Artemis goes to Hollywood

A FORMER schoolteacher who has swapped the blackboard for the big screen is now bidding to have the film adaptation of one of his best-selling books shot in his native Wexford.

Eoin Colfer has already published the best-selling Artemis Fowl trilogy which has sold more than four million copies as well as two novels and three picture books for children.

The 38-year-old has been out and about, scouting locations and promoting these to Miramax Pictures, which has thrown its weight behind the $250 million project, along with Hollywood heavyweight, Harvey Weinstein, and Irish director Jim Sheridan.

Arthur Lattins of Hell's Kitchen Films is also involved. It's the biggest-ever Hollywood venture earmarked for Ireland. Colfer won't be doing any further work on the screenplay.

But he's not sitting back on his laurels either. Now the full-time writer is ploughing his time into a fourth instalment of the Artemis Fowl sequel, as well as his contribution for the World Book Day book for Britain.

It's a huge honour, given the prestige of writers in the past who've been given the commission. They include a very familiar face to children's books Harry Potter author JK Rowling.

So, it's fair to say Mr Colfer has no regrets: "I work away ever day in a shed in the back of the house, away from the distractions. I loved being a teacher and its something I plan to go back to some day. But I just couldn't keep going at both. I really had to give up two years ago. It wasn't fair on the children.

"I've always loved writing and started writing seriously 10 years ago. I wrote a few plays for a local drama group. I was involved in the group and I wanted something everyone would enjoy," he says.

Mr Colfer moved to Africa with his wife, Jackie, eight years ago. He taught 12- to 14-year-olds and drew inspiration from his experiences there. Africa was also the birthplace to the characters of Benny and Omar and home to his idea about an Irish boy who gets involved with street urchins.

On his return he approached O'Brien Press who began to publish his work.

"It was just three years ago that I gave them the first Artemis Fowl book. Life hasn't been the same since. It went worldwide. I'm now a full-time writer.

"I spend a lot of time travelling around on publicity tours. I now feel I've achieved one of my major ambitions and do feel very fulfilled."

He's left the fourth Artemis Fowl project lie for a while, as he works away on the World Book Day project. He's also working on a musical in Wexford as well as spending time looking after his two sons, five-month-old Sean and six-year-old Finn.

"They really help focus my mind. They are out during the day but when they come home, its all hands on deck. I have to be motivated and am quite disciplined. I try to do 1,000 words a day," he says.

And contrary to what people think, it hasn't made him a millionaire. He said.

"Some people think I am a multi-millionaire. We are quite comfortable. I do have quite a lot of money relative to teaching. But we are certainly not multi-millionaires. And I will go back to teaching maybe in five or six years."

And what about the future? Well, Artemis Fowl is set to run and run there's so much room to continue the story, particularly with so many characters now introduced in the three books so far, he says.

And as well as that, Colfer fans can look forward to some science fiction, as well as a murder-mystery. Maybe that six-year plan to get back to teaching might be just a bit ambitious.