Deesha Philyaw

Deesha Philyaw is an American author, columnist, and public speaker. Her debut short story collection, The Secret Lives of Church Ladies, was a finalist for the 2020 National Book Award for Fiction and won The Story Prize. Her personal essay writing topics include race, sex, gender, and pop culture.

Early life and education Philyaw was raised in Jacksonville, Florida. She received a BA in economics from Yale University and an MA in education from Manhattanville College.

Career

Early career Philyaw worked in corporate communications at a Pittsburgh-area bank before quitting to pursue her writing consultancy and freelance writing full-time. She decided to give up on her major and pursue what her passion. She cites among her literary inspirations Toni Morrison, James Baldwin, Nafissa Thompson-Spires, Bassey Ikpi, and Tyrese Coleman.

Books Philyaw's first book, Co-Parenting 101: Helping Your Kids Thrive in Two Households After Divorce, was written in collaboration with her ex-husband, Michael D. Thomas, and published in May 2013.

Her debut short story collection, The Secret Lives of Church Ladies (2020), received critical acclaim. Writing in the Minneapolis Star Tribune, Marion Winik said “Juicy goodness bursts from every page of Deesha Philyaw's debut short story collection. . . . This collection marks the emergence of a bona fide literary treasure.” A starred review in Kirkus Reviews said, "A collection of luminous stories populated by deeply moving and multifaceted characters. . . . Tender, fierce, proudly black and beautiful, these stories will sneak inside you and take root." The book won the 2020 Los Angeles Times Book Prize, the 2021 PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction, the 2020/2021 Story Prize and was a finalist for the National Book Award for Fiction.

Philyaw's debut novel, The True Confessions of First Lady Freeman, is set to be published by Mariner Books in September 2026. and for Literary Mama, The Girl is Mine. Her essays have also appeared in the Harvard Review, The New York Times, and The Washington Post.

Works

Personal life Philyaw currently lives in Miami, Florida with her two daughters.