Eoin Colfer
Eoin Colfer is 40 years old and lives in the small seaside town of Wexford, Ireland, where he grew up, with his wife Jackie and their two sons, Sean and Finn.
He was a primary school teacher in Wexford for 15 years up until securing the largest ever advance for an unknown children’s author in October 2000, for the hugely original and now internationally best-selling Artemis Fowl dubbed ‘Die Hard with fairies’. Artemis Fowl was written in the evenings after teaching and after his young son’s bedtime.
Miramax and Tribeca productions teamed up for a film option on Artemis Fowl before the book had even been auctioned at Frankfurt book fair and paid a sum rumoured to be a million dollars. He received the news that three Hollywood studios were bidding for the film rights whilst on playground duty. Production of Artemis Fowl is currently underway and Miramax have also optioned The Supernaturalist.
Eoin’s books are published in 35 countries, including the US where they regularly top the New York Times bestseller charts.
Total UK sales exceed a staggering 1.8 million copies with 8 million sold worldwide. He is ranked alongside Philip Pullman, Jacqueline Wilson and Anthony Horowitz as one of the UK’s most popular and best-selling authors.
In 2005 Eoin became a new entrant in Who’s Who 2005.
In August 2004, Eoin was the first author to win a Herald Angel award at the Edinburgh Festival, awarded by festival sponsors for outstanding performances throughout the arts. His witty, outrageous and interactive performances on the literature festival circuit are world-renowned. In an article in the Glasgow Herald Aug 04, arts editor, Keith Bruce comments, ‘J K Rowling may have stolen the column inches last weekend, but Colfer has an altogether more active approach to book-festival appearances with a stand-up comic routine full of inspired characterisations.’
Artemis Fowl won the WHSmith ‘People’s choice’ Children’s Book of the Year Award 2002, The Children’s Book of the Year at the British Book Awards and was shortlisted for both the Whitbread Children’s Book of the Year 2001 and The Blue Peter Book Award 2002. Artemis Fowl: The Arctic Incident was shortlisted for the Red House Children’s Book Award 2002. .
Puffin publish Fairies with Attitude
Eoin Colfer is the author of international bestsellers Artemis Fowl, Artemis Fowl -- The Arctic Incident and Artemis Fowl - The Eternity Code. A former schoolteacher, Eoin lives in Wexford with his wife Jackie and two sons. He has worked in Saudi Arabia, Tunisia and Italy, as well as in Ireland. Eoin is very involved in theatre and has written several plays, which have been staged in various parts of Ireland.
His first novel, Benny and Omar, was published by The O'Brien Press in October 1998 and was an immediate bestseller. It was applauded by critics because of its comic genius. International recognition soon followed as translation rights were sold to various publishers abroad. His second book, Benny and Babe was published in June 1999. Benny and Babe became a No 1 bestseller in Ireland, knocking the famous Harry Potter out of the top spot in the Bestseller List!
Eoin's writing style is incredibly diverse, as he has also written for the younger readers in the O'Brien Flyers series. For the series, which is aimed at 6+ readers, he has created the wonderful character of Ed Cooper, whose misadventures appear ingoing Potty, Ed’s Funny Feet and Ed’s Bed.
The Wish List is Eoin’s third book for the older age group. It is the story of Meg Finn, a young teenager who dies, but is too good for Hell and too bad for Heaven. Back on earth she has a chance of salvation if she can fulfil the Wish List of pensioner Lowrie. Mission impossible for Meg?
Prizes and awards- Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer was named best children’s book of the year at the WH Smith book awards 2002.
Bibliography:
Benny and Omar, 1998
Benny and Babe, 1999
Going Potty, 1999
Ed’s Funny Feet, 2000
Ed’s Bed, 2001
Artemis Fowl, 2001
Artemis Fowl – The Arctic Incident, 2002
Artemis Fowl – The Eternity Code, 2003
New Windmills: Artemis Fowl, 2003
