"I am mainly known as a humorous writer. I often try to avoid jokes but it seems as though I can’t. I have tried to write straight horror and ghost stories but jokes keep popping into my mind. At this stage in my career I have learned to accept it," Colfer said.
His first work of fiction "Benny and Omar" has been dubbed a 21st century Huckleberry Finn Adventure.
Asked how he modelled Artemis and why he is portrayed as an educated, cunning anti-hero, this Irish novelist, who worked as a primary school teacher before he became a full-time writer, answered: "I have always been interested in villains and anti-heroes. I prefer Captain Hook to Peter Pan and Long John Silver to Jim Hawkins. It was an idea of mine to put a villain centre stage but I honestly thought that not many people would be interested. So Artemis’s success was a very pleasant surprise."
Among his other popular works are Half Moon Investigations, The Wish List, The Supernaturalist, and a series of Eoin Colfer's Legends.
The second edition of the Zagreb Book Festival is dedicated to Irish literature.