Poetry Re-issue: I Wrote The End

Since I'm celebrating 10 years of blogging here, I figured I'd re-post my very first blogged poem on its exact 10th anniversary.

I Wrote the End
by
Greg Pincus

I wrote the end of this short verse before I wrote the start.
I wrote the end because I knew the end by heart.
I wrote the ending first since that’s my favorite part.
I wrote the end of this short verse before I wrote the start.


In full disclosure, when I posted this back in February of 2006 the word "verse" was actually "post" as it was a more self-reflexive blog post poem. Both work. (Also, if you check out that original post, you'll note that a friend of mine left a comment in Fib form weeks before I blogged about Fibs. I'd forgotten that!)

It's Poetry Friday (which also didn't exist when I figure posted that poem), and you can see the roundup over at Elizabeth Steinglass' blog. Go check that link out for tons of amazing poetry fun.

And if you want to get all my poems (and only the poems) emailed to you for freeee as they hit the blog, enter your email address in the box below then click subscribe!

Blog Flashback 2 - Oddaptations

Even before Fibs, I was using the blog to play around with things I enjoyed. In the case of Oddaptations, that meant posting odd, twisted, rhyming adaptation/Cliff Notes versions of children's literature classics.

My first Oddaptation post back in March of 2006 contained two (both reposted below).  And if you go to that post and scroll down, you'll see a comment from Jane Yolen (!!!!!!!!!) who also posted one of what she calls Crushed Classics. Yo, people. Jane Yolen commented on my blog!!!! This, again, was one way I knew that blogging in the children's literature space was a good decision :-)

You can see all the Oddaptations to date by clicking here. These posts often get me some of my most interesting email responses (sometimes upset with me, sometimes thrilled) and blog comments. But... they make me happy, and that was the whole point, I tell ya!

GOODNIGHT MOON -- Margaret Wise Brown
Oddaptation by Greg Pincus

That great room is green.
That old lady’s spooky.
That half eaten bowlful of mush is quite ooky.
That Cow on the wall has leapt off of the ground,
And someone named Nobody’s walking around.
All over the room runs a squeaky, small mouse…
So I hope you sleep well in this creepy, weird house.

THE GIVING TREE -- Shel Silverstein
Oddaptation by Greg Pincus

As a young boy, he was sweet and not needy,
But as he grew up, he became super greedy.
The tree shoulda told him to shut his big yap.
But no... that poor tree gave new meaning to “sap.”

Blog Flashback 1 - Fibs!

In kicking off my look back at my 10 years of blogging here, I figure there's no point in burying the story of Fibs. I mean, seriously - a viral blog post (or two, even), me and the blog in the New York Times, and a two book deal with Arthur A. Levine (at his imprint at Scholastic)? Yeah. All that happened back in April of 2006, and that's gonna show up in my memories. So, I am just gonna lead with it.

FIBS!!!!!!

I love those things. 20 syllable poems, following the Fibonacci sequence. Simple in concept but very hard to pull off well, I think. Back in April 2006, though, folks were writing them all around the web and showing off their brilliance (and seriously... people do amazing things with words). An online journal - the fib review - started in 2006 that's still going strong today. A Wikipedia page has sprung up since. And in 2013, my debut novel, The 14 Fibs of Gregory K., featured the poetic form (as plot and poetry). All from a blog post!


People ask me sometimes why I like social media so much. The Fib story is one reason. Not just because of the outcome for me (though hey... I admit to being thrilled by it) but because in that one month, I was able to watch an idea spread around the globe... be expanded upon and reworked and played with... bring communities together (there were Fib threads on actuary chat boards, in musician forums, at gaming sites, Slashdot.org, and even on a board of spanking fetishists)... and slowly ebb but stay firmly placed after the fact.

From a GottaBook perspective, one of the reasons I'd started blogging was to play around with experiments just like Fibs. I got lucky six weeks into my blog's existence. I've never again had the same amount of traffic as I had on April 7, 2006 (or in that month entirely). And that's never been a problem - other events and ideas have still found their audience. And who knows? Some day, something else may spark the same reaction. I certainly hope so! It was a ton of fun and truly a pleasure to be part of. And that is no fib.

My Blog is 10 Years Old Today!

It's true! My very first post here at GottaBook was on February 21, 2006. They grow up so fast, don't they? For the record... that original post is still in the archives. 

Over the next three weeks, I'm going to share 10 memories/things I've learned/highlights/whatever you want to call it from my decade here. I'll also re-run a few old poems, and... I dunno. We'll see!

I'd love to come up with a clever term for this, but "blogrospective" isn't working for me and nothing else is coming to mind. Still, I do hope you'll stick around. A lot has happened here (and because of here), and I can't wait to share some of it with you.

Corrections - a school poem

Corrections
by
Greg Pincus

I wish I could correct my work -
It makes my poor brain ache.
See, I used my pink eraser...
And that was my mistake!


One of the things I love about Poetry Friday (and hey... you can see a roundup of today's posts over at Mainely Write) is that from time to time, you can throw things out there and find out if they make sense to anyone but yourself. This is one of those times for me :-)

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Happy Cybils Day!

Congratulations to the 2015 Cybils winners!



As always, the list of winners sounds fantastic and includes books I gotta get my hands on. As a former Cybils judge, I know how much work and care goes into the process, so I also tip my hat to everyone who judged in either round.

I hope you'll check out the list.

Oh, and happy Valentine's Day. Apparently that's today, too....

Fine Advice

I've often been asked by kids about what they should do with their writing (or by parents of kids asking what their kids should do with their writing). Jane Friedman's blog post today gives some great advice, and since I suspect some of you get asked this question, too (or are asking it yourselves!), it was worth passing on.

It's also great advice for any of us contemplating our own writing, frankly!

Things I Resolve To Do This Year - a New Year's resolutions poem

Things I Resolve To Do This Year
by
Greg Pincus

Write lots.
Read tons.
Exercise.

Give back.
Show love.
Compromise.

Question.
Challenge.
Stick to facts.

Practice
Random
Kindness acts.

Speak up.
Fear less.
Boldly leap.

Work hard.
Be good.
Get more sleep.


Happy New Year, first of all! And that the year begins with Poetry Friday has to be a good omen, I figure. You can see the first Roundup of the year over at A Year of Reading... and look forward to 51 more before 2016 comes to a close (extra day and all!).

I wish you all a year full of peace, joy, good health... and the perfect number of desserts.

And if you want to get all my new poems (and only the poems) emailed to you for freeee as they hit the blog, enter your email address in the box below then click subscribe!

The SCBWI Book Launch Party!

Wanna join in a huge old book party? Sure you do, because books!

The SCBWI has put together a Book Launch Party where well over 400 books/authors are celebrating launches (of books out in 2015). There's information galore, videos, personal messages, and tons of giveaways, too. You can like the pages, click around, buy the books, and... well... celebrate kids' books in general.

Come meet me over there - I'll be the guy looking for cake!

Thankful - a Poetry Re-Issue

Seems like the right day to dust this off for the first time in seven years....

THANKFUL
by
Greg Pincus

You ask me what I'm thankful for....
I hope I don't sound jerky,
But I'm really, truly thankful that I wasn't born a turkey!


I'm also thankful for all of you who are part of my life (virtual, in person, wherever/however it might be.). I wish you and yours a day of peace, joy, and dessert!

If you want to get all my new poems (and only the poems) emailed to you for freeee as they hit the blog, enter your email address in the box below then click subscribe!

Peanuts and Me

A few weeks ago, the "Peanutize yourself" meme zipped through Facebook - a way for you to turn your photo into a Peanuts character from the upcoming animated movie. I peanutized myself more literally in response.

But what I didn't discuss at the time is that, well, it wouldn't be a stretch to say that I read because of the Peanuts gang. I read the books. I re-read the books. I knew the characters intimately. I learned about interpersonal relationships, empathy, sports, Sopwith Camels, and the simple joys of suppertime.

Sure, I read other things like, I dunno, Dr. Seuss (longtime readers of the blog must be shocked by this revelation!). Yet when I think of childhood reading, it's always Peanuts first.

What's amazing to me is that here decades later, some people still debate the value of comics and graphic novels. Luckily for me, my mom and dad were not among the doubters.

A few of my Peanuts books, still on my shelf.

The Shared Lament of Students and Teachers on the Passing of Time - a back to school poem

The Shared Lament of Students and Teachers on the Passing of Time
by
Greg Pincus

It's the end of summer.
Bummer.


(For those of you for whom this sentiment and/or the season do not apply, my apologies.)

It's Poetry Friday, even as the summer dwindles away, and you can find this week's roundup of posts over at My Juicy Little Universe (where Heidi, too, has a poetic commentary about summer and school).


And if you want to get all my new poems (and only the poems) emailed to you for freeee as they hit the blog, enter your email address in the box below then click subscribe!

Popping Off About Comics and Reading Level

Yes, indeed I am talking comics, reading level, and what's "appropriate." But I'm not doing it here. No! I'm over at the Darby Pop blog, Beyond the Cover.

Go on, check it out - Ka-Boom!

Happy Anniversary, #kidlitchat!

If you're around tonight at 9PM Eastern/6 PM Pacific, I hope you'll swing on by Twitter and say "hello!" at #kidlitchat. We're celebrating our sixth (!!!!!) anniversary tonight, ya see....

When Bonnie Adamson and I first started the chat, I assure you we had no idea we'd still be going six years later. In fact, I don't think we really had a clue if we'd be still be chatting six weeks later! But here we are, and we're hoping you'll stop on by.

#kidlitchat happens every Tuesday, by the way (at 9 PM Eastern, etc.), so if you can't make it this week... another time. Who knows? We may still be going six years from now....

Consult with Me in LA at the SCBWI Summer Conference

For the second year in a row, I'll be offering social media consultations at the big old SCBWI Summer Conference. If you're attending the event (and it's a great event), you can add me on just like you would a manuscript consultation. Last year, I filled up... but as of now, you can still sign up (until July 20th) as long as you're registered. (If you already registered, by the way, you'll need to call the SCBWI office to add a consultation. They'll be open again on the 6th, waiting to hear from you. If you're a new registrant, you just click and ad any consultations you want.)

You can read all sorts of details about the consults courtesy of Lee Wind's posting at the SCBWI blog.  The short version is that the consult is designed to help you use your time online efficiently and effectively (and without stress, if possible). If you have unlimited time in your life, don't sign up. But if time, money, energy, and frustration levels are limited... this could be for you!

(In any case, by the way, if you're at the Conference, please say 'hi'!)

Happy National Donut Day! (a poem re-issue enclosed)

It's once again National Donut Day and Poetry Friday at the same time. That means it's time to dust off a poem (originally published back in 2009 and re-issued before, I know. But DOUGHNUTS!)

Doughnuts! Oh, Doughnuts!
by
Greg Pincus

Doughnuts! Oh, doughnuts! Fried circles of yum.
You food that I simply adore.
You’re sure not nutritious, but you’re so delicious
I’m always left wishing for more.

I love you with frosting or covered in sprinkles.
I swoon for you, sweet, sugar raised!
When you’re filled with jelly, you warm up my belly...
While still leaving room for a glazed.

I’ll dip you in coffee or dunk you in milk.
I’ll eat you for breakfast or brunch.
I get so impassioned for simple old-fashioned
That sometimes I make them my lunch.

Doughnuts! Oh, doughnuts! Definers of yum.
You perfect fried circles of dough.
Although you’re caloric, you leave me euphoric...
So give me a dozen to go!


Now it's time to go fill up on something else delicious - the Poetry Friday roundup (as hosted this week on Buffy's Blog (and featuring a lot of original odes among many other fabulous things)).

(By the way, you can find this poem and 53 others in my collection The Late Bird, available on Kindle (and all the free Kindle apps, too) and Nook. I so rarely mention The Late Bird... but there ya go! It goes well with doughnuts, ya see....)

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Trailer! Bookreels! Award Nomination! Stuff!

Well, if I had timbers, I think they'd be shivered with my surprise at finding the 14 Fibs of Gregory K. book trailer nominated for the Best Children's Bookreel award over at Bookreels. The winners are announced next week (and competition is tough, at least to my eye).

I am, as many of you know, quite partial to the trailer and the song in it. And no, it's not just cuz I'm a "Gregory K." too and thus now have a song. Nope. It's just that I think Andrew did a great job capturing the book in song form.

Anyway, you should watch all the nominated trailers if you have any interest in book trailers as there are some really fabulous ones nominated. (There's more at Bookreels, too, beyond the nominees, including a whole Children's section and a Young Adult section, too.

And while I'd love you to go watch my trailer over at Bookreels so that it seems super popular, I'm gonna post it right here because, darn it, it makes me happy!

Three End of the School Year (or Summer Vacation) Poems

Happy Poetry Friday... and happy "school is almost over!!!!"

I figured it was the right time of year to link to the three end-of-the-school-year type of poems I've written and posted here. And just for fun... I'm including the first couple lines or so of each. Just click on the titles to see the whole poems.

(And if you're already done for the year or not dealing with school anymore, well, just try to enjoy 'em anyway, I say to you. And don't gloat!)

Hello, Summer!

Goodbye, classroom!
Goodbye, Teach!
You can find me at the beach...
Or in the park or at the pool
Or any place that isn’t school.


Counting Down (Always)

Counting down
Time goes slow...
Six long days of school to go.


It's June (And I Am Still In School)

I’ll tell you something most uncool –
It’s June… and I am still in school.


Not enough poetry? Too much? The wrong poems? Why not go check out the Poetry Friday roundup this week, hosted over at Reflections on the Teche.

And  if you want to get all my poems emailed to you for freeee as they hit the blog, enter your email address in the box below then click subscribe!

Me and Sasquatch (No Fib!)

I'm honored, excited, pleased, and many other adjectives to learn that The 14 Fibs of Gregory K. is a nominee for the 2015-16 Sasquatch Award, courtesy of the Washington Library Media Association!

Being recognized by librarians totally rocks... and to find myself alongside these other authors and their books? Flattering beyond words. I mean seriously... check these out (image of the covers put together by Librarian Arika (on whose blog I first saw the news)):

Yes, honored indeed. And to know that kids will be exploring our books (in order to vote for a winner) is rather incredible gravy. Because really, at the end of the day, I think I can speak for all the authors and librarians involved in this or any similar award: kids + stories = win!

Seven Incredible Things a Poem Can Do! (The Third One Blew Me Away!)

Seven Incredible Things a Poem Can Do!

(The Third One Blew Me Away!)

by

Greg Pincus

A poem can tickle your senses.

A poem can capture a scene.

A poem can fill you with sorrow and joy

And every emotion between.

A poem can hammer out justice.

A poem can plant a truth's seed.

A poem can conjure up healing and hope.

A poem can be what you need.

Is there still a place for a poem in a world full of widely shared, attention grabbing content? Of course there is, particularly with the right title! Seriously, though, poetry was widely shared and attention grabbing for thousands of years before "meme" was even coined, and it's still going strong.

National Poetry Month is coming to a close today, but poetry goes on and on and does soooo many incredible things all the time. So celebrate poetry always. Share it widely. Because sometimes, a poem can be exactly what you need.

If you want to get all my poems emailed to you for freeee as they hit the blog, enter your email address in the box below then click subscribe:

I've Bean Too Quiet....

I've been a little quiet here on the blog this poetry month, but if you've run into me elsewhere, you have likely heard me talking about S&W Premium Beans fantastic poetry book giveaway.

Yes, you can win 17 autographed poetry books (including my novel with poetry, The 14 Fibs of Gregory K., as well as books by Nikki Grimes and Linda Sue Park and Lee Wardlaw and and and!!!!!). How can you have a chance at winning 'em?

Submit a bean poem by the end of the month for a chance! It's that easy!

Details are at their Facebook page. It's Super&Welcome that a big company is pushing poetry, don't you think? I do!

Walk On - a walking poem

Walk On
by
Greg Pincus

When thumbtacks are strewn on the paths we must tread,
When sharp, jagged rocks are behind and ahead,
When we have to walk miles on freezing, slick snow,
When puddles of liquid hide dangers below,
When we cross hot pavement or scorching, red coals...
These are the times that will try all our soles.


And you're thinking "he really went there in National Poetry Month and on Poetry Friday?" And, well, yes... he did! If you're still craving more, the good news is that you can see what else is out there, too, if you head on over to No Water River to see this week's Poetry Friday roundup. There's great stuff posted there (including Renee's description of what Poetry Friday is and how to be a part of it).

And if you want to get all my poems emailed to you for freeee as they hit the blog, enter your email address in the box below then click subscribe:

Come Say "Hi!" at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books!

If you're in Los Angeles on Saturday the 18th, I hope you'll come say "hi" to me at the LA Times Festival of Books.

I'll be signing copies of The 14 Fibs of Gregory K. at the SCBWI booth (that's booth 834) from 12-2. I'll have a few copies available for sale, cash only, or you can bring your own copy OR you can just stop by and say hi because, well, because "hi!!!"

As if that's not enough, you can come see me earlier on Saturday at the Darby Pop booth (booth 066) where I'll also be signing, but in this case, I'll be signing copies of Indestructible... a comic book whose main character happens to be named Greg Pincus. Honest! The creator of the book and some of the amazing artists will be there, too (all weekend, actually), so please check 'em out.

The LATFOB, as it's lovingly known, is a great place to spend some time. There are soooo many amazing children's literature folk will be there that I know I'll be spending all afternoon chatting (and buying, too). I hope to see you there!

Clothes Don't Make the Poet...

But they DO make a good post, I tell ya!

Last week, Tabatha was nice enough to feature some of my poetry over at Author Amok (which you should be and maybe are reading already, of course, so if you already saw the post, forgive me). It's a post that features a few of my clothing-related poems and much more (and is part of a larger feature on clothing/poetry that you should be checking out (as per my prior parenthetical)). I hope you'll check it out....

National. Poetry. Month!

Ahhh, April! You come in with Foolishness and sustain us with poetry all month long.

This year here at Gottabook... well... there is no master plan for celebrating the month. I have put a pin in 30 Poets/30 Days for now, though it may very well be back in 2016. And this year, unlike when I began here in 2006, I'm not posting an original poem a day, either. There will be poetry love here during the month, no doubt, but there's not an ongoing thang.

Luckily, throughout the kidlitosphere, many others are celebrating in big, clear ways, so I'm going to send you to this great list of fun goings-on compiled by Jama at Jama's Alphabet Soup.

I look forward to seeing you here, there, and everywhere during April (and beyond)!

The Drought of March - a poetry poem

The Drought of March
by
Greg Pincus

There isn't a doubt:
It's a poetry drought.

My wordplay is weak.
My images - bleak.
My pacing feels weary,
My word choices dreary.
My assonance? Blah.
And consonance? Ha!
My rhyme's a disgrace.
My meter's a bit inconsistent.
My similes whiff.
And zeugmas? As if!
My output's pathetic.
I'm just not poetic.

Oh! April's sweet showers
Please rebirth the powers
That March has neglected
(This one verse excepted).


I think I should dedicate today's poem to Ms. Harris, my 11th grade English teacher who made all her students memorize the first 18 lines of the prologue to The Canterbury Tales.  In Middle English. To be recited. Yes, in Middle English.

Many years later, the first four lines still rattle around in my head... and somehow, someway gave birth to this poem's title and close. I hereby apologize for thinking that this bit of memorization would never pay dividends.

Now, while I might be in a drought, there's been no such dry spell online. Don't believe me? Well, check out this week's Poetry Friday roundup over at Reading to the Core. Believe me now? I thought so.

And if you want to get all my poems emailed to you for freeee as they hit the blog, enter your email address in the box below then click subscribe:

Thanks, Cybils!

Sure, I've been doing this nine years, but I still find it surprising and flattering to be a featured blogger anywhere... and even more so when it's at the Cybils' site.

I love the Cybils, have been part of them in a few different ways (a judge the very first year, in fact!), and look forward to watching the award continue to gain the prestige it deserves. I hope you'll go check out my interview there (thanks, Melissa!) and then poke around the site. There's features on other great kidlit bloggers, amazing lists of books, and much more.

Plus you'll get to see a picture of me with a llama. 'Nuff said.

That Was Then.... - a language poem/a stressed out poem

That Was Then...
by
Greg Pincus

I worried and tutted. My muscles contracted.
I stressed and was anxious.  My nerves felt compacted.
I got quite upset, and it didn't make sense....
I'm present right now but back then was past tense.


Would you believe that today marks 9 full years of blogging here at Gottabook? Yep. My first post was February 21st, 2006, so this is the end of year nine. Where does the time go???? Thanks to all of you who frequent these parts. Blogging wouldn't be much fun without you!

I can truly think of no better way to celebrate my blogoversary  than by jumping into Poetry Friday, a community event that keeps me happy week after week. Go check out the roundup of this week's Poetry Friday posts over at Teacherdance and you'll see why.

And if you want to get all my poems emailed to you for freeee as they hit the blog, enter your email address in the box below then click subscribe:

Hate the Villanelle!

Probably the first poetry song I've ever posted here, courtesy of They Might Be Giants.

Me! A Podcast! And Alley Cats Strike!

Did you know that there is a podcast called the DCOM Podcast, all about the Disney Channel Original Movies (specifically the ones that hosts Eve and Matt remember and are now re-watching and analyzing)? Well, it's true! Why am I mentioning this, you ask?

It just so happens that I wrote the movie Alley Cats Strike for the Disney Channel, and I had a great conversation with Eve about it. It's now available and worth a listen (if, that is, you have any interest in Alley Cats Strike, the old Disney Channel movies, and how many writing decisions get made for different projects, and, very specifically, how I came up with "Delia's shot" towards the end of the film. Or if you're my mom or a relative, of course!).

It was great fun to revisit an project from the past and think about what I might do differently now and, honestly, what still works well. Thanks, Eve, for finding me. And I hope y'all will check out the podcast in general and its tumblr.

Vacation Timekeeping - a vacation poem

Vacation Timekeeping
by
Greg Pincus

Time flies on school vacation!
Up 'til now I'd found that true.
But this time 'round, I have to say,
I found that my time flu.


Just for the record, this poem is (thankfully) not autobiographical. It's just some silliness, I tell ya!

This week's Poetry Friday Roundup is hosted by Tabatha over at The Opposite of Indifference. Check it out for all sorts of poetry fun.

And if you want to get all my poems emailed to you for freeee as they hit the blog, enter your email address in the box below then click subscribe:

My New Year's Resolutions Are Making Me Loopy - a resolutions poem

My New Year's Resolutions Are Making Me Loopy
by
Greg Pincus

I make ten resolutions every year, and they seem good.
But I can never keep them even though I know I should.
And so this year I added one when it was time to make 'em:
I resolved that this would be the year that I would break 'em!
Yet now each time I break one I quite quickly start up weeping
Because it means that there is one that I continue keeping.
Yet if I keep one then it means there's one that I am breaking
Which means I've kept what I resolved, of that there's no mistaking.
But keeping resolutions means I broke my resolution
Which means, again, I've kept the one I thought was the solution.
Still, keeping means I'm breaking... and I'm feeling like a dum-dum
Since now I fear I'll spend my year resolving this conundrum.


Happy New Year, y'all! And welcome to the first Poetry Friday of 2015, with the roundup hosted by Tricia over at The Miss Rumphius Effect. And in an attempt to give you some insight into my writing process, behold the assistance I got writing this very poem:

I hope this year is one of health and contentment for you and yours (with smatterings of poetry and pie and dogs, of course!).

Oh, and if you want to get all my poems emailed to you for freeee as they hit the blog, enter your email address in the box below then click subscribe:

To 2015 and Beyond!

I know I could use this space to tell you profound things I've learned over the course of the year just passed or of interesting experiences I plan for the year ahead. But it's the 31st, and I have much to do, so all that will wait til next year, as will new poems and other news.

Instead, I simply wanted to pop on and wish you and all of yours a happy, healthy, and rewarding 2015.  I'll see you here in the new year!

Hope Through Stories, Indeed

It's been a month since I last posted, I see! That may be a Gottabook record, though I'm not gonna go through the last eight years and check if that's okay with y'all....

Much has been going on over the last month personally, professionally, and in the world at large (children's literature related and beyond). Along that latter line... I wanted to point out Hope Through Stories, the brainchild of author Joelle Charbonneau.

It's a simple idea - authors sending signed books to the Ferguson, Missouri library (which has stayed open even when schools where closed). Some of you might be able to join me in this particular initiative, yet there are other great ideas, too, and this is not a "pick one" or "this one's better." I have been heartened by all the donations to the library even as I know there are so many other worthy causes all around that so many of you... us... others contribute to in so many ways.

Still... I am a big fan of hope. And along those lines, I hope all my US readers had a wonderful Thanksgiving, as I did. And I know, too, that I'm thanksful to share this space with you (even when I take a month off!).

Poetry Re-Issue: I'm the Squeak Upon the Stair (a spooky Halloween poem)

This poem first ran here at Gottabook back in 2011.

I’M THE SQUEAK UPON THE STAIR...
by
Greg Pincus

I’m the squeak upon the stair...
Yet when you look, there’s no one there.
I’m howling winds, groaning floors,
Extinguished lights, slamming doors.
I’m flitting shadows, darkening skies,
Piercing screams, distant cries.
I’m all your fears – heard, felt, or seen.
I’m in your head. I’m Halloween.

Halloween is on Poetry Friday again (with the roundup hosted by Linda over at TeacherDance)! This makes me happier than peanut butter cups, I gotta say. May those of you who trick-or-treat have a happy, safe evening (same for those of you who don't, by the way). And... boo!

If you want to get all my poems emailed to you for freeee as they hit the blog, enter your email address in the box below then click subscribe:

We Need Diverse Books Needs Us!

Well, maybe not "need" but how about we could all help?

We Need Diverse Books (the group, not simply the concept) has announced a new award - The Walter (named for Walter Dean Myers) - and is kicking off an Indiegogo campaign to raise funds for it.

There are some gooooooood bonuses for funders... and a way to simply help spread the word by using the #SupportWNDB hashtag on Twitter (tomorrow during the hashtag party at 1 PM EST sure, but even beyond that!)

Here's all the We Need Diverse Books/Walter/Indiegogo information in one handy dandy place. 

Please check it out. Please support. Because we really do need diverse books.

Vegas, Baby! Vegas!

I'm super excited to be part of the Vegas Valley Book Festival coming up next weekend in (wait for it....) Las Vegas! I'll be at the Festival all day Saturday the 18th - at one point getting to be on stage with Alan Katz, at another time in the Storytelling tent.

Plus, one cool thing about the Festival is that they're sending me to a school on Friday, too - kinda bringing a part of the festival to the kids, just in case they can't make the whole event. Pretty cool, I say.

If you're in Vegas this weekend, I hope you'll stop by or otherwise say hello!

Join the Readers of the Banned

It's Banned Books Week again... and this time oft-banned Dav Pilkey's Captain Underpants is on a fabulous graphic that I just had to share. Look, I'm not gonna say "you must go read banned books now!" Instead, I'll say "I bet if you/your kids read a bunch of great books, you'll find that some of them have been banned. Maybe most of them."

I love Dav Pilkey's quote, too (referenced here, though I'm not sure it's the original source):

"I don't consider the books to be anti-authoritarian, but I do think it is important, if you think something is wrong, to question authority — because, you know, there are villains in real life, and they don't always wear black capes and black hats. Sometimes they're dressed like authority figures. And kids need to know that it's important to question them."

What he says! And support librarians and teachers this and all weeks when folks try to speak for more than just their own children's reading options. 

Kidlitcon! You! Go!!!!

Tomorrow is the last day to register for this year's Kidlitcon - the greatest gathering of bloggers in the children's and YA space around, I tells ya! It's in Sacramento this year, on October 10th and 11th. It's chock full of great presenters. And. You. Should. Go!

The Middle Toe Sets the Record Straight - a nursery rhyme poem/a body part poem

The Middle Toe Sets the Record Straight
by
Greg Pincus

My choice might surprise you - though in your defense,
I think you're tripped up by a matter of tense -
But I've done it for me, not to be a contrarian:
Yes, this little piggie has gone vegetarian.


I know. I know. You're thinking "he took a long blogging break and came back with that?" And I'm thinking "Darn tootin'! And that's why you're here!" Or maybe you're here because it's Poetry Friday, and you're looking at the roundup of posts - kindly collected by Laura over at Author Amok. Doesn't matter to me, though. The middle toe and I are just glad to have you around.

And guess what? If you want to get all my new poems (and only the poems) emailed to you for freeee as they hit the blog, just enter your email address in the box below then click subscribe!

Skib-wheeeeee!!!!!

Sigh. Today is the return to the "normal" world for me, with no more of the SCBWI Summer Conference happening. 1200+ people came to #LA14SCBWI, and it truly felt to me like hanging out with 1200+ friends (which means it was fantastic and overwhelming and inspiring and all that over and over again).

This year, I was on faculty, doing a breakout about how to be effective on Pintwitfacegramblr (or any social network) and doing one-on-one social media consultations. I'm grateful to the SCBWI folks for adding something new to their plate with those, and feel utterly amazed and humbled to be part of faculty at the event in any capacity. Mighty talented folks those faculty members, and nice as can be, too.

It's worth a trip to the official SCBWI Conference Blog to get a taste of the event, particularly if you couldn't make it this year. The Twitter stream of #LA14SCBWI is worth a peek, too. Facebook's abuzz, too, of course.

I can't yet pick just one memory to share, so I'll wait a bit as I process. But I do know that it was great to see so many friends from online and offline, to share the love of creating books for kids with others who "get it," and to spend time in the happy bubble of smart, fun, compassionate people that makes up SCBWI.

Happy Anniversary, Little Big League!

It was 20 years ago today - hey, I like that phrasing - that Little Big League opened in theaters. I wrote the original screenplay for it, which makes me biased, but I've always liked the film... and yes, I still remember the premiere.

It is truly amazing to me that something that started as a little idea in my head (as I drove on the 405, no less) turned into a movie that's still around today. And not only is it still around, but if I may just share this article by Eric Dodds that appeared on Time.com today:

Little Big League: The Most Underrated Baseball Movie of All Time

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (and you can quote me)

It can be lonely writing (or illustrating or composing or creating anything), and I admit that sometimes when I'm working, I wonder "huh, will anyone but me really care about this story?" Then the thought goes away because really... well... I'm writing because I care about the story. Writing comes, writing goes... and then comes a day like today where, when I'm not expecting it, I get a really big affirmative answer to that long ago question.

I'll keep that feeling in the back of my mind as I keep writing my current manuscript. With luck, that feeling will help sustain me on those days that the story falls apart - because it will - and remind me that the work is worth it (because some days it won't seem like it). And somewhere along the line, I'm sure I'll ask that same question again... then keep writing because, well, I care about the story. And that's enough. Still, I'll take days like today, too!

Happy Anniversary, Little Big League! And thanks for the memories....

Me, Video Games, and the ABCs

I have always loved video games (and pinball machines). I even have photographic proof of my childhood love of them... but to see that right now, you're gonna have to head over to Chris Barton's blog to read his chat with me about, yes, gaming.

Chris has a book coming out in October called Attack! Boss! Cheat Code! which is an ABC book using gamer's terms (and idea I wish I'd thought of! And look at that cover!). So in that spirit, I say "A is for awesome post, Chris."

I hope you'll check it out. I was cute, I tell ya. Cute!

Bowled Over - a homophoem/a food poem

Bowled Over (a homophoem)
by
Greg Pincus

Whenever he visited, they disappeared -
He was the person that every box feared.
From Froot Loops to Crispix to Bunches of Oats
They'd tremble with fear as cries caught in their throats.
Organics would quake as if made out of filler...
For no one escaped from the cereal killer.


A homophoem is poetic form in which you use a homonym/homophone (or many) to create a "plot twist" or unexpected punchline. I believe J. Patrick Lewis came up with the form, and the above poem was written in response to a prompt from him (over at The Miss Rumphius Effect). I'd never shared the poem here, however, and figured it was time!

This week's Poetry Friday roundup is over at Buffy Silverman's blog. Go on by and check out the poetry fun!

And if you want to get all my new poems (and only the poems) emailed to you for freeee as they hit the blog, enter your email address in the box below then click subscribe!

An Interview and Giveaway!

Wanna win a copy of The 14 Fibs of Gregory K. and/or read an interview with me? If you answered yes to either, head on over to Read Write Tell and check me/the giveaway out as part of the Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday fun over there.

Enter to win by next Tuesday... or read at your leisure. And thanks, Deb, for featuring me!

Hope for a Sea Change

My friend and fellow blogger Elizabeth Aquino has just published an ebook called Hope for a Sea Change. It's a true story about her experiences raising a family, and, more specifically, raising her oldest daughter, Sophie, who was diagnosed with a rare seizure disorder at the age of three months. Sophie's 19 now, and only recently, with the addition of CBD, has had her first days without seizures since 1995

Elizabeth's a fabulous writer, and the book is a great, fast read, even while being an uncompromising look at her experiences. Unlike pretty much everything else I discuss here, this is not a book for kids or the classroom, though I assure you everyone at any age would be affected by it.

The book is available now through shebooks. You can find more information about Hope for a Sea Change here.

Thanks, Bank Street!

I have to say, it is quite a happy thing and honor to find The 14 Fibs of Gregory K. on the Bank Street Best Children's Books of the Year, 2014 Edition list.

And to be on that list with so many talented other authors and illustrators just in the "nine to twelve" range, let alone the whole thing? Yeah. Pretty amazing.

So, thanks, I say to them! And thanks to y'all for your support, too!

Poetry Re-Issue: Doughnuts! Oh, Doughnuts!

It's National Doughnut Day - a perfect time to re-issue this poem (originally posted in 2009).

Doughnuts! Oh, Doughnuts!
by
Greg Pincus

Doughnuts! Oh, doughnuts! Fried circles of yum.
You food that I simply adore.
You’re sure not nutritious, but you’re so delicious
I’m always left wishing for more.

I love you with frosting or covered in sprinkles.
I swoon for you, sweet, sugar raised!
When you’re filled with jelly, you warm up my belly...
While still leaving room for a glazed.

I’ll dip you in coffee or dunk you in milk.
I’ll eat you for breakfast or brunch.
I get so impassioned for simple old-fashioned
That sometimes I make them my lunch.

Doughnuts! Oh, doughnuts! Definers of yum.
You perfect fried circles of dough.
Although you’re caloric, you leave me euphoric...
So give me a dozen to go!


Today's also Poetry Friday, and you can check out the roundup of posts hosted at Carol's Corner. And then maybe you want to join me for a fried circle of yum? Yay!

Oh! You can find this poem and 53 others in my collection The Late Bird, available on Kindle (and all the free Kindle apps, too) and Nook. 

If you want to get all my new poems (and only the poems) emailed to you for freeee as they hit the blog, enter your email address in the box below then click subscribe!

Book Trailers and BookReels.com

I'm a fan of book trailers. Heck, I made one for The 14 Fibs of Gregory K., in fact... and you can now find it in a new place, too - on BookReels.com.

BookReels is hoping to be an MTV for book trailers (and book sales) says co-founder Dan Rosen (who I used to write alongside at coffeehouses many moons ago!). I think it would be fabulous to see it become another community where folks are talking books, and hope to see the community that's forming there continue to grow.

Joining and rating and chatting is free. Uploading is free. Why not go check it out? And if you haven't ever seen and heard my trailer, why not start there? Cuz, like... it makes me happy!

As Easy as ABC: Awards, Best Sellers, and Critical Thinking

The author with one of his many awards.

Award-winning,* best-selling** author Greg Pincus here. I wanted to write a little today about the ABCs - awards, best sellers, and critical thinking.

This past week, Rush Limbaugh won Author of the Year at the Children's Choice Book Awards, an award sponsored by the Children's Book Council. Much as when his nomination as a finalist was announced, there was much gnashing of teeth inside (and outside) the children's book world with the award announcement, including many comments about how the award and even the CBC had lost credibility.

It's easy to feel outraged when there's a sense of being snookered or betrayed, but the reality is that the Author of the Year award has always been determined the same way - qualification is based on sales, then there's a popular vote to pick the winner. That didn't change this year.

So, if the award had credibility before, it has credibility now, even if the winner seems "unworthy" somehow. If you weren't aware of the criterion for the award and how it was picked, at the end of the day that's on you, not the award. And not liking the results doesn't change that at all.

If we ask who gave this particular award whatever credibility it has, I'd say that the answer is that we did, collectively. Perhaps, in this case, it's trust in the creators of the award or the fact that it's part of a mission that we love (celebrating children's books!) and that talented authors have won it before. Regardless, our celebration of award winning status in general definitely is a factor. And that, again, is on us.

Awards for creative endeavors are a tricky thing. In a blog post that's well worth a read, Emma Dryden touches on some of the challenges and pitfalls of them and how we value them. Yet it's not easy to change this - there's all sorts of psychology in play here (including confirmation bias, social conformity, and more), and it's hard to overcome. Awards should mean something, we've decided, so when we see an award (particularly from an organization that seems legit and good), we give it value.

And yet that's abdicating our personal responsibility to practice critical thinking and view each situation individually.

*For example, I honestly am an award-winning author. I'm not talking about awards for my debut novel The 14 Fibs of Gregory K. (which, I note, was a finalist for the Cybils and Crystal Kite... but not a winner) or my screenplays. Nope. I won an award in middle school at the Ready Writing Contest at Mansfield State College. My Punt Pass and Kick trophy from when I was eight could count, too - it's an award for me, after all, and I am an author. Context and critical thinking matter again, clearly.

How we view the status of "best seller" falls into this same arena, at least to me. Best-selling sounds "good" and "impressive," and it's easy to see why an author would link that to his/her name. And yet...

Best Seller!

**I can legitimately describe myself as a best-selling author: upon release, my ebook of poetry, The Late Bird, topped Amazon's Kindle Children's Poetry best seller list for over a month.

I also know that my sales during that period tapered off rapidly and included weeks of single digit sales. (10 of you feel free, as a social experiment, to buy The Late Bird and watch me top the same chart again. Go for it. I'll wait here :-)).

So, does Best Seller by itself really carry any weight? Again, we collectively have given it status and credibility, but perhaps we've done so without always considering context.

It's very easy to accept that statuses like "award winner" and "best seller" are impressive and meaningful, but if we don't think critically - asking questions like who gave an award, what was the purpose, what were the qualifications, what was the process, how were "sales" measured, where was it a best seller - then we're following blindly and not thinking for ourselves. And that? Well, that's sad no matter who has won what.

What do you think? Do we trust awards, best seller lists, reviews, and the like too much? Is the recent outrage only political in nature and not about our responsibility to think critically? Or...? I look forward to your thoughts.

30 Poets/2 Years/1 Day

April and 30 Poets/30 Days are done, but I wanted to wrap up the month that just passed here on Poetry Friday (and you can see the roundup of PF posts at Write.Sketch.Repeat). This year, I re-issued the poetry from the first two years of the event, so there were 60 poets and 60 poems in one month's time.

And I just have to say it was a privilege, again, to share the amazingly diverse work - in content and style - by an amazing group of talented poets. And to be among them? A thrill. Totally.

So, here, then is what I call 30 Poets/2 Years/1 Day!

April 1: Jack Prelutsky and Alice Schertle
April 2: Rebecca Kai Dotlich and Joseph Bruchac
April 3: Charles Ghigna and Laura Purdie Salas
April 4: X. J. Kennedy and Calef Brown
April 5: Ann Whitford Paul and Carole Boston Weatherford
April 6: Jaime Adoff and Jorge Argueta
April 7: Marilyn Singer and Susan Marie Swanson
April 8: Adam Rex and Ralph Fletcher
April 9: Joyce Sidman and Alan Katz
April 10: Bruce Lansky and Carmen T. Bernier-Grand
April 11: Avis Harley and Charles Waters
April 12: Nikki Grimes and Kathi Appelt
April 13: Lee Bennett Hopkins and Kurt Cyrus
April 14: Linda Sue Park and Arthur A. Levine
April 15: Mary Ann Hoberman and Eileen Spinelli
April 16: Betsy Franco and Bobbi Katz
April 17: Jon Scieszka and James Carter
April 18: Kristine O'Connell George and Elaine Magliaro
April 19: Arnold Adoff and David L. Harrison
April 20: Jane Yolen and Brod Bagert
April 21: Greg Pincus and Tracie Vaughn Zimmer
April 22: Janet Wong and Heidi Mordhorst
April 23: Nikki Giovanni and Charles R. Smith, Jr.
April 24: J. Patrick Lewis and Georgia Heard
April 25: Julie Larios and George Ella Lyon
April 26: Joan Bransfield Graham and Jacqueline Woodson
April 27: Kenn Nesbitt and Graham Denton
April 28: April Halprin Wayland and Francisco X. Alarcón
April 29: Douglas Florian and Liz Garton Scanlon
April 30: Pat Mora and Walter Dean Myers

Yeah, it was a fine month. Of course, poetry runs year round here at GottaBook, and if you want to keep on top of it, I hope you'll sign up to my poetry email list. That way, when a poem appears here, you'll get it via email for super-easy reading and sharing (plus there have been giveaways and other small extras, too). If you want in, just enter your email address in the box below then click subscribe:

Thanks again for hanging out here for 30 Poets/30 Days. I'm already looking forward to next April... and the 11 months in between, too.

Meet Andrew Huang ("A Genius!" Says I)

I don't think I'm prone to hyperbole, so I truly mean it when I say that Andrew Huang is the type of brilliant, creative talent I believe makes the world a happier place. So, when I decided to make a book trailer for the 14 Fibs of Gregory K., I knew I wanted him to create the song for it. And he did, and it makes me happy EVERY time I hear it.

I've followed his music for years - from his albums on Bandcamp (many owned by this family, I must add!); the amazing Songs to Wear Pants To; all of his fantastic videos. He a multi-instrumentalist who crosses genres and styles and does stuff like make music with 1000 pairs of pants or puts e.e. cummings to music or rap in which the only vowel he uses is the letter E:



(All proceeds from that song, by the way, benefit Habitat for Humanity. So, like, he's a good egg on top of his ability to dismiss all vowels besides E with the line "these excess letters - delete".)

Anyway, I interviewed Andrew via email and now have a chance to share it with you. And please - check him out at any of the above links. You won't be sorry.

When did you discover your love of music? 

Summer by Andrew Huang

I have been experimenting with a lot of musical stuff since an early age, whether it was plinking away on the piano or recording myself on a tape deck. I always considered myself more of a visual artist though until my teens when I started being introduced to music outside of the pop and classical that I grew up with - stuff like punk rock, trip-hop, bebop, cool jazz, weird underground electronic stuff... I realized I loved it all.

Your song challenge videos/songs are incredibly creative. How do you even approach something like "make a song only using the sounds you can make from 1000 pairs of jeans"? Or "only use water sounds." I mean... seriously?

Those found sound videos are fun. It's really a process of discovery. I might have an inkling of where I could take something, but I basically start out by trying to get every possible sound I can out of whatever the challenge calls for. Usually, each sound I can make ends up translating in my mind into a representation of an instrument - tapping a box might work as a snare drum, for example. And then it's back to the normal matter of arranging a piece of music. The palette is limited depending on the materials of course. Most often in these kinds of pieces there isn't something very suitable to use as a bass.


You make music in so many different styles and genres. Do you have a favorite?

Couldn't ever pick a favorite. What I listen to changes all the time. In terms of what I create - sonically speaking - pop, rap, and the wonderfully broad "electronic" would form the backbone of the majority of my work, but I think I also bring a sense of structure and orchestration that comes from what I know and love in classical music. And my songwriting craft was honed more from listening to rock, folk, and country. If we throw all that in the pot it'll keep me happy (most of the time).

You just released a new album on Bandcamp. What's next?

Haha. "You just released a new album on Bandcamp" is a phrase that applies to me about once a month. (Greg's note: you really have to check out his stuff on Bandcamp.)

I'm working on a bunch of new stuff that will be seeing the light of day soon but the biggest thing is this sort of dark, brooding pop album called The Coldest Darkness. It's been years in the making and I haven't often been this excited about a project. There will be a really awesome physical package to go with it to, and I'm working on some out-of-the-ordinary ways that fans will be able to get themselves an early copy.

Andrew is also touring the West Coast of the US with Hank Green this summer. Perhaps I'll see you at a show?

Besides YouTube and Bandcamp, you can find Andrew on Twitter and Facebook and elsewhere as @AndrewIsMusic.  I leave you with his Gravy and Toast, a song he wrote on commission. I mean, really - he turned toast and gravy into toe tapping singable fun. I rest my case!