National Book Award finalist Deesha Philyaw talks to Johnny about her shot glass collection, holy posturing, and her bedazzling story collection.

The Secret Lives of Church Ladies is available for purchase from Bookshop.

Deesha Philyaw’s writing on race, parenting, gender, and culture has appeared in the New York Times, the Washington Post, McSweeney’s, the Rumpus, Brevity, TueNight, and elsewhere. Originally from Jacksonville, Florida, she currently lives in Pittsburgh with her daughters.