Contributors include: Eoin Colfer, Roddy Doyle, Derek Landy, Siobhan Parkinson, Paula Leyden, John Connolly, Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick, Oisin McGann, Jane Mitchell, Sarah Webb, Jim Sheridan, Enda Wyley, Pat Boran, Seamus Cashman, Mark Granier, Geraldine Mills and Kate Newmann.
Both Eoin Colfer’s parents were teachers and young Eoin was taught by his dad Billy at Wexford’s Christian Brothers primary. Eoin remembers his dad’s presence in school as “witty…[he] made school fun.” Colfer junior’s first attempt at serious writing came in the sixth grade. “I wrote a play for the class about Norse Gods. Everyone died in the end except me.”
Eoin followed in his parents’ footsteps and trained to be a teacher but his writing didn't stop and his first book, Benny and Omar, appeared in 1999 and instantly achieved bestselling status in Ireland. Then in 2001 the first Artemis Fowl book was published and he was able to resign from teaching and concentrate fully on writing.
Eoin Colfer was nominated for the 2012 Hans Christian Andersen Award.
picture copyright Michael Paynter.
Here's a hilarious clip from Eoin Colfer Virtually Live:
WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT EOIN COLFER... Praise for Artemis Fowl
“Wildly original… and you thought fairy stories were just for kids.” - T2 (The Telegraph)
“It’s a highly original adventure story with an action-packed plot which twists and turns right to the end – a kind of William Gibson meets the Hobbit/Irish Legends. It has all the right ingredients.” Marc Lambert, Children’s Programme Director at the Edinburgh Festival
“Make sure you buy it!” Denise Van Outen, Channel 4’s The Big Breakfast
