Plush Toy Of Author George RR Martin Set To Appear At San Diego Comic-Con

George RR Martin will make an appearance after all at this week's San Diego Comic-Con -- as a plush toy. The author of popular book series “A Song of Ice and Fire,” on which the hit HBO show “Game of Thrones” is based, previously announced that he would not attend the event in person so he could focus on finishing “The Winds of Winter,” the sixth installment of his book series.

But on Friday, Martin took to Twitter to tease the appearance of his little plush buddy at Comic-Com. He posted a photo of himself and the toy and captioned the shot: “How cute am I? @factoryent #SDCC #booth2647.” (The hashtag #SDCC refers to the Comic-Con event, which will take place July 9 to 12 at the San Diego Convention Center.)

Martin attended previous editions of Comic-Con and other similar conventions around the world. He, along with various cast members and production crew for “Game of Thrones,” have been giving interviews and exclusive insights about the show. This year more than ever, fans of the books and the TV series are hungry for new information about the story and the fate of their favorite characters.

When Season 5 of the HBO series concluded, the show's storyline had pretty much caught up with events in the books. With filming for Season 6 scheduled to begin this month, pressure has been mounting on Martin to complete the sixth novel. Fans of the books have become accustomed to knowing the intricacies of the books’ storyline ahead of TV show viewers. But for the first time in the show’s five seasons, book readers are on the same ground as those who only watch the show -- meaning both camps know nothing about what will happen next.

Of course, various fan theories have emerged -- including numerous resurrection scenarios for the well-loved character of Jon Snow (played by Kit Harington), who died in the Season 5 finale.

“Game of Thrones” Season 6 is set to begin filming this month. Various casting calls have been made in several European locations. Season 6 is expected to air in spring 2016 but no release date has been confirmed for “The Winds of Winter.”