Deesha Philyaw

What's good? I'm Nekisha Elise Williams and this is Black and Published, bringing you the journeys of writers, poets, playwrights, and storytellers of all kinds.

Today is the kickoff for Season 7, and we have none other than Deesha Philyaw joining us to discuss her debut novel, The True Confessions of First Lady Freeman.

It's a satirical romp through a Black megachurch from the perspective of its esteemed First Lady, Cherise Freeman, who wants nothing more than to be accepted, even though that validation might come at the cost of her soul.

The thing that's killing us as Black women, it's flourishing in the dark.

We're sharing a brain.

This could definitely go that way, but I'ma keep it cute today.

[upbeat music] The True Confessions of First Lady Freeman by Deesha Philyaw follows First Lady Cherise Freeman over a year as she competes in the First Lady USA Pageant for middle-aged megachurch pastors' wives.

A social pariah amongst the other contestants, Cherise is on a mission to win each of the other first ladies over and be back in their inner circle.

All week long, we'll be speaking with authors who have big, new releases.

Later this hour, I'll speak with Deesha Philyaw about her novel, The True Confessions of First Lady Freeman.

It's about a rollicking send-up of Black mega-churches.

Tomorrow, we'll be speaking with Robert Kolker about a devastating medical mystery around dementia.

[upbeat music] This is All Of It on WNYC.

I'm Alison Stewart.

After the success of her short story collection, The Secret Lives of Church Ladies, author Deesha Philyaw has returned with her debut novel titled The True Confessions of First Lady Freeman.

Cherise Freeman is married to the Reverend of Hope in Christ Baptist Church outside of Atlanta.

This was great.

[upbeat music] A quick preview of what's coming up on the show on Monday, it's the start of book week, and we begin with Deesha Philyaw, who'll be here in studio to talk about her new novel, The True Confessions of First Lady Freeman.

It's about a satire of Black megachurches.

That's happening on Monday.

But we've got Marlon James, we've got Emma Cline out with a new book that's getting great reviews.

Emily St. John Mandel is in the mix, Min Jin Lee is in the mix, Deesha Philyaw is in the mix, and like, I was expecting to see many more of those names with based on the familiarity that I do have with many of those books and of how they're being reviewed and perceived-

Yeah

... by critics, by the critical body and by readers who have already interacted with them.

And then, yeah, super excited for the Center for Fiction First Novel Fridays.

I'll be in conversation with, uh, Deesha Philyaw and Claudia Piñeiro.

I saw that.

Dang.