Eoin was born in Wexford, a picturesque coastal town in the southeast corner of Ireland. He is the second of five sons born to Noreen and Billy, a drama teacher / actress and a primary teacher / artist / historian respectively.
Understandably there was never a shortage of discussions, projects, artistic pursuits or stimuli for the Colfer boys. Summer holidays were spent in the idyllic village of Slade, on Wexford's Hook Peninsula, where Eoin's father was born and reared.
Attending the primary school where his father taught, Eoin first developed his interest in writing and began his life long habit of writing his own stories complete with illustrations. Secondary school continued in the same vein, albeit with the odd sortie to the local girls school for "céilis" (traditional Irish dancing). On one of these sorties, he met a young lady named Jackie, who would play a rather significant part in his life.
Following his final exams Eoin followed in the steps of his father by embarking on a three-year degree course, in Dublin, that saw him qualify as a primary teacher in 1986. Returning to Wexford he began teaching in a local primary school by day but continuing to write at night. Eoin rapidly became involved in the local amateur drama group starring in, directing and later writing many award winning productions, alongside that girl Jackie. He was also a member of Wexford's award winning Light Opera Society.
In 1991 Eoin married Jackie and a year later they left Ireland and spent the next four years working in Saudi Arabia, Tunisia and Italy. Resettling in Wexford on their arrival back in Ireland Eoin and Jackie recommenced their teaching careers, with Eoin continuing his habit of writing after school.
1997 proved to be a very momentous year for Eoin and Jackie with the birth of their beloved son, Finn. Around the same time Eoin had begun to draw on his experiences abroad and started work on his first children's novel about a young Irish boy, his Tunisian best friend and their madcap adventures in north Africa. "Benny and Omar" was published by The O'Brien Press in October 1998 and was an immediate bestseller. It has since been translated into Danish, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish.
A hilarious sequel, Benny and Babe was published in June 1999 and was nominated for the Bisto Book of the Year award. His three titles in the O'Brien Flyers Series, Going Potty, Ed's Funny Feet and Ed's Bed, are firm favourites with children, parents and teachers alike. They are amongst the most borrowed books from the Junior Section of the Irish Library Service.
The Wish List, a bizarre tale of life, death and an unexpected hereafter, was published in 2000 and won a Bisto Merit Award in 2001.
Not content to rest on his laurels, Eoin wanted to write an Irish story to appeal to a wider audience, a fantasy with a difference. Every child Eoin Colfer has ever taught will testify to his love of traditional magical Irish legends. They will also attest to his innate ability to make these legends come alive for them on a daily basis. It was in this genre he found his inspiration, but then took a unique slant on this well known underworld civilisation.
Eoin decided to send his book to a London based literary agent, Sophie Hicks, and he hasn't looked back since. His monster best seller "Artemis Fowl" was published in hardback in 2001 and was released in paperback on "Fowl Friday" 8th March 2002.
Miramax Films \ Tribeca Productions have optioned the rights for the film version of "Artemis Fowl" and are currently working on the project, Eoin hopes will be filmed in Ireland.
Following the success of Artemis Fowl, Eoin decided to follow his wife's lead and give up teaching. (Jackie is co-owner of Wexford's exclusive boutique Jacqui Designer Fashions .)
Concentrating full time on writing, Eoin completed the sequel "Artemis Fowl - The Arctic Incident" which proved to be another massive best seller. The third Artemis book "The Eternity Code" is due for release in the USA in May 2003 and in Ireland and Britain in July 2003. Eoin is also working on a musical, so make sure to check on his News page in summer 2003!
__________________
Ik ga links want ik moet rechts. En we gaan nog niet naar huis.
|