Biography of Eoin Colfer

Eoin (pronounced "Owen") Colfer was born on May 14, 1965 in Wexford, Ireland. His father was an elementary school teacher, historian, and artist. His mother was a drama teacher. They raised him alongside his four brothers. He first became interested in writing in elementary school, when he wrote stories about Vikings. He studied to become a teacher at Dublin University, and was married in 1991. Colfer is a prolific writer who has published about one book per year throughout his long career. Many years have more than one publication. Colfer served as Laureate na nÓg (Ireland's Children's Laureate) between 2014 and 2016. To date, more than half of Colfer's books have reached the New York Times Best Seller List at least once. Colfer has received several awards for his writing, including the British Children's Book of the Year, the Irish Book Awards Children's Book of the Year, and the German Children's Book of the Year.

From 1992 to 1996, he spent four years traveling with his wife in Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, and Italy. His first novel, Benny and Omar, was published in 1998 and was based on his travels during this time. It has since been translated into several languages. He published a sequel to Benny and Omar, Benny and Babe, in 1999. Following this initial success, Colfer contributed to three different children's story anthologies: Going Potty (1999), Ed's Funny Feet (2000), and Ed's Bed (2001).

Colfer began the Artemis Fowl series in 2001 with the publication of the first novel of the series, Artemis Fowl. The success of this first novel allowed him to resign from teaching and focus completely on his writing. Since 2001, there have been eight other books published in the Artemis Fowl series: Artemis Fowl and the Arctic Incident (2002), Artemis Fowl and the Eternity Code (2003), Artemis Fowl and the Opal Deception (2005), Artemis Fowl and the Lost Colony (2006), Artemis Fowl and the Time Paradox (2008), Artemis Fowl and the Atlantis Complex (2010), and Artemis Fowl and the Last Guardian (2012). Colfer also published several companion books set within the Artemis Fowl universe: LEPrecon (2004), Artemis Fowl: The Seventh Dwarf (2004), The Artemis Fowl Files (2004), Artemis Fowl: The Graphic Novel (2007), Artemis Fowl and the Arctic Incident: The Graphic Novel (2007), Artemis Fowl and the Eternity Code: The Graphic Novel (2013), and Artemis Fowl and the Opal Deception: The Graphic Novel (2014). Graphic novels are planned for every installment in the Artemis Fowl series. Disney released the Artemis Fowl movie in May 2020 on Disney+. It was not premiered in theaters due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Artemis Fowl was named the public's favorite Puffin Modern Classic of all time. It was a New York Times Best Seller for several weeks. It has sold more than 25 million copies and has been translated into 40 languages. There is a spin-off trilogy based within the Artemis Fowl universe. The first book of this series, The Fowl Twins, was published in 2019. This series is centered on Artemis Fowl's younger brothers Myles and Beckett Fowl as they outsmart their opponents, plan evil deeds, and make contact with the Fairy world.

Along with the Artemis Fowl series, Colfer has published several other works. The Supernaturalist, a science fiction cyberpunk novel, was published in 2004. Its companion graphic novel was published in 2012. He plans on writing a second book for this series. He also published several books on legends: Legend of Spud Murphy (2005), Legend of Captain Crow's Teeth (2006), and Legend of the Worst Boy in the World (2008). He also began another series during this time based on the Witness Anonymous Relocation Program (W.A.R.P.): W.A.R.P. The Reluctant Assassin (2013), W.A.R.P. The Hangman's Revolution (2014), and W.A.R.P. The Forever Man (2015). He also began another series in 2006. The first book of the series, The Half Moon Investigations, was published in 2006. A second book is forthcoming. The Half Moon Investigations was adapted into a BBC television series in 2009. He also published two novels about an investigator, Daniel McEvoy, called Plugged (2011) and Screwed (2013). His standalone novels include The Wish List (2001), Airman (2008), and Highfire/The Last Dragon on Earth (January 2020).

In 2009, Colfer was offered the opportunity to write the sixth book in the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series. The first five books of the series were written by Douglas Adams, but he passed away before he could finish the story. Adams' widow, Jane Belson, and his Adams' literary agent asked Colfer to write the final book, as Adams always wanted to continue the series and believed that the final book he wrote ended on a bleak note. In response to being asked to write the sixth novel for this series, Colfer was overjoyed: he called the opportunity "like suddenly being offered the superpower of your choice . . . For years I have been finishing this incredible story in my head and now I have the opportunity to do it in the real world . . . It is a gift from the gods. So thank you Thor and Odin." His contribution to the Hitchhiker's series And Another Thing... was published in 2009.

Colfer has not restricted his writing to novels; he has also written several screenplays and scripts. His first screenplay, Poison Pen, was adapted into a movie in 2014. It is a romantic comedy. He wrote the script for a play, My Real Life, in 2015. It was performed across Ireland and the UK throughout 2016 and 2017 and was performed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2017. It widely received positive reviews. He also wrote a musical, Noel, in 2016.

Finally, Colfer wrote an installment of the Iron Man series for Marvel, Iron Man: The Gauntlet in 2016.