Cindi
Madsen
Finding
the one has never been so fun
frustrating.
Blurb:
Darby
Quinn has a bone to pick with Cinderella. Burned one too many times
by ex-boyfriends, Darby has lost all belief in the happily-ever-after
that the fairy-tale princess promised her. She's sworn off love,
Prince Charmings, and happy endings and she's happy about it. Really.
Or at least she was…until she met Jake, her gorgeous neighbor and
the manager of her favorite restaurant. But Darby has rules about
dating, ones she's culled from her years spent with so-called
“princes,” and starting something with Jake would break all of
them.
Charming,
fun, and unwilling to give up on her, Jake doesn’t fit any of the
profiles Darby has created from her case studies of
ex-princes-gone-bad. Finally presented with her own Prince Charming,
can Darby take a chance on a happily-ever-after?
Full
of wit and sarcastic humor, Cinderella Screwed Me Over proves that
sometimes the perfect love, like a perfect pair of shoes, is just
within your grasp.
Excerpt:
I
stepped off the treadmill, thinking about all I had to do that day.
And came face-to-face
with
Jake.
“I
thought that was you,” he said.
I
tugged the earphones out of my ears and blinked, hardly able to
believe my eyes. He was wearing long mesh shorts and a T-shirt that
stretched tight across his well-defined chest.
Last
night after my date, when I’d had trouble falling asleep, I’d
thought of all the things I should say to him the next time we ran
into each other. But they’d abandoned me somewhere around the time
I’d checked out his pecs.
“W-what
are you doing here?” Smooth,
Darby. Real smooth.
“Same
thing as you,” he said. “Going for a run.”
I
really wished I wasn’t so sweaty. My face was probably all red,
too. “But… You don’t live here? In this building?”
One
corner of Jake’s mouth twisted up. “It would be kind of strange
for me to go running here if I didn’t live here.”
Heat
filled my cheeks and I took another swig from my water bottle. Time
for the apology. Then maybe I could stop feeling so guilty and get
this guy off my mind. “Look, I’m sorry about the misunderstanding
at the restaurant. I just thought you were one of those guys who
tells everyone he owns the restaurant or runs the company or whatever
to seem impressive. I thought that since I knew everyone, you were
lying to try to impress me.”
There.
I’d apologized. Now I could move past this guy and get back to my
normal life.
“I
was
trying
to impress you, but not with my job.” He tucked his thumbs into the
pockets
of his shorts and shrugged. “I guess I need to work on my skills,
because obviously my natural rugged charm wasn’t enough.” He
flashed me a smile to punctuate his statement and I tried—and
failed—not to let it melt me the tiniest bit.
“Oh,
you were plenty charming. Just not enough to make up for being a
liar. Which for all I know, you’re not, so again, sorry.”
“Do
you always assume the worst in people?”
I
crossed my arms. “Yes. That way I’m never disappointed. It saves
a lot of time and trouble.”
His
eyebrows shot up and his smile faded. It only lasted a moment, then
the smile returned. “I guess there’s only one thing to do about
that. Let’s go to dinner, and I’ll prove to you I’m not a
liar.”
Is
he seriously asking me out right now, while I’m all sweaty and
makeup free? My
gaze accidentally drifted to his toned chest and arms. My pulse
quickened and the temperature in the room climbed even higher. I’d
be lying if I said I wasn’t tempted.
I
swallowed, forcing from my mind thoughts of how good he’d look
shirtless, and reminding myself of the rules that had kept me
heartbreak-free for a year. Guys like Nick, they were safe. The guy
standing in front of me was the total opposite. “Sorry, but you’ve
got two strikes against you already. You work at my favorite
restaurant, and you live in my building. That’s just asking for
trouble.”
Jake
took a step closer. “Or maybe it’ll be convenient.”
“A
girl does like to be called convenient.” My voice shook a little,
thanks to his proximity. He was tall, too—in my sneakers, I barely
came to his shoulder, which meant he’d still have a few inches on
me in my highest heels. Forcing as much indifference into my
expression as I could manage, I glanced at my watch. “I’ve got to
go get some work done.”
Jake
reached out and put his hand on my hip, just like he’d done the
other night. My skin heated under his touch and my breath caught in
my throat. Part of me was screaming, Just
go for it,
and the other part was yelling, Mayday,
mayday, we’re going down!
“Just
so you know,” he said, leaning close enough his chest bumped my
arm, “I’m an expert on baseball, and two strikes isn’t enough
to get out. You need three.”
I
stared up into those startling blue eyes of his, and worked at
keeping my voice steady. “I’m sure the third will come up soon.”
The
wattage on his smile kicked up a couple extra notches. “I’ll see
you around, Darby.”
tell me about yourself, and your writing.
I live in Colorado with my hubby and three kids, drink a lot of Mountain Dew, read and write a lot and love music and dancing.
How long have you been writing? How many published books do you have, and what genres?
I’ve been writing for ten years. I have four YA books out, an urban fantasy, books 1 & 2 in a paranormal series, and a contemporary mystery. (Demons of the Sun, Cipher, Rift, & All the Broken Pieces.) Then I have an adult romance series, Falling for Her Fiancé, Act Like You Love Me, an upcoming Christmas Novella & the 3rd book in the series, Resisting the Hero, and then the romantic comedy, Cinderella Screwed Me Over.
Do you write in multiple genres or just one? If just one, do you ever consider straying outside your genre?
Yeah, lots, as the above answer shows. Lol. I like to read different genres, so I like to write them as well. Keeps me from getting bored.
Are you a plotter or do you write from the seat of your pants?
Seat of my pants. Plotting feels like homework to me.
What is a typical writing day like for you?
I stay up late, so I wake up kind of late. Once I’m as ready as I can be for my day, I answer emails, tweet & such, then get to work. I often get distracted by the internet, but push through. Break for lunch & a little time to relax, then it’s back to writing, usually until it’s time to figure out what to make for dinner. (Or what to burn, as it often goes.)
Who do you love to read? Favorite authors, favorite books?
Whatever I’m reading, I like there to be at least some romance. I read most everything, though. Listing my favorite authors & books is always hard, but I’ll say L.M. Montgomery, Myra McEntire, Jeri Smith-Ready, Maggie Stiefvater, Sophie Kinsella, Sarah Dessen. I love Jane Eyre, The Witch of Blackbird Pond, The Unearthly Series by Cynthia Hand, and Tahereh Mafi’s Shatter Me series.
What is something you'd like to accomplish in your writing career next year?
Right now I’m hoping to keep up with all my deadlines, and of course I’d love for people to read my books. I’m always so excited when I get a note about them. Totally makes my day.
If you could have one paranormal ability, what would it be?
Flying. My family lives too far and I think that’d help with visiting back and forth.
If you could keep a mythical/ paranormal creature as a pet, what would you have?
Ooh, a unicorn of course!
Tell us a little about your latest release.
Cinderella Screwed Me Over is about a girl who used to be obsessed with fairy tales, but after several failed relationships, decides love is crap. She’s got a list of rules to follow, and has been doing pretty well. Until Jake shows up. There’s something about the guy that makes her want to take a chance, even though she keeps telling herself she knows better.
What is something that you absolutely can't live without? (Other than family members)
My phone. I get twitchy without it.
Could you ever co author a book with someone? If so, who would you choose, and what would you write?
I’d have a hard time being a co author, because I don’t plan at all. I think the other author would want to throw things at my head. There are several talented authors that I’d love to work with, and the closest thing I’ve done to working with them is to be in an upcoming Christmas anthology. We all wrote novellas about being stranded for the holidays, and I can’t wait to see them all together.
If you could spend a day with anyone from history, dead or alive, who would it be, and what would you do? What would you ask them?
Charlotte Bronte. I’d want to talk to her about Jane Eyre. I think that’d be cool.
What are some of your other hobbies outside of writing?
I like to listen to music, dance, go out to eat, and watch movies. I also love visiting with family and friends.
What is something you've always wanted to do, but haven't done yet. Why not?
Sky dive. Because I would’ve done it when I was younger, but now I think things through too much. Someday, maybe.
If you were on the staff to have a book adapted to movie, what would you pick?
Can You Keep A Secret by Sophie Kinsella. That book is hilarious.
What is a talent you wish you had, but don't?
Crafts. I really need to put a scrapbook together for my son, because his sisters both have one, but I have no patience for crafts. My friends laugh at me & say they don’t know anyone else who swears so much over making cute holiday items and such.
Favorite color? Purple
Weather: Hot or cold? Hot!
Favorite place to read? Beach
Favorite meal? Pizza
Favorite non-alcoholic drink. Mountain Dew
If you could travel anywhere and do anything, no limits or money holding you back, where would you go?
I’d spend a long time at a cottage along the beach, reading and relaxing.
Authors
Bio:
Cindi Madsen sits at
her computer every chance she gets, plotting, revising, and falling
in love with her characters. Sometimes it makes her a crazy person.
Without it, she’d be even crazier. She has way too many shoes, but
can always find a reason to buy a new pretty pair, especially if
they’re sparkly, colorful, or super tall. She loves music, dancing,
and wishes summer lasted all year long. She lives in Colorado (where
summer is most definitely NOT all year long) with her husband and
three children. She is the author of YA books All
the Broken Pieces, Cipher, and Demons of the Sun and
adult romances Falling
for Her Fiancé, Act Like You Love Me, and
Cinderella
Screwed Me Over.
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