Proof of Life!

I know I've been quiet. I've not posted much.
I've ended up busy with work, life, and such.

But I miss you and wanted to say "I am here.
And I wish you a happy and healthy new year!"


I'll see y'all right here on the old blog in 2018....

The SCBWI Summer Conference - See You There?

It's almost time for the SCBWI Summer Conference here in Los Angeles. Will I see you there? I mean, I'm going to be there - I'm doing social media consultations so am part of the event - so it's really more a question of how many of you will be.

It is my favorite conference, I admit, because it feels like hanging out with 1000 of my friends. And have you seen the lineup of people speaking and offering sessions this year???!!!! Egad. Anyway, if you're going to be there, I hope you'll find me and say "hi!"

Come see me on May 20th!

If you happen to be in the greater Los Angeles area... or even more specifically Burbank, CA... this Saturday, May 20th, why not come to the Barnes & Noble at 2PM to say "hi" and hear me talking about The Homework Strike (and more, perhaps!)? I'd love to see you there.

All the info is here at the Facebook event they kindly put together... or just come by 731 N. San Fernando Blvd, Burbank, CA 91502. You'll be glad you if you come, I think, but I know for sure I'll be glad if you do!

Literally a Childhood Dream Come True

Yup. That's a book I wrote in a Scholastic flyer that goes to schools. The same type of flyer I ordered books from as a kid and thought of as, like, the ultimate sign of book awesomeness.

I have to admit I was taken by surprise by how goosebump-y seeing that made me. And then I got a copy of the paperback and... yeah... it's like... like... all the feels, you know?

Thanks to the Book Club folk for choosing Strike, and even bigger thanks to Arthur A. Levine for publishing me (the Big Dream) and allowing this moment to happen. And more thanks to everyone at Arthur A. Levine Books and Scholastic who helped make The Homework Strike into what it is

And who knows... with this happening, maybe I shouldn't give up on my dream of playing professional baseball!

Homework and the Parent Angle

Here's an article that really resonated with me after all my Homework Strike research (and real life experiences): Never Mind the Students; Homework Divides Parents.

Parents have a lot of reasons that they want their kids to get homework far beyond the "we had it, so they should have it" variety. But who is school for? What best serves kids? These are tricky, tricky issues for schools, parents, and students, too. The comments on that article are pretty fascinating as a snapshot.

If any of you have strong opinions on this particular angle, I'd love to hear 'em....

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

If any of y'all are coming to the LATFoB this Sunday, April 23rd, come say hello! I'll be signing the Homework Strike at the wonderful Once Upon a Time booth (#732 on your map) from 3:00-3:45ish and probably hanging around/looking around long before then, too.

Hope to see you there!

Allergic to Homework - a poetry re-issue

ALLERGIC TO HOMEWORK
by
Greg Pincus

I said “I’m allergic to homework.
It makes me cough and wheeze.
You send me home with mounds to do,
And I just snuff and sneeze.”

My teachers would never believe me.
“Allergic? We think not.
Maybe see a doc,” they’d laugh,
“And you can get a shot.”

Today my teachers aren’t laughing,
And I don’t mean to gloat,
But they can’t give me homework now:
I’ve got a doctor’s note!


Originally posted here back in 2008, this poem makes an appearance in The Homework Strike, too. Oh... and if only it had been true!

It's Poetry Friday, so why not check out this week's roundup o' poetry goodness over at Robyn Hood Black's Life on the Deckle Edge?

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!

Congrats to the Cybils Winners!

Congratulations to all the 2016 Cybils winners!

These awards hold a special place in my heart, not just because I was a judge in the early years, but even moreso because they truly highlight books that really deserve attention and celebration.

So yay for another year of the awards. And I really hope you go check 'em out!

An Interview with MOI!

Fellow author  Laurisa White Reyes has an interview with me up over at her blog today. I'm talking The Homework Strike, embarrassment, and what book I'd like to live inside. Check it out, I say to you! (And thanks, Laurisa!)

Poetry Re-Issue: My Dad's a Hippopotamus

MY DAD’S A HIPPOPOTAMUS
by
Greg Pincus

My dad’s a hippopotamus.
He’s dad to quite a lot of us.
You think that’s strange? I don’t know why,
Since we’re all hippopotami.

We’re friends with a rhinoceros,
Who I think looks preposterous.
I’m glad that I don’t spend time bein’
Something so rhinocerian.

We live next to a crocodile.
He’s over there on his own isle.
He’s got big bumps on each short limb.
I’m glad that I don’t look like him.

We also know a chimpanzee,
The strangest creature that you’ll see.
Those gangly arms look out of place,
And I would never want his face.

Right nearby’s an ocelot.
He likes to mew and roar a lot.
With spots and splotches hard to miss,
I think he looks ridiculous.

But there’s one creature that we see
That’s most absurd. We all agree.
It comes to visit at our zoo.
And... oh... how sad! It looks like you.


Every now and then, this particular poem pops into my head (particularly when I've been thinking a lot about taking other perspectives). This is one of those times, so I figure I'd share the poem with y'all... particularly since it's Poetry Friday! And since it is that most poetic of days, why not check out the roundup of this week's posts over at The Logonauts? Good!

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!

Poetry Re-Issue: The Crayola Caper

THE CRAYOLA CAPER
by
Greg Pincus

There’s crayon on the tabletop.
There’s crayon on the floor.
The baby got my crayon box
And drew and drew some more.
The house is full of colors now,
Each wall and every door.
Let me look more closely. Yep...
He used all 64.

This poem was first published back here in 2006 (!!!), so I'm thinking it's probably new to most of you. I've been doing some blog maintenance and re-reading some older posts... and I gotta say, I look forward to dusting off some more this year. None of the others, however, will make you think of burnt sienna (or that's my guess!).

This week's Poetry Friday roundup is over at Beyond LiteracyLink. You oughta check it out, cuz, like, poetry is a good thing!

Also, 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!

Poetry Re-Issue: Instructions for Helping the World

Instructions for Helping the World
by
Greg Pincus

Write a poem.
Work with clay.
Draw or paint a day away.
Knit or dance.
Make a song.
Film a movie all night long.
Use your hands,
Brain and heart.
Live! Create!
Go make some art.

(originally published on January 6, 2012)

It is Poetry Friday yet again! Check out Violet Nesdoly's blog for the weekly roundup of links o' poetry related goodness. And go create some art!

Also, 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!

Tea! With Me (And More Authors and Illustrators!)

If you live anywhere near Thousand Oaks (that's out here near Los Angeles for those of my readers who are wondering), why not come to a Book Talk Tea on Sunday, January 29th at 2PM with me and a group of amazingly talented folk (Lisze Bechtold, Barbara Bietz, Mary Ann Fraser, Joan Bransfield Graham, Laura Lacamara, Kirsten Larson, Michelle Markel, Alexis O'Neill, Antoinette Portis, Greg Trine and Eugene Yelchin are all scheduled to be there!)? It promises to be a blast.

Tea and book talking sounds calming and invigorating at the same time, don't you think? It does to me, and I cannot wait to be at this Ventura County Reading Association event. Hope to see you there!

Night Write - a writing poem

Night Write
by
Greg Pincus

Cannot sleep.
Turn on light.
Grab a pen -
Time to write!

Brain's awake.
Words fly fast.
Write and then
Read, at last.

Sometimes words
Come out right.
Sadly, this is not that night.

This was actually a poem started during the writing of The 14 Fibs of Gregory K. Then I thought about similar topics again when I was working on The Homework Strike, but the poem never fit either book. It's possible that it's autobiographical, but I'm not saying :-)

It's Poetry Friday once again! This week, you can check out the roundup of posts over at Keri Recommends. Lots o' good stuff piling up there (read her post and click on the "click this widget" widget to see more!).

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!

In Middle School - a school poem/a middle school poem

In Middle School
by
Gregory K.

History's a mystery.
Science is a curse.
My English grade could use some aid -
My math one's even worse.
My Spanish skill is nearly nil.
PE's like a punch.
The only class I think I'll pass
In middle school is lunch!

(©2017 Greg Pincus)

The above poem kicks off The Homework Strike (my new novel out this week from Arthur A. Levine Books/Scholastic. Makes a great gift. Find a great local store or buy online or both!). As in the 14 Fibs, main character Gregory K. writes poems, and one starts each chapter. There might be others lurking in the 272 pages o' Strike, too, but you'll only know if you read it. I think you should, though I am biased. Also, while the poem and book aren't autobiographical, for the record, I passed lunch every year of school.

It's time for the first Poetry Friday roundup of the year, hosted over at TeacherDance. There are tons of great poetry links there to kick off your new year, so you really oughta check it out.

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!

Hooray! It's Launch Day for The Homework Strike!

Today, January 3rd, 2017 = the official debut of The Homework Strike. Let's all have cake, shall we?!

If you'll pardon me for a moment... "Yay!"