‘My children don’t believe I wrote the Artemis Fowl series’ – Eoin Colfer

He’s the charismatic primary school teacher-turned children’s author, who admits his own kids don’t find him funny. But that hasn’t stopped Eoin Colfer from producing nine instalments in the award-winning Artemis Fowl series, and nabbing an exclusive deal with Disney to bring his characters to life on the big screen. 

Eoin Colfer, author of the Artemis Fowl series, sits down with author Sophie White for the InstaStory Club with An Post, sponsor of the Irish Book Awards. Eoin, whose ninth book in the series, The Fowl Twins, is out now, is also gearing up for the big screen adaptation of Artemis Fowl, produced by Disney, and slated for a May 2020 cinema release.

Eoin is the sixth author to take part in this eight-week series, which can be found across IMAGE social channels by following the #ReadersWanted. We want you, the reader, to get involved by submitting your burning questions to our eight leading authors. See you on Instagram @image.ie!

Did you always intend for Artemis Fowl to be a series?

I intended it to be one book, which I thought nobody would read, and then amazingly, loads of people read it, so I decided for literary – and not financial – reasons, to extend it into a series.

What do your own children make of the Artemis Fowl series? 

My children don’t believe I wrote the Artemis Fowl series. One of them went upstairs, and when he came back down he said “you didn’t write this, it’s funny” and I told them that they have to read the entire series if they want to go to the movie premiere.

Was it scary leaving your steady job to focus on writing full time?

It was terrifying giving up my career to write novels, because I came up during the first Great Depression, and we were told “keep that job forever” but I did – I jumped off – and now, of course, I’m glad I did.

What was it like handing over the book for Conor McPherson to make a screenplay?

I was delighted, because I’m a huge fan of his work, so when Conor said to me “Do you have any advice?” I said “No Conor” – because you’re not going to give advice on writing to Conor McPherson.

Read more: Daniel Davey reflects on his first cookbook

Read more: Vicky Phelan on how she overcame hardship

Read more: Emilie Pine on how writing about personal trauma was cathartic

Read more: Lynn Ruane shows that People Like Her are making waves in all walks of life 

Read more: We get under Jennifer Rock, aka The Skin Nerd’s, skin

 #ReadersWanted

Follow the InstaStory Club with An Post, sponsor of the Irish Book Awards, over on @image.ie every week to hear what Ireland’s leading authors have to say and see them answer your burning questions. Follow along with #ReadersWanted.