Magz and VixBirmingham Irish authors, poets and lyricists will feature strongly in the Authorcity 2023 mass book signing event being held at the city’s Council House banqueting suite on Saturday, July 15.
Around 60 published authors from across the UK will be signing their books and chatting to the visiting public.
Special guests include Maggie Dunne (otherwise known as Magz) best known for playing keyboard and bass in the Birmingham band We’ve Got A Fuzzbox and We’re Gonna Use It!. The all girl band first entered the UK charts in 1986 with their debut album Bostin’ Steve Austin.
A string of hits followed including Self, International Rescue and Pink Sunshine, all from the 1989 Big Bang album, which also included the lesser known but poignant track Irish Bride.
Coming from a Birmingham Irish family – her parents came to the city for work in the late 1950s /early 1960s – Magz still lives locally and is proud of her heritage
In 1990 the band went their separate ways, reuniting in 2010 as a quintet. Sadly Magz’s sister Jo died in 2012 aged just 43, shortly after being diagnosed with cancer. Since then Fuzzbox has continued with new band line-ups and projects which include reworked material from their back catalogue.
Meantime, aside from her musical abilities, Magz has an enduring love of poetry and literature. She and Vix Perks, also from Fuzzbox, are now working on a book and multi media project with local author and one of the organisers of the Authorcity 2023 event, Martin Tracey. As part of the event they’ll be taking part in a panel discussion on words and music, which also includes author and Sad Café bassist, Des Tong. .
Other attending authors with Birmingham Irish backgrounds include Maggie Fogarty, a journalist, writer and RTS award-winning TV producer and Lee Benson, author, musician and artist.
The event is the brain-child of four collaborators - best-selling author, D.G Torrens; former council CEO, lawyer and publisher Andrew Sparke; Martin Tracey, author and top Wolverhampton FC fan; and author, musician and artist Lee Benson.
Throughout the day there will be a chance to meet the attending authors and there will be four panel discussions covering thrillers, romance, mixed genre, words and music, where readers get to ask their questions to the authors and special guests. Additionally, there will be a raffle with proceeds going to chosen charities of Cure Leukaemia and Dementia UK.
Tickets are on sale for £5.00 and children under 16 have free entry:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/2023-in-birmingham-city-centreauthorreader-event-tickets-141527030157
