AS King, author of EVERYBODY SEES THE ANTS, recently returned to the United States after a 10-year stint in Ireland where she lived off the land, taught adult literacy, and wrote. Her first novel THE DUST OF 100 DOGS, was chosen as one of the ALA Best Books for Young Adults, and her second book, PLEASE IGNORE VERA DIETZ, was picked as one of Kirkus Reviews' Best Books for Teens in 2010.
She currently lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and children, and her next novel, ASK THE PASSENGERS, is due in Fall 2012. Here she talks with us about the power that comes from taking matters into your own hands.
When I wear my “Rule #4—Do Something” t-shirt, people ask me what rule #3 is. I say “Do something.” They ask me what rule #2 is. I say, “Do something.” They ask me what rule #1 is. And I say, “D>o something.”
In EVERYBODY SEES THE ANTS, Lucky Linderman is told the same thing many of us are told as children about how to cope. “Ignore people who don’t treat you properly.” That’s bullies, bad friends, or anyone who might just say things like “You smell” on the bus home from school. And while ignoring it can work for a [very] few things, I’ve found it really doesn’t work for much.
On the other hand, doing something works for just about everything. I mean this in a whole-life sense. Doing something is always better than doing nothing. Right? A person who says, “I’m bored” is really just not doing anything. In which case, apply rule #4 and the problem is solved. No more boredom.
For a kid who is being bullied or picked on, like Lucky Linderman, rule #4 can be applied from many angles. First, there is the actual bullying victim, who is often told to be silent. But if they can, applying rule #4 can help. Telling someone is a good idea. Making sure the people they tell do something about it is a great idea. Victims of bullying often feel alone. That’s where rule #4 applies to 80% of us because we are the bystanders. We are not bullies and we are not bullied. But we are also not doing anything. So, apply rule #4. Tell the victim that you see what’s happening to him or her and say that you don’t think it’s right. Tell an adult. Be a persistent opponent of bullying and meanness.
One thing that I rarely talk about relating to EVERYBODY SEES THE ANTS is that Lucky has kept bad friends in his life. For a little while, he even tries to befriend (or pretend befriend) his own bully in order to get through a school year. Bad friends are something every single person on the planet has to deal with. And ignoring them does not make them go away. And this process never stops. It doesn’t end in high school or college, so it’s good to learn how to deal with it. Every so often apply rule #4 and ask yourself these questions. "Do my friends treat me nicely? Do they treat other people nicely? Do they really support me or do they live to tear me down?"
Rule #4 drives me to write and to volunteer in my community and to help those who can’t always apply rule #4 as easily as I can. In the book, Ginny Clemens is a kindness ninja. You can be one too. All you have to do is give some time to people who need your time. Choose something that’s close to your heart and give a little.
The secret of rule #4 is: You do something without expecting anything in return…and by doing that, you get the greatest thing of all in return.
Read more about the author on her website:http://www.as-king.com/
