Deesha Philyaw’s “The Secret Lives of Church Ladies,” published by WVU Press, continues to draw national attention for its short stories about black women, church and sexuality, this time from Hollywood.
What’s the news?
Deesha Philyaw’s “The Secret Lives of Church Ladies,” published by WVU Press, continues to draw national attention for its short stories about Black women, church and sexuality, this time from Hollywood. HBO Max and actress Tessa Thompson have announced they are teaming up to adapt the book into a series to “develop interesting and inclusive stories with inventive creators and to discover new voices and visionaries.” Thompson and Philyaw will coauthor the adaptation. “The Secret Lives of Church Ladies” recently won the Story Prize, a national award for the year's best collection of short stories. It's the first book from a university press, or small press of any kind, to win. The short story collection was also a finalist for the 2020 National Book Award in fiction, as well as a finalist in the 2021 Pen/Faulkner Award and 2021 L.A. Times Book Prize: Art Seidenbaum Award for First Fiction.
Quotes
“It’s fun being associated with a genuine publishing event—a title that’s already accumulated several firsts for any book from a small university press, and keeps generating more good news every week. My colleagues and I are proud of Deesha Philyaw, and we look forward to continuing to bring national recognition to West Virginia University by amplifying underrepresented voices.” – Derek Krissoff, Director, WVU Press
“The West Virginia University Press team has shepherded my book into the world with such care and confidence. From acquisition to the editorial process to my current book tour and promotional efforts, their support has been tremendous. Every writer should be so fortunate as to have this kind of publishing experience.” – Deesha Philyaw, author of “The Secret Lives of Church Ladies” who is based in Pittsburgh
Resources
- WVU Press: The Secret Lives of Church Ladies
- WVU Press title longlisted for the National Book Award, WVU Today
- Tessa Thompson Launches Production Company With First-Look Deal At HBO/HBO Max, Will EP ‘Who Fears Death’ & ‘The Secret Lives Of Church Ladies’ Adaptations
Target Audiences
- Advocates of diversity and inclusion
- People interested in Black culture, history
- Writers
- Readers
- Educators
-WVU-
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CONTACT: Derek Krissoff
Director
WVU Press
derek.krissoff@mail.wvu.edu
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