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Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind:
Interview with Angela Orams
By Carin Chea
On a typical Wednesday late afternoon in Los Angeles, when most would be fighting gridlock and inevitable road rage, author and screenwriter Angela Orams is basking in her Zen.
Orams is a rarity in one of the most jaded cities in the world: She is an unrelenting eternal optimist. Orams is not your typical Angeleno. She is not armed with an acerbic, wry humor ready to proclaim witty disdain on 5 social media platforms.
The author and screenwriter is a much-welcomed antithesis to jadedness, and just what is needed during these darkly fluctuating times.
Her children’s book, Sneaky Sophie and the Token Fairy, is a reminder of the importance of kindness and selflessness.
How are you doing? How’s the weather in Texas?
I’m actually living in Burbank now.
Oh! Welcome to LA! How do you like it so far?
I love it. When you see the mountains and the water, it’s just like another place on earth. I felt like I was meant to be here.
That is the most optimistic I have ever heard anyone talk about LA. Ever…
You’re not the first to say that.
You are such a prolific writer whose scope spans so many different genres and vocations. From children’s literature to marketing materials to screenwriting, which came first?
I was a nurse first, but I’ve always had a knack for writing. I just felt the time was right to move now [from Texas to California]. Right now, I am a full-time writer.
That’s so wonderful that you can do what you love full-time.
Thank you! I think it’s possible for anyone, and a lot of it is timing with regards to where you are in your life. I would’ve wanted to do this 10 years ago, but life unfolds in a way you don’t imagine.
We always think, “I need this now and I want it to be like this.” But, I think it’s important to always continue with your quest. Those passions and gifts within you were given to you.
Screenwriting came first, but children’s writing has always been in me. My first published piece was when I was in kindergarten and it was in a book called Creative Minds.
The school picked students from different grades. A woman came in and asked me to tell her a story about something fun I had done. I told her about a day at the beach; she was writing as I was talking. And then, it was published.
The funny thing is: I had never been to the beach in my life. I think that’s where my desire to tell stories began.
I still have an appreciation for adult writing, but have steered toward children’s writing because the worlds are so imaginative and fun.
You’re also a songwriter. Do you perform as well?
No. The songs I’ve written have mostly been for screenplays.
Tell us about Sneaky Sophie and the Token Fairy.
Sneaky Sophie is a little girl who gets a token every time she loses a tooth. In the book, however, the token fairy is a woman, not a parental figure.
The problem is that Sophie has lost one tooth, but she wants more tokens. She comes up with a scheme to get more tokens, which then becomes problematic when the fairy runs out of tokens.
What inspired you to write Sneaky Sophie?
I’ve always had a love for Dr. Seuss stories. I admire Dr. Seuss’ ability to bend and mold words. Sneaky Sophie is a rhyming story. Plus, I’ve always had a fascination with the tooth fairy.
My parents are Nigerian and never culturally embraced the tooth fairy, so I loved the concept of my friends getting money for losing teeth. I would put a tooth under my pillow, but my parents didn’t do it because they weren’t aware.
Now, as an adult, I still think it’s a neat concept.
I spoke to some friends, asking them what a tooth goes for now. I heard it’s around $20.
Twenty dollars?!
Yeah, it shocked me too. I thought it would be neat if the child had this book, which includes a kit that comes with a bag of coins and satchels.
There are two sets of coins. The first set has a picture of a tooth and the backside says, “Losing a tooth is worth the wait. This is a gift to celebrate.” It would be great to give it to a child in hand or place it under the pillow.
And, I imagine, cheaper than leaving a twenty for each tooth.
[Laughing] The other coin has a star on it, and on the reverse it says, “For thoughtful acts or kind words spoken, you have earned this special token.” This token can be given as a reward for good or kind behavior.
It encourages children to think outside of themselves and instead allows them to care for others.
Especially in light of COVID, lifestyles have changed and the world has become a little more depressed. Anything we can do to think outside of ourselves can help. It starts with us.
Is the character of Sophie based on anyone you know?
It’s not necessarily based on anyone I know. There are some tendencies in Sophie that I had when I was younger. The big difference is, the inner voice that children have that stops you from doing something bad, (Sophie doesn’t have that voice).
She often thinks, “What’s the worst that can happen?” She doesn’t intend to be a bad child. She’s just very curious and doesn’t limit herself.
What do you hope your readers glean from your book?
We often think about ourselves and our situations, but it’s always important to think outside of ourselves. We’re often thinking, “I need, I need.” But when we turn to do something for others, we’re nurturing that need as well. You’re actually getting what you need from helping others.
So much of the negative has taken precedence that all the good in this world can get overshadowed. In our homes, on the news, we’re just hearing the heavy. So, where do you find that light?
Just today, there was this lady at the bank who had the same response as you when I told her this [Los Angeles] was a great place to live. She said that no one ever says such positive things about LA. It’s important to find the light and positivity in this world.
Are there plans to bring Sneaky Sophie to the big screen?
I’m hopeful. We’re working on it right now. I think she’s a character many could relate to.
For more information, please visit www.SneakySophie.com.
Sneaky Sophie and the Token Fairy is expected to be available in Fall, 2022 on Amazon.
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