'Once hooked, always involved'

 

“The thing about reading is that if you are hooked, you're not going to stop just because one series is over; you're going to go and find something else.” – Eoin Colfer

Born in Ireland in May of 1965 Colfer, whose first name is pronounced Owen, is best known for his Artemis Fowl children’s book series, although he also gained considerable fame as the author of the 6^th edition of the popular Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series – titled And Another Thing.

 

Colfer was a teacher of Middle Schoolers before writing a standalone book called Benny and Omar, which his students loved.  Encouraged by their response, he then wrote Artemis Fowl, about a 12-year-old criminal mastermind.  His many Fowl tales since have been wildly popular and are now out in 44 languages, also spinning off into graphic novels and movie productions. 

 

His books have earned numerous awards, 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.   His most recent titles are 2025’s Firefox Moon and the 2023 children’s picture book Three Tasks for a Dragon (written with P.J. Lynch).

 

Ever a teacher, Cofer is a popular speaker at writing conferences and workshops for aspiring writers, where he encourages persistence as a key to success.

 

“I often meet frustrated young writers who say they've only got so far and just can't finish a book,” he said.  “Even if you don't happen to use what you've worked on that day, it has taught you something and you'll be amazed when you might come back to it and use it again.”