Multiple conflicting reports from various news sources have only contributed to the confusion in the release date of "Winds of Winter."

Back in April this year, George R. R. Martin has told Entertainment Weekly that he's bent on announcing the "Winds of Winter" release date before the "Game of Thrones" season 6 will air in April next year.

"I wish it was out now," he said. "Maybe I'm being overly optimistic about how quickly I can finish. But I canceled two convention appearances, I'm turning down a lot more interviews-anything I can do to clear my decks and get this done."

That announcement pleased fans because "Game of Thrones" season 6 will have touched on events not yet included in the "A Song of Fire and Ice Series."

But then as with George R. R. Martin, he second-guesses himself and the author would be the first to admit that he writes quite slowly.

George R. R. Martin said there was a point in time when he was worried about the pace of the show and it's impact on the release date of "Winds of Winter."

"They're writing 60-page scripts, I'm writing 1,500-page novels. So who the hell knows?" he said. "I'm just going to tell my story, and they're telling their story and adapting my books, and we shall see."

HBO had just announced, through a teaser showing a bloodied face of Jon Snow, that "Game of Thrones" season 6 would be in April. Coupled with the revelation by two translators in Spain and Poland publishing houses, speculations rose about George R. R. Martin meeting his self-imposed deadline of spring of 2016.

The report of George R. R. Martin promising to give them the drafts of "Winds of Winter" triggered speculations about the novel being released this year or early 2016.

For now, fans would have to wait for George R. R. Martin's official announcement on his blog regarding the release date of "Winds of Winter," as he promised that they would hear from him first instead of the tabloids.