Taylor Swift’s Folklore album may have captured imaginations, but the Karns Library is diving even deeper into the stories that shape our region.

Branch Manager Anna Phillips and her senior assistant, Maggie Greenisen-Orosco, have curated a monthly series exploring the rich tapestry of legends and lore in Appalachia, drawing from European, African American and Native American traditions that define East Tennessee’s cultural identity.

Next up in the series is a special presentation on Cherokee Folklore, taking place Saturday, September 13, 2 p.m. The featured speaker is Christine Derr, a citizen of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma and a contributor to the newly released young adult anthology Legendary Fry Bread Drive-In from Heartdrum/HarperCollins Children’s Books.

Christine brings a vibrant and personal perspective to her storytelling.

As she shares on her website:

Christine Hartman Derr is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma. She’s a graduate from VCFA’s Writing for Children MFA program, where she won the Revisionary Award, Candlewick Picture Book Prize, T.A. Barron Prize for Nature Writing, and was selected as a DEI Fellow and a Center for Arts and Social Justice Fellow. She graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in creative writing from Florida State University. Christine writes across age markets and genres in the KidLit realm and is currently working on revising her middle-grade novel in verse. Her work includes themes on identity, belonging, and sharing the Cherokee language. She runs the blog  Paw Prints in the Sink and has written articles for regional publications. She’s honored to be a contributor to the anthology Legendary Fry Bread Drive-In, forthcoming from Heartdrum. Originally from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, Christine lives in Tennessee with her spouse, children and a rambunctious crew of loveable pets.

This event promises to be a heartfelt and enlightening journey into the stories that have shaped Cherokee culture and continue to resonate today. All are welcome to attend and explore the enduring power of folklore in our region.

Upcoming programs in the Appalachian Legends and Lore Series:

Oct 11: Appalachian Haints and Boogers

Nov 15: The Not Deer and Appalachian Cryptids

Mary Pom Claiborne is assistant director for marketing, communications and development for Knox County Public Library.

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