DECEMBER 7, 2023
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AST Eighth-Grader Victoria Mejia Publishes a Book on Amazon
Interview by Sofia Perdomo
Last week, an AST student had a book published on Amazon.com.
Victoria Mejia is an eighth grader releasing her first book, titled Stay in Calmness.
Mejia’s book is a guide to help people navigate anxiety. It includes tips and strategies for managing mental health and a journaling portion at the end for readers to practice what they learn and have a space to express themselves.
Here’s an interview our staff member Sofia Perdomo had with Mejia about her book.
What is your book about?
Mejia: It teaches you tips on how to control anxiety.
What inspired you to write this book?
Mejia: I've struggled with anxiety in the past and still do now, and I decided that I didn't want more people to go through the same tough times I've gone through. So, I decided to write a book to help anyone struggling with anxiety or, simply, just mental health.
What challenges did you face while writing this book, and how did you overcome them?
Mejia: I didn't face many challenges, but one was that I did not know what to write, but then one morning I woke up and had more ideas. And the most recent challenge was that the editor told me that we had a problem because it was done on Canva, and the size wasn't right for an ebook, so we had to fix that, but it's all OK now.
Did you do any research for your book?
Mejia: No, but I went to therapy where I learned these techniques.
What is a message or lesson you'd like readers to take from your book?
Mejia: I just want everyone to know that anxiety's totally normal. All of us have it, some higher than others, which is when we need to get some help. But it [anxiety] helps us to survive. If we were about to cross a road and we did not have anxiety, we wouldn't look at both sides and just cross it, which could definitely be really dangerous. You could get injured or worse! But thanks to anxiety, we look at both sides and can cross roads safely. So, anxiety's not always bad, but if it gets out of hand, we may need to get some help.
How long did it take you to write this book?
Mejia: I started in August, and I just finished at the end of November.
What was your favorite part about writing this book?
Mejia: Everything. I loved writing this book from beginning to end.
Tell us more about your journey with anxiety.
Mejia: Since I was really little I've struggled with anxiety. Once I went on a trip with my cousins and was surprised to see an amputee. I started to have a phobia of amputees and prosthetics. I was scared one of my family members or even me would lose a limb. In third grade, my teacher left. I did not know why, but I always thought that they were gonna amputate both her feet, but now I know that she's OK. All year, I had anxiety about her and whether she'd return to school or not. Next, I was homeschooled during the pandemic, and when it ended in August 2022, I entered the American School of Tegucigalpa where everything was going really well until March 2023. I started to have a lot of anxiety—we never knew why—I did not know it was anxiety until I got diagnosed with a high level of anxiety, so I was sent to therapy for all summer, and that is where I learned about those techniques. Then, I decided to write a book for people who struggle with the same thing, and just mental health.
Now, what is anxiety?
Mejia: Anxiety is a feeling of fear, dread, or uneasiness that can cause you to sweat, feel restless or tense, or have a rapid heartbeat—sometimes all of these combined. But, it's not always bad. As I said before, it can help you to survive.
Thanks, Victoria!
Mejia: Thank you so much.
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