Christine Derr

Christine Derr
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Hey, y’all! I’m an adventurous wanderer who put down roots here in East Tennessee back in 2014. My little family moved here from the wilds of suburban Alaska in 2014. We love exploring Knoxville and the surrounding areas, especially the Smoky Mountains. I’m a freelance writer and teacher who loves looking at the mountains when my nose isn’t in a book. I’m a mom to two bookish kids, a wildly clingy dog, two cats, and a fish I’d be in trouble for not mentioning. Since becoming a mom, I’ve been able to add Lincoln Log architect, LEGO contractor, and mediator to my resume. I’ve always been a bit of a jack of all trades, as I’ve been a tutor, teacher, circus instructor, bookseller, amateur baker and, of course, writer. I remind myself of this as I tell my kid not to sit on my other kid’s head while stopping the dog from chasing the cat and the other cat from jumping on top of the fish tank. I have a Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing and am currently pursing my Master of Fine Arts while keeping all these creatures who live in my house alive. I survive on coffee, writing fiction, reading, Disney, and snuggles. You can read more of my work at www.pawprintsinthesink.com.
Answering the 3 Questions Book Lovers are Always Asked

3 Questions Book Lovers are Always Asked

I've always loved books. I don't remember learning to read, I just remember always having my nose stuck in a book. When I was in elementary school, I used to read while walking to...
How Far I’ll Go…Or Not

How Far I’ll Go…Or Not

I always planned on giving my kids roots. One place they could recall in their memories as home, where they could return when they were grown and feel as safe and welcome as they...
Meal Planning Saves My Sanity

Meal Planning Saves My Sanity

Life is hectic and full of decisions, and dinnertime only compounds that chaos. How can we simplify dinner and grocery shopping, all in one fell swoop? Meal planning solves both of these problems; it's a...
Non-School Learning

Non-School Learning

Confession: We have no quarantine school schedule. We aren't doing packets of worksheets. Oh, yeah, and I'm a former teacher. Yet there is no forced learning here. But that doesn't mean we aren't learning. I...
Keeping Connected: Tips and Apps to Hold the Community Together

Keeping Connected: Tips and Apps to Hold the Community Together

A lifetime full of frequent moves has prepared me for this very moment in time: staying connected with friends and loved ones when you can't physically share the same space. Since Tennessee is my...
Spring Break in the Time of Coronavirus: How to Save Your Sanity

Spring Break in the Time of Coronavirus: How to Save Your Sanity

As I imagined Spring Break in my mind's eye this year, I knew we wouldn't have toes in the sand or airplanes in our future. But I did imagine long Chick-fil-A lunches with friends,...
The Power of Parenting Cliches

The Power of Parenting Clichés

Once upon a time I heard sweet songs on the radio about missing stages of childhood and babies being grown, and I smiled and moved on about my day. Now I hear that song...