THE TRUE CONFESSIONS OF FIRST LADY FREEMAN

New Novel Coming September 2026

The wife of a popular and powerful megachurch pastor upends her charmed “rags-to-Rolex” life when her secretive past comes roaring into the spotlight—in this much-anticipated, splendidly unruly debut novel from Deesha Philyaw, author of the award-winning hit short story collection The Secret Lives of Church Ladies.

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Release date September 29, 2026

All Books by Deesha Philyaw

"Deesha Philyaw has already established herself as one of the greatest short story writers, but in The True Confessions of First Lady Freeman she cements herself as the most soulfully entertaining writer of her era."
Kiese Laymon
author of Heavy and Long Division

The Secret Lives of Church Ladies
September, 2020

Pre-order
September, 2026

For inquiries regarding The True Confessions of First Lady Freeman, please contact Deesha’s Mariner publicist
Eliza Rosenberry at eliza.rosenberry@harpercollins.com.

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For inquiries regarding film/TV rights, please contact
Becca Rodriguez at becca@subtext-literary.com.

For inquiries regarding The Secret Lives of Church Ladies, please contact Deesha’s WVU Press publicist
Jeremy Wang-Iverson at jeremy@vestopr.com.

* * 

For speaking engagements,  please contact
Anya Backlund at anya@blueflowerarts.com.

For all other inquiries, please contact
Danielle Chiotti at danielle@upstartcrowliterary.com.

See more of Deesha’s work through Contently.

WHITING by Deesha Philyaw on Slushpilemag.com
Milk for Free by Deesha Philyaw on Brevitymag.com
Forecast for Sex By 50 When You Are a 46-Year-Old Black Woman by Deesha Philyaw on Mcsweeneys.net
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