The Collinsville Community Library welcomed local author, Tammy Osburn Oveross, on Wednesday, Oct. 9, for a book signing and reading of her new children’s book, “Cucumbers to Pickles.”
In the sixth grade, Oveross (who loved to read as a little girl) was spending time with her grandmother who was making pickles. As she watched the process, Oveross began to write a poem in her head.
Oveross would go on to devote her life to other passions, like raising children and teaching special education in schools. As a teacher, she did a lot of writing (such as grant proposals and parent letters) but didn’t spend as much time writing creatively as she would have liked.
Finally, this summer, she decided to turn her pickle poem into a published book.
“It took me 15 minutes to write the poem and 50 years to get it published,” Oveross said. “But hey, you only live once.”
Oveross used money she saved from substitute teaching to bring her dream to life.
“I decided it was time to invest in myself, for once,” she said.
She learned a lot through the publishing process. The illustrator the publishing company wanted to use had strong ideas about how things should be done, but Oveross relied on her personal experience working with special needs children to know what kids would enjoy most.
“I really had to put my foot down. He kept saying, ‘That’s not how this is usually done,’ but I knew what would make for the best experience for my readers,” Oveross said. “We eventually found a compromise and I think it turned out great.”
After selling a few copies of her book on-site (and happily signing them when asked), Oveross read the book to those in attendance.
Everyone enjoyed both the story and the experience of meeting the author in person.
“Cucumbers to Pickles” is available for purchase at sites like Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.
