at Alan and joked: ‘My book is bigger than your book.’ We all laughed and I knew I was going to enjoy the duration of the interview.”
While in New Mexico, Hedgecock and photographer, Diane Walsh, drove to Ramah, about two and a half hours from Albuquerque to visit the Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary, which currently houses several wolves with connections to George R.R. Martin: a pure Arctic wolf named Flurry who makes frequent appearances at Jean Cocteau Cinema; and six, pure white, high-content wolves, known as the Westeros pack (their only relationship to the Game of Thrones show are their names).
Martin’s involvement in Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary (WSWS) came about because––while these furry beasts figure prominently in some of his novels––Martin’s fan group, Brotherhood Without Banners honored his wife, Parris McBride-Martin, with a holiday present.
Looking back, Hedgecock reflected on her experience. “As a person, I was deeply honored and humbled that he agreed to take time to meet with me. As a writer, it felt like I had presented me with a giant birthday cake. I was about to interview not one, but two accomplished authors.”
For Martin, Hedgecock wanted to make sure she captured the human side of the successful author. “He does lots of interviews about GOT but I wanted to write something that revealed his philanthropic side. So when I did my research and learned that he had bankrolled the reopening of an old cinema and sponsored the rescue of wolves and wolf-dogs, I focused my interview questions there.”
In addition to the interview, Jill Hedgecock also learned that her book “Rhino in the Room” was the recipient of the 2018 Fifth Annual New Apple Book Awards for Excellence in Independent Publishing, a well-deserved recognition for a local author who can only be described as a powerhouse in her field.
Read Hedgecock’s interview with George R.R. Martin and Alan Brennert in the March issue of Books ’N Pieces Magazine
To learn more about and the Westeros wolf pack and how to contribute to WSWS visit: https://wildspiritwolfsanctuary.org/westeros-pack.
