New Page 1

Fowl Play Makes Eoin a Winner

An interview with Eoin Colfer about the success of his Artemis Fowl books published in the Manchester Evening News, 3 July 2003

IN these Harry Potter-obsessed times, other children’s books are easily overlooked, yet they too cast spells over readers, set tills ringing, win awards, and have Hollywood film producers chasing the rights to future blockbusters.

All this has happened to Eoin Colfer, a softly-spoken, unassuming 38-year-old former primary teacher from Wexford, Ireland. Author of the bestselling Artemis Fowl novels, he’s in Manchester tomorrow on the next leg of his British tour. In just two whirlwind years Colfer’s three novels about a teenage criminal mastermind have become international hot-property.

Already well-known in Ireland he was virtually unheard of in Britain. Then, when Sarah Hughes, Editorial Director at Puffin Books, London, saw the manuscript of Artemis Fowl, she fell in love with it, recognising that it was “a fabulously original take on fairies”.

But Colfer’s fairies are not the tippy-toed shy ones at the bottom of your garden – his are hi-tech tiny-troopers who don’t stand for any meddling from mortals such as Artemis Fowl. These are fairies with attitude. When Artemis tries to steal the little folks’ gold (when will humans stop believing in fairy stories?), it’s time for an adrenaline rush that keeps you turning pages.

Colfer’s love of traditional Irish folklore, with its pageant of memorable characters and magical happenings, provided the inspiration for his own unique blend of fantasy and all-action plot.

Promptly signed up by Puffin, it was rumoured that Colfer received the biggest advance in the history of children’s books, put at £700,000. Describing this figure as “hugely exaggerated”, he does, however, admit that his contract was “earth-shattering for me and my family”.

Is he surprised at the success of the books? “Absolutely,” he says. “I thought I would sell a few thousand in Ireland and maybe get a book deal in England”. The facts are, they’ve sold more than 800,000 copies in the UK and Ireland (three million worldwide), taken him to the top of the bestseller charts on both sides of the Atlantic, and have been translated into thirty-five languages.

“I suppose there are many factors which make Artemis popular,” says Colfer, “such as interesting characters, pacing, humour, and magic.” When asked if he thinks the books appeal more to boys than girls, he says: “I would have agreed with this view, but it seems that many girls are turning up at my readings. This generation of girls is less inclined to conform to stereotyping.”

Sudden success has undoubtedly changed Colfer’s life. “I am now able to write full-time without feeling guilty. I am also able to call myself a writer – which is a nice feeling,” he says.

Despite literary stardom, and a clutch of awards, he still hankers after his previous life. Teaching is in the family – both his parents were teachers, as was his wife, Jackie. “I always wanted to be a teacher,” admits Colfer.

Although he’s now out of the classroom, Colfer thinks it may only be a temporary break: “I am on sabbatical at the moment,” he says of this heady period in his life, “but someday I would like to return. I do miss the kids and the staff – but I want to give my writing at least five years and see how it works out. So far so good.”

He was on playground duty when he took a phone call with the news that three film companies were bidding against each other for the rights to put Artemis on the big screen. Now that Miramax Films (part of the Walt Disney empire) have got their boy, the search is on to find the face of Artemis, his droll side-kick Butler, would-be fairy nemesis Captain Holly Short, and the tunnel-boring, dirt-eating Mulch Diggums, a kleptomaniac dwarf.

As to who’s in the movie, which Colfer hopes will be shot in Ireland, all he will say is: “The casting is very secret, but I can tell you that Artemis will be a newcomer”.

Colfer’s third Artemis novel was published in May. We were promised a trilogy, so is this really the end of the young anti-hero? “There will be at least one more Artemis book, but not immediately,” says Colfer. “I want to try other things first which will keep Artemis fresh for me.”