Spotlight & Giveaway: Savvy Sheldon Feels Good as Hell by Taj McCoy

Today it is my pleasure to Welcome author Taj McCoy to HJ!

Hi Taj and welcome to HJ! We’re so excited to chat with you about your new release, Savvy Sheldon Feels Good as Hell!

Hey, y’all!

Please summarize the book for the readers here:

Savvy Sheldon Feels Good as Hell is a romantic comedy about Savvy Sheldon, a plus-sized workaholic who starts out in a relationship that isn’t the right fit. Early on, she crosses paths with her love interest, Spencer, but Savvy makes some early assumptions that cause them to be on poor footing (though Spencer’s dog, Teddy, is in love with Savvy from the start). Of course, Spencer also ends up being the answer to Savvy’s kitchen renovation needs for the home she inherited from her grandparents. In grappling with issues surrounding the breakup, and vying for a promotion at work, Savvy’s crazy best friends and loving family keep her in good spirits and help her re-center herself, eventually opening her up to dating. And Spencer wants to be that guy for her, irrespective of opinions the ex had or doubts Savvy may have about herself. She is a professional woman in her thirties—she works hard, she wants to be loved, she has the biggest heart, and she gets to have her happily ever after. I love this story!
 

Please share your favorite line(s) or quote from this book:

Savvy beamed looking around at her friends and their feast. Spencer wrapped his arms around her waist. “I think I’m starting to see me, too.”

Please share a few Fun facts about this book…

• 1) I wanted to make mouths water. I’m all about presentation, and so if I can see it in my mind’s eye and describe what I’m seeing, I believe that I can have you also picture that presentation. The scents, the textures, the spice level—I want readers to experience food through all of their senses. You know I care about you when I invite you into my home and cook for you. That’s my love language. My grandmother used to love to feed people—she’d have a huge spread of food even if we’d just come from dinner, and there was no way we could turn it down. I’ve inherited that desire and love of feeding people. I can’t bring all of my readers over for dinner, but in this way, I can still share a meal with you.
• 2) My writing playlist consisted of a lot of Lizzo, H.E.R., Summer Walker, Alina Baraz, Jhene Aiko, and others
• 3) The first title of this story was Just as You Are. When my agent pitched it to publishers, it was The Blueprint.

What first attracts your Hero to the Heroine and vice versa?

Spencer is attracted to Savvy before she ever notices him–he thinks she is beautiful before she makes any attempts to change her appearance. Savvy first notices Spencer’s smile and warm demeanor. It also helps that he has an adorable chocolate Labrador who is in love with Savvy.

Did any scene have you blushing, crying or laughing while writing it? And Why?

There’s a scene where Savvy and Kotter worked out and then meet Mags at the coffee shop. Mags is visibly hungover after drinking all of the bourbon the night before at one of Kotter’s industry parties. As Kotter and Mags relay what happened the night before, Maggie just makes me laugh so hard. I absolutely love her, and I hope that I get to make her a main character of her own story in the future.

Excerpt: “Have you ever tried to stop Maggie from doing something that she was determined to do?” Joanie countered.
“Okay, fine. Maggie, don’t you think that you could have proven yourself without drinking all of the bourbon?”
Maggie lifted her sunglasses just high enough to make squinting eye contact with her, her voice dulled to avoid aggravating her headache. “Well, in retrospect…yes.”

Readers should read this book….

to feel good and travel with Savvy on a journey to self-love and acceptance. To laugh along with Savvy and her hilarious ride-or-die friends. To feel the familial pull of Savvy’s loving mom and uncle. To feel the frustrations of being a dedicated working professional gunning for a promotion. To drool over amazing food. To enjoy steamy chemistry. To feel the joy of a happily-ever-after.

What are you currently working on? What other releases do you have in the works?

Readers can continue to expect plus-sized characters in Black love stories. Steamy stories that make you hungry and make you laugh. I am always coming up with new ideas (that I organize on a spreadsheet), as are my friends, and often my agent. And I want all of them! I think there’s room for all of the love stories, and at some point, I’d love to cross from romcom into contemporary romance, romantic suspense or crime fiction, and I have a few YA ideas for some point in the future as well.

I’m currently editing my second book, which is a standalone adult rom-com about a plus-size bookstore owner who finds herself in a love triangle with a charming author and his best friend.
 

Thanks for blogging at HJ!

Giveaway: A Print copy of SAVVY SHELDON FEELS GOOD AS HELL by Taj McCoy

To enter Giveaway: Please complete the Rafflecopter form and Post a comment to this Q: Which character do you relate to the most? What is your favorite form of self-care?

 
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Excerpt from Savvy Sheldon Feels Good as Hell:

Mags began sucking on one of the oxtail bones to find the marrow; egregious slurping likely to impress any man in earshot. Savvy took a sip of wine, and glanced at Joanie, whose mouth fell wide open as she watched Mags work. Mags finally looked up, surprised to find three pairs of eyes on her.
“What did I do now?” the bone still at her lips.

“You’re, uh, really goin’ to town there.” Joanie nodded her chin toward Mags’ oxtail.

“What? The marrow is the best part!”

“It is, and you’re winning all kinds of awards right now for how you’re slobbing down that bone.”

“I’m not—”

Joanie brought a bone to her lips and imitated Mags, down to the shoulder sway she was doing. Mags put the bone down, and Spencer laughed so hard tears formed in his eyes.

“I’m so sorry,” Savvy laughed. “I’m completely mortified. My girls are in rare form this evening.”

“Girl, we all do this. Don’t front,” Mags warned, finishing off her bowl.

“Maggie, I have to tell you, I’m proud of the work you put in,” Joanie said grinning. “You’re going to make some man really, REALLY happy.”

Spencer bounced his eyebrows in agreement. “It was impressive.”

“So what’s your deal, Spencer? Do you have a special someone who puts in work like that for you?” Joanie rested her chin in her hands, eyeing him curiously.

Jesus. Savvy coughed, glass of wine suspended mid-air.

He cleared his throat. “Nope, I’m single. Looking for that special someone, but work takes up a lot of my time.”

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
 
 

Book Info:

A delicious debut rom-com about a plus-size sweetheart who gets a full-life makeover after a brutal breakup.

Savvy Sheldon spends a lot of time tiptoeing around the cracks in her life: her high-stress and low-thanks job, her clueless boyfriend and the falling-apart kitchen she inherited from her beloved grandma—who taught her how to cook and how to love people by feeding them. But when Savvy’s world starts to crash down around her, she knows it’s time for some renovations.

Starting from the outside in, Savvy tackles her crumbling kitchen, her relationship with her body, her work–life balance (or lack thereof) and, last but not least, her love life. The only thing that doesn’t seem to require effort is her ride-or-die squad of friends. But as any home-reno-show junkie can tell you, something always falls apart during renovations. First, Savvy passes out during hot yoga. Then it turns out that the contractor she hires is the same sexy stranger she unintentionally offended by judging based on appearances. Worst of all, Savvy can’t seem to go anywhere without tripping over her ex and his latest “upgrade.” Savvy begins to realize that maybe she should’ve started her renovations the other way around: beginning with how she sees herself before building a love that lasts.
Book Links:  Amazon | B&N | iTunes | kobo | Google |
 
 

Meet the Author:

Oakland-born law grad and former private chef, Taj McCoy (she/her), is committed to writing stories championing Black and biracial women of color, plus-sized protagonists, Black love, Black joy, and characters with a strong sense of sisterhood and familial bonds.

Taj started writing as a small child, enjoying the success of her first publications in elementary school. Since then, her dream has always been to become a professional writer. As a law student, she attempted her first novels and joined the Twitter writing community. Though Taj has spent more than ten years working in higher education administration, she continued to pursue her goal and ultimately finished her first novel in 2018, securing her agent in 2019. She now writes full-time and offers strategic and editorial consulting services for potential law school applicants.

When she’s not writing, Taj may be on Twitter boosting other marginalized writers, trying to zen out in yoga, sharing recipes on her website, binge-watching her favorite reality tv, or cooking private supper club meals for close friends. Catch her producing and co-hosting the Fat Like Me Podcast, which celebrates body diversity in publishing and entertainment, or watch her join forces with several writer friends on Sundays for the Better Than Brunch video podcast. Taj proudly served as the 2021 #DVdebut Program Manager for Diverse Voices, Inc. and as a mentor for 2020 Pitch Wars.
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