Derek was born in a small town north-west of Quebec City. Thanks to the military life, his family moved to Ontario in the early 2000s where he lived ever since. After attending high school north of Toronto, Derek pursued higher education at the University of Ottawa, where he completed his undergraduate studies in French literature. He now resides in Canada’s capital city with his wife and two children. In addition to family life, he has dedicated himself to teaching French to middle-grade students. When he is not busy chauffeuring his children to various extracurricular activities, he enjoys reading, writing and drinking tea.