Stage Fear Nothing but a State of My Mind by Maya Karthick

Stage Fear — Nothing, but a State of My Mind!

Submitted by Poppy Flynn

Written by Maya Sara Karthik (10 Years Old)

Butterflies in my stomach! No, rats running around! Shivers through my body and my legs shaking! Drops of sweat on my forehead! These are the symptoms of my stage fear. I've been performing on stage since I was two years old, be it singing, dancing, ballet recitals, skits, etc. But I always had stage fear, and I think I will always have stage fear. I tend to perform very well in front of people with who I am familiar. But I get scared when I am in front of a large gathering of people who I am not familiar with. And, also when I'm performing something that isn't my strong point. So, I've asked myself so many times - why do I get this stage fright? I am convinced that it is because of 2 reasons:

Performance Anxiety - I feel I might not do well Judgment Anxiety - I fear people will judge me

When the anxiety gets the better of me, that's when I forget my lines or dance steps. I choke!

But, at the end of the day, the embarrassment is short -lived and the uncomfortable feeling never lasts long. So why was I even afraid?

Here are five ways I use to overcome my stage fear: 1. First, I make a connection with the audience. Smile at people and look at them as friends who are helping me and not as enemies. 2. I start the performance with a smile and enjoy it throughout (that will help me forget my stage fear). 3. I remember what my mom always tells me - train my subconscious mind. Stop scaring myself with negative thoughts. Instead, focus on my strengths. (It is easier said than done) 4. Practice! Practice! Practice! - Prepare very well.

5. Visualize the victory. I practice well, I perform well, and I'm continuously learning to overcome my stage fear every day!

How do YOU overcome your stage fear (if you have it)? I would love to learn from you!

Maya’s book titled the The Pari and Kayal Adventures - Saved by Sid: An Enchanting Story about Kindness and Friendship can be found on Amazon and is available on Kindle Unlimited. It is an inspiring and entertaining tale that teaches kids about siblings’ love, the power of kindness and friendship, and the importance of not judging people or situations instantly. Maya Sara Karthik is ten years old and an award-winning author. She is a voracious reader and loves the fantasyfiction genre. She owns a blog where she pens her thoughts (and, occasionally poems) regularly. https://www.mayasarakarthik.com/

She reviews all children’s books she reads and posts them on her Instagram and Facebook accounts (Handle: WriterMaya) Inspired by her father’s bedtime stories with lots of magical characters, Maya wrote her first book - The Pari and Kayal Adventures. Besides reading and writing, Maya enjoys dancing and swimming and spending time with her friends and family. She lives in Chennai, India.

Hannah Howe

Interviewed by Ronesa Aveela

Hannah Howe lives on the South Wales coast with her family. At her teacher’s request, she wrote the school play when she was ten years old and she’s been writing ever since. Her hobbies include reading, music, chess, genealogy and classic black and white movies.

About the Series

Title: Eve’s War: The Heroines of SOE Series Location: Europe Country Setting: France, Scotland Genre: Historical Fiction Audience: Adult Time period: Second World War

Interview

Tell us a little about series. the Eve’s War What is your passion about this country?

My passion is not specifically about France, it’s about Europe. I live in Wales, I am Welsh, but I am also a European. World events, including the crisis we are currently enduring, show that you cannot create artificial borders. We live on, and share, one planet. We need to accept that. Post Second World War, politicians, including Winston Churchill, recognised that a united Europe was essential to ensure peace and stability. With the passing of the Second World War generation we are losing their collective memory and are set to make the same mistakes again. Turn back the clock a hundred years and you will see similarities with our own age. History tells us what happened next.

My Eve’s War: The Heroines of SOE Series is a series of twelve novellas. Each story is based on real events. My narrator, Eve, and her SOE colleagues, Guy Samson and Mimi Duchamp, are composite characters based on the SOE agents who served in France during the Second World War. As with the historical background, the personal aspects of their stories are based on real life events. Why did you choose it for you setting?

I believe subjects choose authors, not authors choose subjects. Therefore, the subject-matter determined the setting. The specific settings: Marseille, the Scottish Highlands, Brittany and Paris were determined through my characters and history: Eve found herself in Marseille when the Nazis occupied France; SOE agents trained in the Scottish Highlands in secret, away from

prying eyes; I chose Brittany because of personal experience and because the location allowed my characters to move on to Paris and witness its liberation. Europe was the main battleground in the fight against fascism with D-Day and the landings in Normandy the key events. Those events also determined the location for my Eve’s War series. What will readers discover about this country when they read your book?

They will discover what life was like for the French people during the occupation. Some collaborated with the Nazis, most kept a low profile, while the bravest of the brave stood up for what they believed in and fought their oppressors, sometimes at great personal cost.