Martin will kill off fan for $US20,000
Game of Thrones fans know scribe George R R Martin can wield his pen like a executioner's axe.
Now they can pay him to put their head on the chopping block.
The fantasy author is offering readers the chance to appear as a doomed character in an upcoming Song of Ice and Fire novel to raise money for a wolf sanctuary in New Mexico.
For a $US20,000 ($A21,639.17) donation, fans can enter themselves in the draw.
One female character and one male character are up for grabs, and fans can choose their own persona, from "lordling" to "whore".
If successful, the fan's Westeros alter-ego will "certainly meet a grisly death".
Appearing in a video message to explain the contest, Martin says those who pledge to the wolf sanctuary will also automatically be entered in a draw to win a special one-on-one experience.
The winner will get the chance to spend the day with him, share a helicopter ride and have dinner together.
"Along the way we can talk about dragons, dire wolves, Game of Thrones," he explains.
"Anything you wanna talk about."
Martin and his wife have been great supporters of the Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary - home to a group of nine rescued wolves nicknamed the "Westeros pack" - for a number of years.
If the $US20,000 is a bit steep, other prizes on offer include one of Martin's trademark Greek sailor caps ($US7500) or a signed script of the popular TV adaptation's first episode ($US4500).
Martin is currently at work on the sixth instalment of his A Song of Ice and Fire series.
