Author ties into Pilot Point roots

By Basil Gist

Staff Writer

       Longtime Pilot Point native Tammy Oveross returned to writing after a 50-year hiatus with “Cucumbers to Pickles,” a picture book and adapted poem she originally wrote in sixth grade that was published in The Post-Signal.

       The book follows a little girl and her grandmother and focuses on the relationship between family.

       “In all my years, I’ve never forgotten that poem,” Oveross said. “When I was talking to the publishing company, they said people love books about relationships, and that’s what I focus on. It’s not so much about making pickles as the relationship with grandparents. I decided that was a good place to start.”

       Writing was a childhood dream before life got in the way, Oveross said. She went to college first for journalism, started a family, returned to college for home economics and made a career as a teacher after being inspired by Tupperware sales.

       “I sold Tupperware for a while, and I just loved it,” Oveross said. “I loved showing people how to make nutritious meals for their families and use the products and presenting to people.”

       After 21 years of teaching at Pilot Point, 14 as a SPED teacher, and years at other districts, Oveross retired only to find boredom in it.

       “I felt like I didn’t have a purpose,” Oveross said. “I prayed about it and said, ‘I’ve always wanted to write a book. It’s always been a dream of mine, and it’s been put on the back burner for 50 years.’”

       The poem she wrote as a sixth grader, which had stuck with her and others around her, and even been published in the paper years ago, was the thing that came to mind as she began considering what to write.

       Oveross envisions more books in the future, other stories and moments she remembers about both grandmothers. However, the next will feature Thelma Osburn again, this time titled “Blackberries to Cobbler.”

       “I’ve got a really clear memory of that, and it will be longer,” she said. “It’ll be for a little bit older kids to read.”

       “Cucumbers to Pickles” is available at Martin General Store in Pilot Point as well as on Amazon.

       “I’m going to republish it but in Spanish, and I’m working on an activity book, craft ideas, recipes and lesson plans for teachers,” Oveross said. “I feel like every age level could get something out of that book. I know when I taught home ec, a book like this would have been perfect to introduce a unit on gardening or preserving food.”

       She explained that a dream, no matter how long it’s left to simmer, is always worth picking up again.

       “People should not be afraid to go for their dream and not be worried about what anyone else thinks,” Oveross said. “I did that to myself to start with.”