L
Don’t miss the chance to meet multi-talented Morgan Davis while he’s home in Plant City to market his 2016 Strawberry Short Stories during the Florida Strawberry Festival.
MORGAN DAVIS CREATOR OF STRAWBERRY SHORT STORIES
BY CHERYL JOHNSTON | PHOTO COURTESY OF MORGAN DAVIS
T
he multi-talented Plant City native Morgan Davis is ready for the Florida Strawberry Festival with his 2016 “Strawberry Short Stories” calendar, and it’s one you won’t want to miss. Since Davis, 25, graduated from Plant City High School in 2009, he’s been living his dream, performing, writing, and doing his artwork. After researching strawberries, he decided to model his calendar after an older California Raisins publication. With sales of 500 calendars in the first two days outside the gate of last year’s Festival,
18
FEBRUARY 2016 focusplantcity.com
Davis has obviously found a niche. “I’ve done other forms of writing prior to comic strip,” he shared, “but wanted to create something all ages could enjoy. I thought it would be fun to involve my hometown and its beloved fruit. And I want people to have my stuff affordably. I love it when customers look forward to the next project.” “I’ve learned people like anyone who is doing something original,” Davis said. “I always liked writing in school and wanted to create stories, even out of games. When I watch TV, I think how to make the storyline different. I’m a fan of
Marvel Comics, Spiderman, Xmen and anything with action.” To date, Davis has created 34 comics, 12 last year, 12 this, and 10 waiting in the wings for the 2017 version. Each issue also advertises 24 sponsors with business ads, two per month, and money-saving coupons in the back. “I like to create something folks can use in more ways than one,” he explained. “And everyone likes to save money, right?” In addition to the two Strawberry Short Story calendars so far, he’s also published a young adult trilogy, Prescribed Life (Amazon.com). Davis
makes the calendars for our Festival but hopes eventually to do books and coloring books featuring the famous strawberries. He lives now in Seattle, but since 2013 has traveled six months each year. He’s visited every state except Hawaii and is a huge “Into the Wild” television show fan. His favorite spots thus far are Portland, Milwaukee, and the national parks Zion, Bryce and Denali. As often as possible, Davis returns to see his parents, grandparents and brothers Jesse and Aaron Starr, who all own businesses in Plant City. In Seattle he works at a hotel and sings, writes and plays folk music on guitar and mandolin. “I just started playing music as a kid,” he offered. “Writing music is a whole ‘nother piece of the puzzle. Songs get a quick reaction from people where novels take six months to write and get published. Then folks need time to read them. I really like writing and performing live music, but not necessarily recording it.” The artist looks forward to his Festival visit. “Whenever I come home, I realize what a really great environment Plant City was and is for growing up.” He continued, “Lots of influences here made me become more disciplined, because many people are very driven and have good intentions. This is what I miss most when I’m away – good honest and genuinely nice people who care about others.” His Strawberry Short Stories events schedule includes: • March 4 - Corner Store, 11AM2PM for live music, calendar sales & signing. • March 5 – Youth Parade - Giveaway 20 calendars • March 5 – Revelation Ice Cream Co. in Brandon, 6-9PM, live music, sales & signin • March 8 – Giveaway 20 calendars @ Grand Parade before booth sales at FSF • March 8 – Big Dogs Patio, 8PM12AM for Open Mic, songs w/Dale; sales/signing Davis welcomes inquiries and e-mail orders at strawberrycomics@gmail.com or through message at Strawberry Short Stories on Facebook.