Leader of the Pack

George R.R. Martin asked his fans to help raise $150,000 for a pair of charities — Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary and the Food Depot of Santa Fe, New Mexico – by making online donations through Prizeo. Within one day over $250,000 was pledged, in part because every donation is also an entry in a sweepstakes to spend a day with the Game of Thrones author. George makes it sound irresistible:

How would you like to visit Santa Fe, spend a day with me, see my collection of toy knights and medieval miniatures, sample some green chile and carne adovada, then take a helicopter down to Candy Kitchen, New Mexico and the Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary to meet the Westeros pack?

Well, now’s your chance.

…Win the grand prize, and we’ll fly you in from wherever you may be in the world for the day described above. 

There are many other premiums and prizes available for various levels of donations.

One man and one woman have already claimed the top-level “Martyr” premiums. For their $20,000 donations they’ll get to die horribly in Winds of Winter.

You can still get George’s “well-worn Greek fisherman’s cap” for a $7,500 donation, have breakfast with him at the Worldcon or Comicon for $15,000, or earn T-shirts, signed maps, books, or a signed script for lesser amounts.

The fundraiser continues through August 4.

Here’s the promotional video showing George with the Westeros pack.