#angelasscribbles

“Just shut up, both of you.” He shook his head as he made his way over to the body where the medical examiner was already crouched over the victim. “Hey, Hana. How’s it going?”

“I can’t complain,” she smiled up at him, “But this poor girl…”

“Yeah. What do we know so far?”

“Blunt force trauma to the head.”

The apartment was swarming with officers. One of them approached him, “You must be the homicide detective from the seventh precinct.”

“That’s right, Liam Rys.” He shook the squat balding guy's hand.”

“Steve Carlson. The twelfth precinct is happy to collaborate with you, but this is our case.”

“Of course, but the vic was a suspect in my case.”

As the two detectives hammered out jurisdictional concerns, Drake made his way over to Riley. “You sure know how to get a guy sideways with people he’s supposed to be getting along with.”

“How was I supposed to know our witness was going to be dead when we got here?”

He just smiled as he shook his head. “I told you that you were going to be trouble.”

“Nothing you can’t handle, I’m sure.” She teased.

“I’m not so sure about that,” he mused.

“Have you learned anything new?”

“You’ve been with me the entire time we’ve been here.”

“Not true. You were with the police when they searched the place while I was exiled to this couch, waiting to be questioned.”

“Well, I didn’t learn much except…”

Riley perked up. “Except what?”

Drake paused to consider what he should tell her. His client had only hired him to investigate Trent’s murder. Sarah’s murder was likely related, but he couldn’t fathom a motive for either Katie or William Sloan to have killed her. So what he had learned didn’t fall under client privilege. He didn’t see how the information could hurt his client, and that’s all he cared about.

“Except that the murder weapon was her own rolling pin.”

“She was killed with a rolling pin?”

“It was one of those heavy, marble ones.”

“Huh.”

“Huh, what?”

“Weapon of opportunity.”

“Looks like it.”

“Just like Trent’s gun.”

“That’s a pattern.”

“Yeah… but…. “

“What?”

“Ok, so the motive was jealousy. Sabrina kills Trent, then gets in her car and goes to kill Sarah, right?”

“That’s the working theory, yeah.”

“Why didn’t she just bring the gun with her? I mean, she didn’t know there would be a handy murder weapon lying around this place. She could have just brought the gun.”

“Maybe she wasn’t thinking clearly. She shot Trent and panicked.”

“Panicked.” Riley raised her eyebrows skeptically. “Then drove across town to kill the mistress?”

“Am I supposed to understand how murderers think?”

“Yes. I would think so. It’s your job.”

“I mostly track down cheating spouses and runaway kids, Riley.”

“This is your first murder?”

“Well, no, but still—”

“Come on. What else have you got? You must know something.”

“I know that the police found two airline tickets in Trent’s possession, and Sarah’s bedroom looks like she was packing for a trip.”

“So, Trent and Sarah were about to skip town together?”

“Looks that way. And there was an engagement ring with the tickets.”

Riley’s eyes widened. “So, Sabrina found out he was about to wife up her competition?”

Drake nodded. “Motive enough for you?”

“Maybe,” Riley’s gaze swept around the room distractedly.

“What are you looking for?”

“I don’t know. Something doesn’t add up.”

“Seems pretty cut and dried to me.”

They were distracted by a disturbance at the door. A plainclothesman was yelling, “Sir! Sir! You can’t be in here!”

They turned to find Max in the doorway. “I was just—”

The man yelling at Max whirled on the uniformed officer who seemed to be escorting him and continued, “What the fuck are you doing letting a reporter up here?”

“Reporter?” The cop recoiled. “I thought he was the crime scene photographer!”

Returning his attention to the man with the camera, the plainclothesman shook his head. “You do realize it’s a crime to impersonate—”

“I wasn’t impersonating anyone! I was called to the scene!”

“By who?”

“That would be me.” Riley stood up and waved to Max.

“You have no authority to—”

She blinked innocently at the officer. “I just needed a ride home. I’m too shook up to drive.”

The man grunted in consternation. “Fine. But he can wait for you downstairs.” Turning back to Max, he made a shooing motion, “Go!”

“I’ll be waiting outside,” Max called to Riley as he was roughly escorted from the apartment.

Drake turned to her in astonishment. Lowering his voice so the police wouldn’t overhear, he hissed, “You drove yourself here. And if you’re really too upset to drive…which I sincerely doubt, I could have given you a ride home. I’m right here.”

She shrugged and gave him a devious grin. “Can’t blame a girl for trying.” Her fingers flew over her keyboard as she texted Max to get photos of the outside of the building and the police going in and out.

He reached out, grabbed her arm, and dragged her closer. “Yes, they can actually! Do not give them a reason to charge you for impeding an investigation!”

“I’m happy to know you care, but they can’t arrest me for calling a friend for a ride.”

“Don’t play stupid, Riley. It doesn’t suit you. You’re a reporter, he’s your photographer, and he totally just tried to bullshit his way into a crime scene.”

“Max just gets enthusiastic—”

“Max does whatever you tell him to do. I’ve known you for a day, and I already know that. He’s young and naïve, and if you’re not careful, you’re going to get him in trouble.”

“And you’re underestimating him. Max can take care of himself.”

“Yeah? And how would you feel if he got arrested because of your antics?”

“Antics?” She arched an amused eyebrow at him.

“Yeah, antics. It’s a valid word!”

“Ok, grandpa.”

“Grandpa? Really?”

Riley shrugged. “If the shoe fits…”

Drake grunted in consternation. “Whatever. Just answer the question. How would you feel if you got him arrested?”

“Well, if he managed to get himself arrested, which is highly unlikely, mind you, then I’m sure his family would send a cadre of lawyers to get him out and probably sue the police for arresting him in the first place.”

Drake blinked. “Who’s his family?”

Riley’s mouth fell open. “Seriously? He’s a Beaumont! Didn’t you notice his last name when you were writing those checks to him?”

It took Drake’s brain several seconds before the pieces fell into place. “Wait. You mean those Beaumonts?”

“Yeah. Why do you sound so surprised?”

“Oh, I don’t know, Riley! Maybe because it never occurred to me that a member of a notorious crime family would be moonlighting as a photographer for what amounts to peanuts!”

“First of all, all the crime was committed by his great-grandfather, and allegedly his grandfather, not him. The Beaumonts are legitimate now! Second of all—”

Drake snorted loudly. “Yeah, okay.” Everyone knew that Beaumont Enterprises was a front for organized crime. Or at least suspected it. No one had ever been able to prove any accusation. Probably because of all the lawyers.

“They are! And even if they weren’t…. that’s hardly Max’s fault.”

“Hey, I get it.” He put his hands up in the universal sign of surrender. “No one likes to be judged by their family.”

Something in his tone drew a sharp gaze from her. “Judging from my research, your family seems pretty exemplary. Something I missed?”

He shook his head emphatically. “I’m just saying, some people may be trying to live down their family’s infamy, while others are busy trying to live up to an impossible standard.”

Her demeanor softened. “I get that.”

“Really?” He sounded skeptical. “Judging from my research, you’re the most successful person in your family.”

“Really.” She nudged him gently. “All that success is a stunning disappointment to parents who saved all their lives to pay for their daughter’s wedding and want nothing more than grandchildren.”

“Ouch. I’m sorry.”

“Nah. It’s fine. I’ve learned to live with it.”

“For what it’s worth, I think you’re amazing.”

“Thanks. You’re not too bad yourself.”

They both looked up at the sound of a throat clearing. Liam fidgeted uncomfortably. “Am I interrupting something?”

Drake was the one who answered. “Nothing we can’t continue later. Did you need something?”

“I just wanted to let Miss Brooks know that she’s free to go and to remind you not to keep spilling secrets to the press.”

“I didn't spill anything she wouldn't have found out on her own.” A note of admiration crept into his voice as he continued, “Have you read any of her articles? Do you know how many awards she’s won?”

Liam frowned. “What’s your point?”

“My point is, she's really good at what she does. She doesn’t have to steal information from me. She’s the one who pointed me to Sarah in the first place.”

“Did she now?” Liam turned a thoughtful gaze to the reporter. “How did you find out about Sarah?”

“I’m an investigative journalist, Detective. I investigated.”

“If you had information pertinent to the case, why didn’t you share it with law enforcement?”

“I did.” Riley gestured to Drake.

“Right.” Liam scoffed. “In the future, please refer any and all relevant information about my active murder investigation to me. The officer in charge. Got it?”

“Got it.” She gave him a mock salute.

“Riley,” he pinched the bridge of his nose with a sigh. “I know you’re mocking me, but I’m serious. There are protocols and procedures for a reason! I’m simply trying to do my job, catch the bad guys and keep the general public, including you, safe!”

“I know, Liam. I just—”

“Do you? Because I have a code of conduct that I live by, and I take my oath to the badge seriously!”

“I do know that. You are an honorable man, Detective Rys. Which is something I really admire and respect about you.”

Surprise flashed across his face. “Do you really feel that way?”

“Yes, Liam, I do.”

Drake cleared his throat. “Ok, I don’t mean to interrupt a moment here, but—"

“There’s no moment.” Liam snapped.

“Are you sure? Because to me, it looked like—”

“I’m sure. I just wanted to impress upon Miss Brooks the importance of staying out the way of an active investigation.”

“So just to be clear, you're not interested in dating her?”

“No!”

“Great!” Drake crowed before turning his attention back to Riley. “Now, about that dinner…”

Liam paled. “Wait—"

Drake slapped him on the back with a grin. “Too late, no take backs!”

Riley shook her head. “Guys, I’m standing right here!”

“Detective!” A plainclothesman approached Liam with a cell phone in his hand. “The chief has a question for you.”

“Alright, I’ll be right there.” He gave one last look over his shoulder before walking away. “I mean it, stay out the way, Riley.”

“Yeah. I will.”

“Of course! Every year we all go to my parents’ house for Christmas. My brother Ryder and his wife and kids, my sister Amelia and her fiancé, and my brother Jory will be home from school, and this is Declan’s last year at home before he goes off to university…. I’ll be the only one not there this year….”

“So, you’re close to your siblings?” He set the bottle and glass on the table between them and gestured toward it. “Drink?”

She shook her head. “No thanks. And yes, I’m very close to my siblings and my parents.”

“Would you like something else? I’ll buy you a drink. You can tell me about your siblings.”

“I wouldn’t say no to an amaretto sour…”

An hour later, she looked up to find him smiling at her softly. She flushed as she realized she had been dominating the conversation. “I’m so sorry! I’m just rambling on and on about myself and my family! Tell me about yours!”

“Nah,” he waved her off, “There’s not much to tell. I’d rather hear about yours. Your brother Jory sounds hilarious. Declan should definitely dump that guy, and I agree with Max about your sister. It sounds like she takes your love and support for granted.”

“Max and Amelia have never gotten along,” Riley said with a sigh.

“You’ve known Max for a long time, huh?”

“Since we were teenagers. He’s the one that talked me into becoming a flight attendant and got me this job.”

“You didn’t want to be a flight attendant?”

She shrugged as she pulled her drink closer to her and toyed with the rim, “I was deep in my I don’t know what I want to be when I grow up phase.”

“And now?”

“I like it. I don’t know if it’s what I want to do forever, but it’s really fun for right now. I have no complaints.”

The tension that had set in his back and shoulders at the thought of her quitting eased out of him as he relaxed back into his chair. “As airline jobs go, this is about as good as it gets.”

“You’re not wrong.” Not only did the private airline pay better than commercial airlines, but there were many perks from more flexible schedules to stipends for living expenses while traveling and generous bonuses. But the biggest benefit was getting to work with her best friend. All in all, she really couldn’t complain. “Thanks, Drake.”

“For what?”

“Taking the time to sit here and cheer me up. You didn’t have to do that. I’m sure you have plenty of things you’d rather be doing than listening to me go on and on about my family.”

He scoffed as he looked away from her and lifted his glass to his mouth. “I really don’t.” He was estranged from his family, single, and his only real friend was Liam. All of which was usually fine with him. He preferred it that way honestly, seeing himself as a lone wolf. Community and togetherness were overrated. He needed very little to be happy.

Something about this girl made him want more, though, and the feeling unsettled him.

“Well, at any rate, thank you,” she yawned, “but I should probably get back up to my room.”

“Oh, yeah, sure,” he glanced at his watch as he stumbled to his feet, “Me too. I’ll walk you up.”

The look she gave him sent butterflies exploding through his chest and he quickly clarified, “For safety, you know.”

“Right,” she nodded in agreement, but the smile that played across her lips said she understood exactly what was going on between them.

Good thing one of them did.

Entering the elevator, he reached out and pressed the button for the twelfth floor. He turned his head to find her giving him a measuring look. “What?”

“I didn’t tell you what floor I was on. How did you know?”

His eyes widened as he stared at her like a deer caught in the headlights. He had never felt so much panic surge through his body at one time and he had flown into combat zones before leaving the military for the private sector. His scotch-laden brain struggled to come up with a response that didn’t include telling her he had asked Liam what floor she was staying on. “Max must have mentioned it.” He mumbled.

“When did you talk to Max?”

He was saved from answering when her phone vibrated, and she quickly answered a text from one of her brothers. He heaved out a sigh of relief and changed the subject. “So, what do you like best about Christmas other than your family? The presents?”

“No,” she laughed, “The tree and decorations. There’s just something so peaceful about the lights and ornaments. Waking up to my mom’s ham and cheese omelets for Christmas breakfast. Oh, and I love the music!”

“Yeah? What’s your favorite Christmas song?”

“Jingle Bell Rock,” she replied without hesitation. “I know it’s not the most popular, or sentimental, but I love the beat and I love horses, so there you go. What’s yours?”

“Mine? Oh, no, I don’t have-“

“Come on, Drake, you have to have a favorite Christmas song!”

“Okay, okay, if you put a gun to my head then I guess I’d say it’s Do They Know It’s Christmas.”

Her mouth fell open. “Really?”

“Yeah, really, why is that surprising?”

“I don’t know. I figured you for a Rocking Around the Christmas Tree kind of guy. Why is Do They Know It’s Christmas your favorite?”

“I don’t know,” he jostled his body weight from foot to foot as he silently willed the elevator to hurry the fuck up, “I think it’s the juxtaposition of mindless consumerism with the destitution of impoverished peoples. It makes you think. Or it should.”

“Wow, Drake. You have hidden depths. I knew it!”

He arched an eyebrow at her. “You think about my depths?”

It was Riley’s turn to flush as she spun her body back to face the doors just as they dinged open. “Well, here we are!”

He saw her safely to her door in a silence that suddenly felt comfortable and right, as if him walking her to her door was a normal, everyday occurrence.

She opened the door and looked back over her shoulder, “Thank you again….for everything.”

“I should be thanking you for saving me from drinking alone. See you tomorrow, Riley.”

“See you tomorrow, Drake. Merry Christmas.”

“Merry Christmas,” he said as her door closed.

He stood outside her door for a long moment as he talked himself out of knocking on it and asking her to let him in.

Relationships with co-workers never ended well. He would know.

He turned and started trudging back down the hallway toward the elevator when he was seized by a sudden inspiration. Whipping his phone from his pocket, his fingers flew over the keyboard as his pace quickened and he hurried briskly back to his room, a smile of anticipation curving up his lips.

***

The next morning, Riely rolled out of bed and pulled the curtains open to see the area blanketed in freshly fallen snow, but it was all on the ground. Nothing fell from the clear blue sky.

With a squeal of joy, she bounced back to the bed to grab her phone from the nightstand, preparing to call Liam and ask if they had a takeoff time and then Max to find out how things had gone with Liam the night before, but before she could dial either number, it vibrated in her hand. She glanced down to see a text message in the group chat Liam had created yesterday when he invited everyone to dinner. It was from Drake.

Meet me in the Mountain Vista conference room.

That was odd, but okay. She quickly dressed and hurried out into the hallway, bumping into Max as she did so. “Were you waiting outside my door?”

“I was about to knock! I guess you got the text from Drake?”

“Yeah, but it’s weird, right? I mean, his entire contribution to the group chat yesterday was the word okay. And not even the whole word, just the two letters O.K.”

“I don’t know, but I hope it involves food! Come on, let’s go!”

When they arrived at the lower-level conference room, Max pulled the door open, and Riley walked into a stunning surprise.

Christmas finery draped the entire room. A six-foot tree adorned the center of the raised stage at the front of the room, fully decorated, complete with an angel on top. There were gift-wrapped packages under the tree. Christmas music spilled out of the speakers and a buffet table lined the far wall. She turned in circles, taking in the decorations everywhere, her mouth agape, “What is all this?”

“Uh…” Drake rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. “Nothing. I mean it is Christmas! Just thought you- um, just thought everyone could use a little Christmas cheer this morning.”

“You did all this?”

“Yeah…”

“Drake, it’s amazing! But why? Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining at all, but there’s a Christmas tree in the lobby.”

“I know, but that’s just a generic hotel tree for everybody. I thought you deserved something a little more personal.”

She stared up at him with wide eyes. “You did all this for me?”

“I mean….for all of us,” he declared hurriedly, turning away so she wouldn’t see the red coloring his cheeks. “I even managed gifts.” He plucked a package out from under the tree and held it out to her. “Don’t get too excited, they’re just t-shirts from the hotel gift shop. I got one for each of us.”

Riley watched as Drake tossed one to Liam, who had entered the room just behind them, and then Max. He kept the last one for himself. “Hope they fit.”

“How the hell did you accomplish all this?” A tinge of awe colored Liam’s voice.

Drake lifted his shoulder. “I just made a few phone calls and had things delivered.”

“They delivered all this in a snowstorm?” Max gaped at him.

“Well, the blizzard is over,” Drake scoffed, gesturing out the plate-glass windows along the side of the room. “This is just a lot of snow.”

“Ah, you missed your family today, too!” Riley gave him a sympathetic smile.

“Yeah.” Drake agreed as he turned his head to avoid the sharp look Liam gave him. “We should eat while this is still hot.”

“Ohhhh,” Max rubbed his hands together, “Good idea! It smells delicious!”

Drake followed behind Riley and Max toward the food. Liam sidled up next to him and lowered his voice so no one else could hear, “You never spend Christmas with your family.”

“What? Yeah, no, that’s….. you like waffles, right? Because I ordered waffles.”

“Oh, my god!” Riley exclaimed, “Ham and cheese omelets!”

“And bacon,” Max pointed out. “Don’t forget the bacon. Oh! And crepes!”

Her gaze slid thoughtfully to Drake as Max loaded his plate. “Did you order this because of what I told you last night?”

“Order what?” Drake shook his head as he reached for a plate. “I just asked for food. Lucky coincidence.”

“Okay.” She gave him an appraising look. He avoided direct eye contact with her.

The group sat down at a table near the center of the room and enjoyed breakfast together. Riley bit into a forkful of fluffy eggs, melted cheese, savory ham, and crisp onions as she took in the comforting twinkle of Christmas lights reflecting off red and gold ornaments. Max was already wearing the shirt Drake had given him and a Santa hat that he had produced from seemingly nowhere. All of it was set against the backdrop of sheer whiteness that could be seen through the conference room windows. Every ice-covered tree, bush and light post sparkled in the bright morning sun. A sense of peace and contentment that she hadn’t expected to feel on this particular morning settled over her as the group ate and laughed together.

Her phone rang. “It’s my mom!” she answered and after several tearful exchanges of I love you, I miss you and Merry Christmas, she addressed the group, “My mom wants to say hi to everyone.” She placed the phone in the middle of the table and pushed the speaker button so Catherine Brooks could wish the entire flight crew a Merry Christmas. “And especially you, Drake!” she gushed. “Riley told me about the tree and decorations. Thank you for making the day special for her. You’re a good friend.”

“I’m glad she liked it. I just thought we could all use a pick me up since everyone is missing the day with their family,” he lied. The truth was, he couldn’t stand to see her sad. The smile that had washed over her face and stayed there since she had first walked into the conference room made every bit of effort and expense he had gone to more than worth it.

Not that he was interested in her. He didn’t get involved with co-workers.

“Well, nevertheless, thank you and if you’re ever in our neck of the woods, we would love to meet you!”

“Ah…sure, that would be…all right…”

Drake was rescued by Max, who leaned over the phone to yell “I love you!” and “Merry Christmas!” at Riley’s family.

When every member of the Brooks family had spoken to both Riley and Max and the call was finally over, Liam looked up from his own phone and announced, “Great news…we can fly out now!”

“I almost don’t want to.” Max blurted out and then flushed from the tip of his nose all the way down to his toes. “I mean….I just meant this is nice, and it’s warm in here….”

“It’s okay, Max,” Liam grinned at him, “This has been nice, but we do need to get back home. If we don’t make it back today, we’ll have to reschedule tomorrow’s flight, and then I’ll have to deal with Madeleine and her bullshit.”

Drake shuddered. “Why the fuck did Leo give her part ownership again?”

“He didn’t give it to her,” Liam shook his head as he returned his phone to his pocket, “the judge in their divorce did.”

“Still. She acts like her twenty-five percent is controlling interest or something.”

“Tell me about it.” Liam was not overly fond of his ex-sister-in-law, but he couldn’t deny that she was skilled with the parts of the business he disliked, such as accounting and marketing. He just wanted to fly; and Madeleine taking over those parts, had allowed him to do exactly that.

“Well, I guess we should all go pack then,” Max headed toward the door, “You coming, Riley?”

“In a minute. You go on. And you’re still coming home with me today, right?”

“Bert won’t be home until tomorrow, so yes.”

Liam hurried across the room. “Hold on, Max, I’ll walk up with you!”

Riley and Drake watched them leave, then turned to each other. They stood silent and unmoving for a long moment in the middle of the Christmas finery, eyes searching eyes, unspoken emotions playing across both faces.

She took a step forward, “Drake…”

He caught her hand in his as she reached out for him. “Riley…we can’t…”

“And yet you did all this.”

“I’m sorry. It’s not you. It’s me.” He brought her hand to his lips and kissed the back of her fingers, then quickly dropped it. “Merry Christmas.”

“Merry Christmas, Drake, and thank you. Really. It means a lot to me.” She leaned in, went up on her tiptoes and placed a soft kiss on his cheek before whispering in his ear, “Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone that you’re a gooey, mushy marshmallow on the inside. Your reputation is safe.”

A short laugh escaped him as she stepped away. He watched her walk to the door with a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach that was at odds with the soaring feeling in his chest.

She liked him, right?

Not that it mattered. It was a bad idea to get involved with a co-worker.

As she slipped out the door, panic sliced through his being as he realized that he was involved.

He was very involved.

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How do you want to be known on Tumblr?  Angela

1- When did you start playing Choices? What's the first book you played? 

Back in 2017ish, I played The Freshman series, all of it, without spending a single diamond! (I looked up the diamond scenes on youtube, shhh). I started multiple games trying to diamond mine but kept wanting to actually play them, so I ended up deleting the app and forgetting about it. Fast forward to 2020, the pandemic was in full swing, we were stuck at home, and I was bored. I reinstalled the app and played Rules of Engagement. I spend diamonds. I married Leo. I moved on to TRR because I read that the prince in question was Leo’s brother. 

2- When and why did you join Choices fandom?

I went to Reddit to feed my choices addiction, so does that count? I was on there end of 2020, I’d guess. Everyone was discussing how PB hinted at a polyamorous ending for TRR but didn’t deliver. Then someone said there was poly fanfic out there, and I was like, where? I hit google and ended up on Tumblr sometime in 2021.

3- How did you pick your url name? 

So this is a funny story! When my kids were little, a town we live near, Mckinney, used to have a huge weekend-long extravaganza downtown the weekend after Thanksgiving called A Dickens of a Christmas. One of the big attractions was the train that ran around the square. It was hosted by the local magic shop, but the line, and the wait, was always very long. To keep everyone entertained, they had performers. There was a man on stilts who somehow ended up in some weird rivalry with my then eight-year-old son. I can’t remember how it started, but when one would see the other, they’d point and scream, “BAH HUMBUG!” There were people hula hooping with glow-in-the-dark hoops, and there was a magician. So one night, we are standing in line, and the magician comes over to us and is doing card tricks. He asked my then eight-year-old son (same kid, yeah, he makes friends wherever we go lol) to pull a card. He did. Then he handed him a pen and told him to write his name on it. Now my son is extremely dyslexic and struggled a lot with reading and writing. He tried to decline and hand it back, but the magician insisted. Finally, Todd takes the pen and scribbles on the card, and hands it back. The magician looks at it and says, “This is your name?” My son says, “My name is Todd.” The man replies, “Your name is Todd Scribbles?” Which sent him and me and the rest of my kids into a fit of giggles. He called him Todd Scribbles for the rest of the night. He did the magic trick of shuffling the cards and still pulling Todd’s card, then he gave it to him, and he brought it home and hung it up. His siblings called him Todd Scribbles forever. When I made my WordPress blog, I wanted something cute and memorable for the title. I remembered Todd Scribbles. And I thought scribbles are writing. I’m writing. These are my scribbles. Angela’s Scribbles. I stole his name. He was fine with it. When I came to Tumblr, I just stuck with the blog name I was already using on WordPress. 

4- Go back to your archive and tell us about the first post on your Choices blog. 

It was a one-shot called First Date. It’s TRR book one, the night before the Beaumont bash when Liam asks MC on his first real date. After the date, he walks her back to her room, and they are making out in the hallway when they hear a noise and pull apart. Who was it? They had no servants, and Bertrand and Max knew Liam was there. I always HC it was Drake, inadvertently stumbling upon them. So I wrote that night from his POV.

5- How long have you been writing fanfiction?

Since February of 2021 technically. I posted First Date, another one shot titled Confrontation, and the four chapters of The Proposal between February and March 2021, as well as some Ride or Die chapters, to the sound of crickets. I left and ignored Tumblr until August 2021. I really am not sure why I came back, but I decided to try again. My original idea was to write what happened at Ramsford during those three weeks between book 1 and book 2. I posted the first chapter of Three Weeks in Ramsford on August 1st, 2021, and never looked back.

6- What is your favorite Choices book to write about?

The Royal Romance

7- Share the first fanfic you wrote with us. Do you still like it or would you change anything about it?

My first series was Three Weeks at Ramsford. I definitely think I’d write it better now, I’ve grown as a writer. Also, I now wish I’d gone with my original idea of having Drake show up in person, not just smuggle a letter and a cell phone to her. 

8- What is your favorite fic that you’ve written?

Bad Romance, hands down.

9- Do you have a fic that you didn’t expect to be well received, but it was? What about one you expected to be but could use a little more love?

Bad Romance. I expected people to lose their minds, and they did, just not in the way I expected. It was supposed to be a one-shot and was a direct pushback against the notion that some of my characters were toxic. Basically, I was like, you wanna see toxic? Here, hold my beer! Everyone begged for more, and the first several chapters were really just me trying to see how toxic and messed up I could make everything/everyone. Then somewhere along the way, these characters started whispering motivations and desires to me, and everything changed. I ended up with a still lil toxic but pretty cool, fully functioning, open, honest, and loving polycule.

For the second part of the question, maybe Leo and Liv. I put Leo and Liv together in a one-shot randomly but then loved them together and started a series just for them. But to be fair, I haven’t gotten very far with it. It keeps getting pushed to the side for other projects. 

10- If you could write only angst, fluff, or smut for the rest of your writing life, which would it be and why? 

Why would you ask me that? Aaagghh, what a difficult choice! If I’m forced to choose, I guess it would have to be angst. I can’t live without emotion. Emotion drives everything, including the fluff and the smut, right? Angst is where you get to showcase the emotion.

11- Do you ever recognize yourself in any of your MCs or in your writing?

Of course. I think we all do this. I have said frequently, too many people, that while no version of MC is me, there are pieces of me in every version of her. 

12- What element of writing do you struggle with most?

This keeps changing. When I first started writing fanfiction, I was like, “Write smut? Oh no! I could never! It would be too awkward!” Now I’m like, “You want a threesome? BDSM? Just another Tuesday, ho hum.” Then it was humour. I remember the first time I sat down to write something to purposely make people laugh. It was a lot of work, but it paid off. Then I wrote an entire one-shot that was humour. It was still a lot of work. Then I wrote an entire miniseries that was humour and it became easier and easier the more I did it. Practice makes perfect. I never thought I could do tragedy either. I could not bear to hurt my characters like that. Now I think I’ve killed off almost everyone at some point or another. My biggest struggle is neglecting current projects when new ideas occur to me.

13- Do you have any neglected work you really want to finish?

Yes. Heir Apparent and Leo and Liv. Also, my original novel that has been woefully neglected, even though it’s only a few chapters away from completion. 

14- If someone you know in real life (who isn’t involved in fandoms) asked to read your work, would you let them? If yes, what would you recommend they read first? Yes. And I already have. Two of my friends have read most of my stuff. I recommended they start with Bad Romance because it’s my favorite, and they did.

15 - Are there any writers (published authors and/or fanfic writers) who influenced your writing? So many. I was a huge Stephen King fan as a teenager/young adult, and I devoured his books. Consequently, my first few short stories were horror. Anne Rice likewise fed my love of the supernatural, and not just Interview with a Vampire (though it was great), but the rest of her vampire books, as well as Taltos and the rest of the Witches of Mayfair series. Deborah Harkness and her Discovery of Witches are partially to blame for my obsession with witches. I also read copious amounts of fantasy and sci-fi. Marion Zimmer Bradley stands out for turning a well-known story on its head. Changing literally none of the major details we all know and love about the King Arthur story (Mists of Avalon) and somehow, at the same time, making it into a completely different story! (helped with my love of a good plot twist). Also notable are Orson Scott Card (Ender's Game, Seventh Son), Robert Heinlein (Stranger in a Strange Land), Ben Bova (Endless Universe), and Issac Asimov (I, Robot. Robots of Dawn). As a child, Marguerite Henry wrote books about horses that were achingly beautiful to me, particularly Misty of Chincoteague. Louisa May Alcott (Little Women) and Margaret Mitchell (Gone with the Wind) for epic, heart-wrenching storytelling. Sheri S. Tepper captured my attention as a teen with Maven Manyshaped and again as an adult with The Gate to Women’s Country, fostering my fixation of addressing issues of inequality and ingrained sexism in my work. I love a good mystery, and Sharyn McCrumb writes them with all the majestic beauty of Appalachia as a backdrop and liberal amounts of supernatural suspense. The Dark Part of the Forest by Holly Black delighted me for flipping the script, putting the prince in a magical sleep in a glass coffin in the woods, and having the girl hero run around with a sword. At some point, I moved on to paranormal romance. I had never been a romance reader, but these books took me by storm. My favorite authors in that genre are Charlaine Harris, Kim Harrison, and Laurell K. Hamilton. I have read everything all three of them have ever written. If you want polyamory on steroids, you can’t go wrong with Laurell K. Hamilton; she makes my Bad Romance gang look positively sweet, innocent, and vanilla. Let’s not forget the master of poetry and horror alike (according to me anyway), Edgar Allan Poe. He’s the reason I started writing poetry. My favorite poem is by him; it’s called Alone. And of course, The Raven and The TellTale Heart. I am beyond positive I’m leaving some out. 

As far as other fanfic writers go, I strive to be as funny as @harleybeaumont, as angsty  @burnsoslow as tragically beautiful as @dcbbw as evocative as @txemrn for my Drake to have as much swagger and sex appeal as @karahalloway and for my Leo to be as funny and endearing as @queenrileyrose. 

16- Which one of your stories would you most like to see as a movie/series? 

I think Savage Love would make a good action movie. I think Bad Romance would make a good series, like a modern-day Game of Thrones meets Bridgerton.

17- Do you write original stories? 

Yes. My WordPress blog is full of flash fiction, poetry, essays, and one of my original short stories. The rest of my short stories are waiting for me to either submit them to online fiction publications or publish them myself as a collection of short stories. I have three original novels in progress, one is almost complete. My original work is mostly horror, fantasy, and paranormal romance.

18 -  What other hobbies do you have?

Reading. Photography. Camping/Hiking. Live music/sports. Collecting books (related to, but different from reading). Acting.

19 - What’s your favorite emoji? 

20: BONUS - tell us anything you’d like (if you want to).

I guess if you’re interested in my personal life, I can tell you that I have seven children I can claim by birth or adoption and five more that I have partially raised for some amount of time spanning from six months to seven years, making a total of 12 children that have come through my home over the years. My husband and I have been married for twenty years; we live on a small farm in Texas, where we raise chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, and goats currently (we used to raise hogs as well). We have four dogs, two cats, a couple of bearded dragons, two snakes, and run a turtle rehab. We have a couple of box turtles and many aquatic turtles of different types. My 17-year-old (Todd Scribbles lol) is a fierce advocate for them and is the reason all our friends and family now stop to help turtles cross roads (safely and correctly, of course!). Three of my kids play volleyball competitively and are stupid good at it, they did not get that athletic ability from me. I love playing sports but am generally uncoordinated. My favorite sport is baseball, my favorite team is, of course, the Texas Rangers, and the greatest pitcher of all time was Nolan Ryan, and this is the reason my Drake’s middle name is Nolan. 

I sometimes process grief through my writing. When I wrote Maximum Damage, I didn’t plan it, but when I got to that part, Maxwell received the same injuries and recovery time as my oldest son did when he had his car accident. I have also lost loved ones to suicide, so writing that scene was hard as well. I wrote Betrayal after coming home from a memorial service and watching my nephew grieve for his wife. When I wrote Almost, again, it wasn’t planned, but when I got to the end, some of my own emotions about fear of losing a child came into play. Our youngest child is not biologically ours, and we have had to fight for her. We lost. She was ripped away and then given back. It’s why TRH 3 was so hard for me to get through and why I will never write MC losing custody of her child for even two minutes. 

Just because I don’t want to end on a sad note, I need to tell ya’ll more stuff, lol. I was in the Army, I went to Texas A&M for undergrad and got my master's at Texas Woman’s University. When I lived in Laredo, we used to walk across the Rio Grande into Mexico on the weekends to go shopping. I have lived in Texas most of my life, but I did live in Arizona in a hippie commune when I was four. Yes, my mother was a flower child. She had a white mustang covered in those flowers you stick to the bottom of the tub. The car’s name was flower. After my mom remarried, we lived in Oklahoma at Fort Sill (I was an Army brat).  I ran off to Ohio briefly at some point, and I spent ten days in New York City with a theatre group. I love musical theatre though I cannot sing. I was a theatre kid in high school and have done community theatre as an adult. I worked for over twenty years as a child development expert and only recently quit. I’m still figuring out what I want to do next. I worked for Half Price Books for two years in college, and it was a really fun job. My coworkers were all writers, artists, and musicians. I developed my love for live music by going to my manager's gigs on the weekends. Now I’m boring and never go anywhere but volleyball with my kids. I’m a raging night owl and have moderate to severe ADHD, which explains how I write so much. It’s a current hyper fixation. It’s also the reason I tend to overshare. Sorry.