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ABOUT F.R.E.S.H.
AND ITS FOUNDER

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F.R.E.S.H. Celebrating 15 years of Magnifying Literacy!

 

Welcome to F.R.E.S.H. 2026!  I am Donna Gray-Banks, the director of the F.R.E.S.H. Book Festival since its inception.  We are delighted to have you visit us as we get ready for "Literacy Magnified - F.R.E.S.H. Book Festival's 15-year celebration!

 

Something about me . . .
I began writing when I was seven years old. I have always been a true romantic at heart.

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I was born and raised in Pittsburgh, PA, which at the time was a large industrial steel town. It has since transformed into a research and development hub and a financial metropolis for small businesses.

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My parents were truly opposites, as my father was born and raised in Pittsburgh, and my mother’s family was from Charleston, South Carolina, from an agricultural background. Her family migrated to Pittsburgh from South Carolina for better employment opportunities. Of course, being a writer was never a career that my parents felt would keep food on the table, and they were possibly right, but I always wondered if I had been encouraged more where my career might be today.

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But they were afraid of the unknown and wanted me to get a good government job and retire with lots of money. Needless to say, that did not happen. But let me digress. Throughout the years, I have written short stories and stored them away. I loved to write stories about my father’s mother, whom I had never met, but with whom I had a great spiritual connection. Consequently, my novels are named after her-- “Ila.” Because spiritually, you must travel the path destined for you, I was unable to complete my first novel until 2008. But since that time, I have now completed four novels.

Why F.R.E.S.H?

I spent an enormous amount of money on traveling, booking festivals, purchasing giveaways, and hotel rooms, etc.  But I learned through my travels that I wanted to hold a vastly different kind of book festival. A book festival where authors could receive knowledge from seasoned veterans in the industry, be introduced to filmmakers, ghostwriters, editors, publishers, and illustrators in the industry.  After heart filled prayer and guidance, God gave me F.R.E.S.H., and I will be eternally grateful for the baton that was given to me. 

 

There are so many people to thank for this 15-year journey, and I want extend a special thank-you to Commissioner Paula R. Reed for her vision and belief that we could make “Literacy a Legacy” in Zone 6. To the entire Daytona Beach City Commission for believing literacy is extremely important, and to Mayor Derrick Henry, who not only supports F.R.E.S.H, but has his own literacy initiatives. To all the F.R.E.S.H vendors over the years, to the City Staff of Daytona Beach, to all the authors who come each year to network, rejuvenate and rebuild collaborations; and to the Daytona Times/Courier Newspaper for their continuous coverage of our literacy journey. Thank you all!

 

Contact Info:

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