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 in fiction and is a finalist for The Story Prize. Her personal essay writing topics include race, sex, gender, and pop culture.[1][2][3][4]

Deesha Philyaw
Philyaw in 2017
Born
Jacksonville, Florida
Education
OccupationAuthor, workshop leader, columnist
Websitedeeshaphilyaw.com

Early life and education

Philyaw was raised in Jacksonville, Florida.[5] She received a BA in economics from Yale University[6] and a MA in teaching from Manhattanville College.

Career

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.[7]

Her debut short story collection, The Secret Lives of Church Ladies (2020), received critical acclaim.[8][9] 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.”[10] 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."[11] The book was a finalist for the National Book Award for Fiction.[12]

Columns

Philyaw has written a series of columns for The Rumpus, titled Visible: Women Writers of Color[13] and for Literary Mama, The Girl is Mine.[14]

Works
  • Co-Parenting 101: Helping Your Kids Thrive in Two Households After Divorce (written with Michael D. Thomas). New Harbinger Publications. 2013. ISBN 9781608824632.
  • The Secret Lives of Church Ladies. West Virginia University Press. 2020. ISBN 9781949199734.

References
  1. "All the Church Ladies Are Having Secret Sex". Electric Literature. September 7, 2020.
  2. "Here Are the 2020 Finalists for The Story Prize". Literary Hub. January 12, 2021.
  3. Charles, Ron (2020-10-05). "The 2020 National Book Awards finalists are a strikingly fresh group". Washington Post. Retrieved 2020-10-22.
  4. "Sweat Equity: The secret lives of author Deesha Philyaw". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
  5. Behe, Rege. "Deesha Philyaw's new story collection is a window into the rich, varied lives of Black women". Pittsburgh City Paper.
  6. "Sweat Equity: The secret lives of author Deesha Philyaw". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved 2021-01-25.
  7. "Coparenting 101: 17 Helpful Strategies for Divorced Parents". Lifehack. September 18, 2018.
  8. "The Secret Lives of Church Ladies". wvupressonline.com. March 26, 2020.
  9. "Can A Devout Christian Woman Make Room For Queer Love?". BuzzFeed News.
  10. "Review: 'The Secret Lives of Church Ladies,' by Deesha Philyaw". Star Tribune.
  11. "THE SECRET LIVES OF CHURCH LADIES | Kirkus Reviews" – via www.kirkusreviews.com.
  12. Jackson, Jared (2020-12-23). "The PEN Ten: An Interview with Deesha Philyaw". PEN America. Retrieved 2021-01-25.
  13. "Visible: Women Writers of Color". The Rumpus.net.
  14. "The Girl is Mine". Literary Mama.
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