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Atlantis Complex to be Artemis’s penultimate adventure, says Eoin Colfer

Eoin Colfer has revealed to the Guardian that Artemis Fowl and the Atlantis Complex will be his teenage mastermind’s penultimate adventure.

"One more book, and then that’ll be the end of that," he said. "He will be faced with a choice where he can be kind to somebody and he won’t gain anything, or he can be unkind and he will find a million dollars in a suitcase, and he will choose the nice way, and that will be the end," he explained. "That’s how I’m going to finish it, on a very simple choice."

Read our review of Artemis Fowl and the Atlantis Complex

ARTEMIS FOWL’S CRIMINAL WAYS HAVE FINALLY GOT THE BETTER OF HIM . . .

Young Artemis has frequently used high-tech fairy magic to mastermind the most devious criminal activity of the new century. Now, at a conference in Iceland, Artemis has gathered the fairies to present his latest idea to save the world from global warming. But Artemis is behaving strangely – he seems different. Something terrible has happened to him . . . Artemis Fowl has become nice. The fairies diagnose Atlantis Complex (that’s obsessive compulsive disorder to you and I) – it seems dabbling in magic has damaged Artemis’ main weapon: his mind. Fairy ally Captain Holly Short doesn’t know what to do. The subterranean volcanoes are under attack from vicious robots and Artemis cannot fight them. Can Holly get the real Artemis back ­­­before the robot probes destroy every human and life form?

Posted: August 3rd, 2010
Author: Lee
Categories: Eoin Colfer

Eoin Colfer to headline event at the 2010 Oxfam Bookfest

July 2009 saw the first ever Oxfam Bookfest – a fortnight packed with book events in Oxfam shops all over the country.This year the book-based fun will go far and wide, with activities, events and displays across hundreds of Oxfam shops, libraries, community centres and other venues around the country.

Listed below are the headline events this year in Bristol:

Eoin Colfer
Book Title: Artemis Fowl and the Atlantis Complex (preview copies)
Event 4 – Saturday 17 July 2010, 4pm – Venue: Bristol Old Vic
Join the hysterically funny and utterly brilliant number one bestselling author Eoin (pronounced “Owen”, by the way) Colfer, as he makes his only public appearance in England in a very exclusive adrenaline-fuelled exposé of teenage criminal mastermind, Artemis Fowl. Artemis Fowl and the Atlantis Complex, the eagerly-anticipated seventh book in the series is out on 20 July (but we have special advance copies just for the Bookfest!)
This hilarious one-man show is suitable for 9+ years.
Tickets £5 per child – accompanying adults free but must reserve a ticket.
Price: £5.00

Eoin Colfer biography and bibliography
Artemis Fowl book review

William Dalrymple with the Bauls of Bengal
Book Title Nine Lives: Sacred Music from Modern India
Event 5 – Saturday 17 July 2010, 6pm – Venue: Bristol Old Vic
The writer provides an insight into some of the fascinating spiritual and musical traditions that still thrive in the subcontinent. The guest artists are the Bauls of Bengal ? a group of itinerant mystic minstrels whose beliefs draw on Vaishnavite Hindu and Sufi Muslim thought.
Price: £5.00

Joss Ackland
Book title: My Better Half and Me
Event 6 – Saturday 17 July 2010, 7.30pm – Venue: Bristol Old Vic
The actor’s wife died of Motor Neurone Disease. He discusses the book they wrote about their life together – family, career, romance, better and worse.
Price: £5.00

Simon Singh
Books: Trick or Treatment, The Code Book, Big Bang and Fermat’s Last Theorem.
The Hay Festival Lecture
Event 7 – Saturday 17 July 2010, 9pm – Venue: Bristol Old Vic
The brilliantly entertaining science writer and Freedom of Speech hero talks about alternative medicine, chiropractic, his infamous libel case and the campaign for libel reform.
Price: £5.00

Posted: July 12th, 2010
Author: Lee
Categories: Eoin Colfer

Eoin Colfer, Puffin of Puffins, turns his pen to a more adult audience

Irish fantasy author Eoin Colfer’s Artemis Fowl was recently voted Britain’s all-time favourite Puffin book, beating Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Stig of the Dump to the accolade. A massive sixty-eight percent chose Colfer’s story about a young criminal mastermind who kidnaps a fairy in order to rebuild his family fortune. The Artemis Fowl fantasy series has sold well over 18 million copies and was shortlisted for Irish Book of the Decade.

• Artemis Fowl book review on Fantasy Book Review
• Eoin Colfer biography/bibliography

Colfer said winning the vote was his "proudest professional moment". "To be chosen by Puffin as a modern classic is a huge honour, as it would be for any writer. For Artemis to be in a collection with Stig and Charlie is a huge thrill, but to win a public vote as well: it’s like two birthdays in one go," he added.

And now the Wexford-born author has begun writing for a more adult audience. Plugged, Colfer’s upcoming book, will focus on an Irish man "who lives just this side of the law but gets embroiled in things outside of the law," according to Marion Donaldson, who bought the book’s British Commonwealth rights.

"Obviously, this is intended for the adult market – there is a certain amount of violence in it – but you can still hear his voice in it," said Donaldson.

Plugged will be published in 2011.

Posted: June 22nd, 2010
Author: Lee
Categories: Eoin Colfer

Eoin Colfer’s The Lords of Love fills Wexford Opera House

Eoin Colfer, prize-winning author of the Artemis Fowl books, has now turned his attention to the stage with his first foray into musical theatre.

Wexford Opera House has been filled this week during the first run of his new work, ‘The Lords of Love’. Representatives from a number of production companies, along with luminaries such as director Jim Sheridan, travelled to Wexford for Tuesday night’s world premiere of the show, whose music was composed by Cyril Murphy and Liam Bates with the story written by Eoin Colfer. The director is Noel McDonagh.

Starring Tony Carty and George Lawlor, ‘The Lords of Love’, tells the tale of two old crooners who hit the big time decades ago but whose relationship was torn apart over a woman. But now they’re back for a last hurrah.

Posted: June 8th, 2010
Author: Lee
Categories: Eoin Colfer

Puffin’s Top 70 children’s book ever

Puffin has published its list of what it considers the 70 best children’s books of all time. It is an impressive list and will provide bookworms with a wonderful choice when they next look for a book. Amongst the list are many Fantasy Book Review favourites including A Wizard of Earthsea, Watership Down, Charlotte’s Web, Dracula, Young Samurai: The Way of the Warrior, Artemis Fowl, Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief and Alice in Wonderland.

The list also highlighted some glaring omissions on the site, namely almost everything by Roald Dahl, Fungus the Bogeyman, Stig of the Dump, Finn Family Moomintrol, TimeRiders and Journey to the Centre of the Earth.

Here is the list in full:

The titles feature in The Puffin Handbook, a guide to children’s books for parents, which is available free here.

Here is the Puffin top 70:

The Best Mischief and Mayhem

• The Twits by Roald Dahl
• Diary Of A Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney
• The Hundred-Mile-An-Hour Dog by Jeremy Strong
• The Secret Diary Of Adrian Mole by Sue Townsend

The Best Weepies

• Watership Down by Richard Adams
• The Truth About Leo by David Yelland
• Two Weeks With The Queen by Morris Gleitzman
• Charlotte’s Web by EB White

The Best to Cuddle Up With

• The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
• The Bog Baby by Jeanne Willis and Gwen Millward
• Peepo! by Janet and Allan Ahlberg
• Hairy Maclary from Donaldson’s Dairy by Lynley Dodd

The Best Blood and Guts

• The Enemy by Charlie Higson
• Dracula by Bram Stoker
• Being by Kevin Brooks
• The Hound Of The Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

The Best Swashbucklers and Derring-Do

• Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
• Captain Flinn And The Pirate Dinosaurs by Giles Andreae and Russell Ayto
• Young Samurai: The Way Of The Warrior by Chris Bradford
• Robin Hood by Roger Lancelyn Green

The Best Heroes

• Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer
• Percy Jackson And The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
• Young Bond – SilverFin by Charlie Higson
• The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain

The Best Characters

• Charlie And Lola – Excuse Me But That Is My Book by Lauren Child
• Meg And Mog by Helen Nicoll and Jan Pienkowski
• Angelina Ballerina by Katharine Holabird and Helen Craig
• Fungus The Bogeyman by Raymond Briggs

The Best Sugar and Spice

• Milly-Molly-Mandy Stories by Joyce Lankester Brisley
• The Worst Witch by Jill Murphy
• The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams
• The Princess And The Pea by Lauren Child and Polly Borland

The Best Friends and Family

• Dizzy by Cathy Cassidy
• The Borrowers by Mary Norton
• Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
• The Family From One End Street by Eve Garnett
• Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfeild

The Best Phizzwhizzers

• The BFG by Roald Dahl
• Matilda by Roald Dahl
• Charlie And The Chocolate-Factory by Roald Dahl
• Fantastic Mr Fox by Roald Dahl

The Best Animals

• Spy Dog by Andrew Cope
• The Sheep-Pig by Dick King-Smith
• My Family And Other Animals by Gerald Durrell
• Lionboy by Zizou Corder

The Best War and Conflict

• The Diary Of A Young Girl by Anne Frank
• Once by Morris Gleitzman
• Goodnight Mr Tom by Michelle Magorian
• Carrie’s War by Nina Bawden

The Best BEST BEST BEST!

• Stig Of The Dump by Clive King
• Anne Of Green Gables by L M Montgomery
• Finn Family Moomintroll by Tove Jansson
• How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff
• Junk by Melvin Burgess

The Best Fantasy and Adventure

• TimeRiders by Alex Scarrow
• Dot Robot by Jason Bradbury
• Journey To The Centre Of The Earth by Jules Verne
• A Wizard Of Earthsea by Ursula Le Guin

The Best Weird and Wonderful

• Alice In Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
• Five Children and It by E Nesbitt
• The Wizard Of Oz by L Frank Baum
• Peter Pan by JM Barrie

The Best Rhymes and Verse

• Please Mrs Butler by Allan Ahlberg
• Michael Rosen’s A-Z – The Best Children’s Poetry From Agard To Zephaniah
• Talking Turkeys by Benjamin Zephaniah
• Bad Bad Cats by Roger McGough

The Best Alternatives to Twilight

• Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
• Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead
• The Luxe by Anna Godbersen
• Along For the Ride by Sarah Dessen

Posted: May 17th, 2010
Author: Lee
Categories: Eoin Colfer, Lewis Carroll, Ursula Le Guin

Fantasy news round-up 26/04/2010

Hubble Telescope: NASA release dramatic space image to mark 20th birthday
The new image, captured earlier this year by Hubble’s brand-new Wide Field Camera 3, shows a cosmic pillar of gas and dust piled high in the Carina Nebula. Located about 7,500 light-years away in the southern constellation Carina, it shows a craggy mountaintop that is enshrouded by wispy clouds which would not look out of place in JRR Tolkien’s epic fantasy or even a Dr Seuss book. It captures in amazing detail the chaotic activity atop a three-light-year-tall pillar of gas and dust that is being eaten away by the brilliant light from nearby bright stars.

Eoin Colfer on writing fantasy novels for children
This film is the first in a series that features a wide range of arts figures including writers, musicians, directors, performers and artists giving advice about a specific aspect of their work. Author of the Artemis Fowl series, Eoin Colfer talks about how to write fantasy novels for children.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/8635562.stm

Gaiman double on the Carnegie and Kate Greenaway shortlists
Children’s titles covering topics such as racism, war and global warming have been nominated in the CILIP Carnegie Medal Shortlist. While, Bloomsbury and Walker both have a duo of titles on the shortlist for this year’s CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal. It is also the first time for 30 years that a title has appeared on both the CILIP Carnegie and CILIP Kate Greenaway shortlists, with Neil Gaiman’s The Graveyard Book, illustrated by Chris Riddell (Bloomsbury) appearing on both.

Carnegie Medal shortlist is as follows:

• Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson (Bloomsbury)
• The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman (Bloomsbury)
• The Vanishing of Katerina Linden by Helen Grant (Penguin)
• Rowan the Strange by Julie Hearn (OUP)
• The Ask and the Answer by Patrick Ness (Walker)
• Nation by Terry Pratchett (Doubleday)
• Fever Crumb by Philip Reeve (Scholastic)
• Revolver by Marcus Sedgwick (Orion)

The Kate Greenaway Medal shortlist is as follows:

• Leon and the Place Between by Grahame Baker-Smith (Templar)
• Harry & Hopper Freya Blackwood (text by Margaret Wild) (Scholastic)
• The Great Paper Caper by Oliver Jeffers (HarperCollins)
• Millie’s Marvellous Hat by Satoshi Kitamura (Andersen Press)
• Crazy Hair by Dave McKean (text by Neil Gaiman) (Bloomsbury)
• The Graveyard Book by Chris Riddell (text by Neil Gaiman) (Bloomsbury)
• The Dunderheads by David Roberts (text by Paul Fleischman) (Walker)
• There are cats in this book by Viviane Schwarz (Walker)

Ronan Keating’s Hobbit Ambition
The Boyzone singer auditioned for a role in upcoming fantasy movie ‘The Hobbit’ – based on the JRR Tolkien novel of the same name, a prequel to the ‘Lord of the Rings’ trilogy – and is still waiting to hear back. He said: "I don’t think I’ll get the role of the hobbit. But I would like to take on roles which nobody would expect. I don’t want to be reduced to love stories. I’d like to try dark, edgy roles. I need a challenge." Ronan – who has three children, Jack, 11, Marie, nine, and four-year-old Ali, with his model wife Yvonne – is even considering leaving his native Ireland to live in Los Angeles to pursue his big screen dream.

Posted: April 27th, 2010
Author: Lee
Categories: Eoin Colfer, JRR Tolkien, Neil Gaiman, Terry Pratchett

50 books nominated for the Irish Book of the Decade award

A 50 book shortlist, including fantasy author Eoin Colfer, has been selected by a panel including Irish booksellers, librarians and journalists to help decide Ireland’s Book of the Decade. The public can vote for the winner of the award, run by the Bord Gáis Energy Irish Book Awards, on www.bookofthedecade.ie. The books will be promoted in Irish booksellers and libraries across the country during the next six weeks, and the winner will be announced in late May.

"As with every other sector, the Irish literary community has endured a number of challenges within the last number of years but, as a community, it is so inspiring to see this level of vibrancy, passion and pride that exists for the Irish literary heritage,” said Alastair Giles, executive director of the Bord Gáis.

The full shortlist is:

• It’s a Long Way from Penny Apples, Bill Cullen
• Artemis Fowl, Eoin Colfer
• That they May Face the Rising Sun, John McGahern
• Keane, Roy Keane & Dunphy
• The Story of Lucy Gault, William Trevor
• A Secret History of the IRA, Ed Moloney
• Star of the Sea, Joseph O’Connor
• In the Forest, Edna O’Brien
• Speckled People, Hugo Hamilton
• Havoc in its Third Year, Ronan Bennett
• PS I Love You, Cecelia Ahern
• Tatty, Christine Dwyer Hickey
• The Master, Colm Toibin
• The New Policeman,  Kate Thompson
• A Long Long Way, Sebastian Barry
• Memoir, John McGahern
• The Sea, John Banville
• Winterwood, Patrick McCabe
• Paula Spencer, Roddy Doyle
• Back from the Brink, Paul McGrath
• Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, John Boyne
• Tenderwire, Claire Kilroy
• Pope’s Children, David McWilliams
• Yours Faithfully, Sheila O’Flanagan
• The Stolen Village Baltimore & the Barbary Pirates, Des Ekin
• Connemara : Listening to the Wind, Tim Robinson
• Should Have got off at Sydney Parade, Ross O’Caroll Kelly
• The Gathering, Anne Enright
• Walk the Blue Fields, Claire Keegan
• Foolish Mortals, Jennifer Johnston
• In the Woods, Tana French
• With My Lazy Eye, Julia Kelly
• Judging Dev, Diarmaid Ferriter
• There are Little Kingdoms, Kevin Barry
• Skulduggery Pleasant, Derek Landy
• Netherland, Joseph O’Neill
• The Truth Commissioner, David Park
• The Parish, Alice Taylor
• Bog Child, Siobhan Dowd
• Secret Scripture, Sebastian Barry
• Molly Fox’s Birthday, Deirdre Madden
• Stepping Stones, Heaney & O’Driscoll
• Lessons in Heartbreak, Cathy Kelly
• Heart and Soul, Maeve Binchy
• The Builders, Sheridan & Macdonald
• This Charming Man, Marian Keyes
• Forgive and Forget, Patricia Scanlan
• The Lovers, John Connolly
• Brooklyn, Colm Toibin
• Let the Great World Spin, Colum McCann

Posted: April 16th, 2010
Author: Lee
Categories: Eoin Colfer

Eoin Colfer turns his hand to musicals

Popular children’s writer Eoin Colfer has now turned his hand to a stage musical. The Wexford author of the Artemis Fowl series and the Hitchhiker’s Guide sequel has written the “book” for The Lords of Love , which will have its world premiere at the Jerome Hynes Theatre in Wexford Opera House on May 25th, followed by a three-night run.

With a plot that offers the opportunity for general mayhem, The Lords of Love concerns two ageing Irish crooners who were almost famous in the 1960s and 1970s, with such hits as My Love for You is Green and The Karate Chop. Now, years later, they are reunited for a concert with the woman who split them up – but harmony is not part of the evening.

Colfer’s musical collaborators are composers Liam Bates and Cyril Murphy, whose tunes span a range of styles, from swing to blues, showband and disco. Tickets are available from www.wexfordoperahouse.ie or 053-9122144.

Source: The Irish Times

Posted: April 11th, 2010
Author: Lee
Categories: Eoin Colfer

Eoin Colfer named as London Book Fair Author of the Day

Children’s fantasy author Eoin Colfer, plus Man Booker Prize-winner Hilary Mantel and South African writer Andre Brink have been named as the three Authors of the Day at this year’s London Book Fair.

The London Book Fair is the global marketplace for rights negotiation and the sale and distribution of content across print, audio, TV, film and digital channels. Taking place every spring in the world’s premier publishing and cultural capital, it is a unique opportunity to explore, understand and capitalise on the innovations shaping the publishing world. The London Book Fair brings you direct access to customers, content and emerging markets.

Mantel, Brink and Colfer will deliver a talk on the Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of the fair respectively. This year’s Fair will be held from the 19th-21st April at Earls Court. Each author’s final schedule has yet to be confirmed but the Author of the Day initiative, which has been running since 2006, includes events such as discussions, seminars and book signings.

Colfer, appearing on the fair’s final day, said: "I’m really looking forward to the day itself, particularly the meeting the readers parts where I get to chat with the people who make Artemis Fowl as successful as it is."

Alongside the authors, more than 47 South African authors, poets, playwrights, activists and academics, representing nine of the 11 spoken languages of South Africa, will attend the fair, as part of its Market Focus on the country.

London Book Fair opening times:

• Mon 19th April 2010 9.00-18.30
• Tues 20th April 9.00-18.30
• Wed 21st April 9.00-17.00

With over 23,000 industry professionals attending this trade event, The London Book Fair provides the largest gathering of international literary agents, publishers and publishing suppliers under one roof for three days.

For more information, please visit http://www.londonbookfair.co.uk/

Posted: February 19th, 2010
Author: Lee
Categories: Eoin Colfer, Latest News

Fantasy news round-up – February 11, 2010

The Gruffalo announced as firm favourite of Irish mothers and their children
Two-thirds of Irish mothers begin reading to their child before he or she is a year old and more than a quarter read to their child from birth, according to a new survey. It found that 71 per cent of mothers read a bedtime story to their kids nearly every night. Some 28 per cent of mothers read to their children every night, 30 per cent do so most nights and 13 per cent read to their children every other night. Five per cent of mothers said they never read to their children. Of those, a fifth said they are too busy to do it. The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson was the favourite children’s book of the mothers surveyed, followed by Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and The Cat in the Hat. Roald Dahl was the most popular children’s author, followed by Enid Blyton and Dr Seuss. Eoin Colfer topped the poll of favourite Irish authors.

Fancy a cup of Hobbit tea?
Fans of JRR Tolkien‘s The Lord of the Rings might want to fire up the kettle and get out their map of Middle-earth. A tiny Wayne County village near Wooster is where seven young Mennonite and Amish workers are mixing and packaging teas, herbs and fruit into three new blends: Hobbiton Meadow Mint, Gandalf the Gray Tea and Bilbo Baggins Breakfast Blend.

Hobbit Teas, named for the peaceable diminutive characters in Tolkien’s books, went for sale exclusively online on www.hobbittea.com two weeks ago. The site got 300 hits from around the world within the first 24 hours.

Wizarding world of Harry Potter website launched
As the spring opening of Universal’s Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme park gets closer and closer a new website has been launched to heighten the anticipation of Potter fans yet further. For more information, visit http://www.universalorlando.com/harrypotter/.

The 2010 Cape and Island Quidditch Cup
Fans of JK Rowling’s Harry Potter books will flock to the Cape in March to compete in his favourite game quidditch, the fictional ballgame the wizards played on flying broomsticks, where players perform acrobatic aerial manoeuvres, dodge damaging blows from opponents and, ultimately, seek out the snitch.

The 2010 Cape and Island Quidditch Cup on March 27 and 28 started as an unusual senior fundraiser and may be growing into a New England event that could help boost the local economy in the off-season.

For more information, visit http://sites.google.com/site/2010capeislandsquidditchcup, www.collegequidditch.com and http://sites.google.com/site/savannahquidditchleague/IQARulebook

JK Rowling’s message to donators
Harry Potter author JK Rowling has passed on a message to all those donated to Partners in Health through in the Helping Haiti Heal project which is a multi-fandom effort currently underway to raise funds for the ravaged nation of Haiti. To date, Helping Haiti Heal has raised $112,000.

"To everyone who has helped raise such an incredible amount for the earthquake survivors in Haiti: THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.”

Posted: February 11th, 2010
Author: Lee
Categories: Eoin Colfer, JK Rowling, JRR Tolkien, Julia Donaldson