Last week, Irene and I were in St. Petersburg, Russia for a post-Helsinki Worldcon trip, and on our first night, as we wandered the Nevsky Prospekt, who should we run into but—George R. R. Martin!

Well, not the real George R. R. Martin. Rather, a larger-than-life version in a bookshop window.

He was plastered there because he was scheduled to sign around the corner from our hotel at 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, Agust 17th, as was verified by a sign near the escalators leading to the area where his books were stocked.

I headed upstairs and checked out the science fiction and fantasy section, where I discovered something unusual about George’s books.

All the novels in his A Song of Ice and Fire series were bylined George R. R. Martin, while his other books were bylined without those middle initials. I assume this was deliberate branding on the part of George’s publishers. But still … odd.

I thought it would be hoot to bump into George in Russia, but assumed I wouldn’t get the chance, as my plans called for Irene and me to be touring with a guide on the appointed day at the appointed time. But then, on Thursday, as I was returning late from touring Catherine Palace, we passed the bookshop hosting the signing event, and I discovered that at nearly 6:00 p.m., close to two hours after the signing began, George was still there. So I thought … why not join the line?

At that point there were probably 100-150 visible customers outside the shop. You can see a line break ahead of me which was kept open so we didn’t completely block Nevsky Prospekt.

I made two friends while waiting there, Olga Popov and Johan Alekseev, who were just ahead of me. Luckily, they spoke English, and so were able to let me know which book was the first in the series, because if I was going to get one of George’s Russian books signed, I felt it should be the first one. And since I can’t read Russian, I needed their help.

Once I’d made it upstairs, I could see George signing in the distance, while agent Chris Lotts (seen below with arms folded) stood nearby. This was as close as I was allowed to photograph.

George didn’t notice it was me placing a book before him on the table until I began to speak, saying (to someone I’ve known for 40+ years), “Mr. Martin, I’m so happy you decided to visit my country. I never thought I’d get a chance to meet you.” He laughed, asked what I was doing there, and if I’d be going to the St. Petersburg science fiction convention that weekend. (I was not, but instead heading back to Helsinki.)

And then I was off to the cash register to pay for my book, which now bore a signature that had me feeling better about my own barely legible scrawls.

And that, I thought, was that.

Until yesterday, when I learned from my new friend John (visible leaning toward George) that I’d been captured by the bookstore’s photographers. First, in line …

… and then, eclipsing George first as I shook hands with Chris Lotts …

… and walked away.

And now I’m back home with the only souvenir of my visit to Russia—a copy of A Game of Thrones I’ll never be able to read.

Well, that … and a fun memory … and two new friends.

зима близко!