Ava Sprayberry Abernathy
AKA
Author Dianah Brock
It all began in the foot
hills of the northwest Georgia mountains, it a small town known as Kingston.
There, deep in the woods on the outskirts of the small town, a little girl
played in the side yard of her grandparents’ home. Over near the garden in that
side yard, tiny blue and purple flowers bloomed every spring and summer. Being
the only girl in the area, little Ava Sprayberry (known to her family as
Dianah) played with those little flowers, giving each of them names, and
designating the largest and prettiest, the princess of the lawn. There was no
doubt that this little girl held quite the imagination within her young mind as
she, along with her flower friends, entertained herself day in and day out.
As Ava began to grow, so did
her creativity and the imagination that allowed her to escape situations she
didn’t like, one of those being math class. While teachers tried to teach the
least common denominator and the greatest common factor, Ava was busy with a
notebook, drawing (very poorly) pictures of fairies holding magic wands, flying
over fields and houses. Teachers scolded her for not paying attention to the
math lessons, but admired her writing when the assignments were given.
By her Freshman year in high
school, Dianah had grown to love books, and often found herself writing short
stories to pass the time, instead of partying with friends or watching the
latest episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. One day, her Lit/Comp teacher
pulled her aside, and Dianah knew she was in trouble again. Much to her
surprise, the teacher told her that she held great promise as a writer. She had
talent, and it would serve her well to pay attention in class and develop her
writing skills. It was at that moment, a bullied, unpopular girl who was simply
“riding it out” in school, suddenly had a purpose. She suddenly had a dream. It
was that day that she promised that teacher that she would be a writer, and
when she published her first book, it would be dedicated to that teacher.
In 2010, after several
rewrites, then Ava Sprayberry Shook released her first published novel, The
Story of Michelle Brown Vandivere with vanity publisher Publish America LLC.
Since that time, Ava, now author Dianah Brock has released 12 books including
seven supernatural suspense thrillers, as well as five children’s books.
Ava Sprayberry Abernathy is not remarried to her husband John, and resides in Fort Payne Alabama. Working as a property manager by day, when evening falls, Ava becomes Dianah, and the writing continues. Ava is also a mother to three biological children, and two bonus children, for whom the children’s books were written.
You may find her books all listed on her website at www.AbernathyBooks.com or on Amazon buy clicking the shop kindle button.
You can also find her at: https://www.facebook.com/AbernathyBooks/
Tell
us about your life outside of writing.
When I am not spending long hours late into the night working on my
next book, I work as a property manager for a small, up and coming Property
Management Company based out of Georgia. If I am not working, I am spending
time with my family, attempting to binge shows on Netflix or Hulu, but don’t
ask us what we just watched, we were too busy laughing at my husband who I
believe was a comedian in a past life.
Do
you have a work in progress? I have several. I don’t just write one book
at once. More often than not, I’m working on at least three or four
manuscripts. My current work in progress has taken me away from my fiction work
as of late. I am currently focused on my first self-help book for indie authors
like myself. The main purpose of this book, which I have titled “The Indie
Author no Bullsh*t Guide to Marketing on a Budget,” has my full attention right
now as I am planning a completed final draft, with release and launch by April
1,2021. (No, this isn’t an April fool’s joke for writers; help is coming.)
What was the most difficult section/piece you ever
wrote, and why was it difficult?
The answer to this always has
been, and always will be The Apocalypse Diaries Series. I started writing the
series in 2013 after I suffered a complete mental and emotional breakdown.
Somewhere before that time, I had lost myself, and writing is my therapy. Book
one was my success because I’d found myself again’ the strong, independent, and
optimistic woman I once had been. The most difficult section, in all honesty
was the dedication in book two, (which I will release later this year) which
read, “In
loving memory of my cousins, Michael Anthony Sprayberry and Kenneth Grover
Sprayberry (Kenny). Although your wings were ready, our hearts were not.
Therefore, in this life, you both will continue to live on through the pages of
this book, and any book in this series. When you are loved by a writer, you
shall never die. Until we meet again. Love Always, Dianah.” Running
close second in this race of the most difficult, a synopsis.
What sort of
research do you do for your work?
I
read books, listen to podcasts, anything that is relevant to the subject matter
for the book I am working on at the time. I believe that in order to write for
readers to leave their reality for a short time, then I too should leave my
reality to learn. For example, if I have a character that is a nurse or a
doctor, I don’t go pulling textbooks or hanging out at the local college
library. I grab a medical drama novel, or something similar, and I read.
Which books and
authors do you read for pleasure? Is there an author who inspires you?
I
love horror suspense thrillers, anything supernatural, and even a little
romance. As for authors who inspire me, I have two: Stephen King, and Laurell
K, Hamilton. King entertains that dark and terrifying craving I have as far as
literary entertainment goes. I love the thrill and chill his books can give.
Hamilton, she inspires me because her books feature things like polyamory,
homosexuality, and other things that at the time these books were being
released, were still considered kind of taboo. However, she wrote, submitted,
and published without fear, what she wanted, when she wanted, and opinions of
others be damned. She writes to change the world by grabbing the reader’s
attention with the points of fiction that we all love such as vampires, magic,
action, and a good mystery. When I read a book by Laurell, it makes me
fearless. While I do write books that I hope others will enjoy, I write for
myself above anyone else. It’s my hobby, my “me time” and she helps me remember
that.
Was
there a person who encouraged you to write?
There were a few. The first, was a substitute teacher I had in elementary school. She grew tired of my doodling and writing during math class, as subjected I hated, and my grades reflected it. Instead of taking it away and scolding me, she told me that I had talent, and a talent like that should be developed, but not during math class. The second was in High School. Not only did she tell me I had talent, she took my work, the short stories I’d write at home and she would proofread and edit them in her spare time. She would bleed red all over my work to make it better. The day I was able to visit my old high school, about ten years after I’d left, it was an honor to visit her classroom and hand her that first novel I had promised her.
Achievement by Possession- Karen Fortenberry thought all of her dreams had come true when she fell in love with writer James Carter. However, as their wedding date nears, she learns that her dreams may actually be her worst nightmares come true. James is possessed by a demonic entity you'll hear about throughout this book. Now, she must fight to survive the night or become his sacrifice to achieve his own selfish goals.
The Story of Michelle Brown Vandivere- Michelle Brown is a struggling small business owner from a small town in Northwest Georgia. Just as it seems as though her entire world is crumbling beneath her, Michelle learns she is the heiress to a multi-million-dollar fortune. However, she soon realizes that her blessing may indeed be her worst nightmare as she faces trial full of conspiracy, romance, and even the paranormal.
The Apocalypse Diaries: The Fall- Surviving in a world where the dead walk among the living is not a simple task, especially for me. My name is Amber, and I am responsible for the lives of an entire village. When a simple training mission goes awry, I along with my two children, and a close friend, find ourselves on a new mission: To return to our village and move everyone before a horde of the undead falls blindly at out doorstep. Can we make it home in time?
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