Your first stop should be contacting Walter Cook at the region 2 office of the TWRA for a Falconry information packet . Once it arrives you can familiarize yourself with the state and federal regulations regarding falconry that are pertinent to TN. When the packet arrives it will contain a few names of state falconers willing to speak to falconry hopefuls.
http://tn.gov/twra/falconry.html

While you wait look here http://www.n-a-f-a.com/RecommendedBooks.htm. for lists of suggested reading materials for would be falconers and read up on NAFA while you are there.
We have a Falconry Association here in TN http://www.tennesseefalconersassociation.com and you can go here for some basic info about Us and falconry here in the region.

There are some stellar falconers in east TN, if you decide it's for you, you will be in good hands.

You will also want to read through the rules on Posting to this forum. You need to sign your posts with a name.