Webchat with Eoin Colfer and Oliver Jeffers SATURDAY 24TH 10-11AM.

[UrsulaMumsnet]

Artemis Fowl extraordinaire, Eoin Colfer, and superstar illustrator Oliver Jeffers are both joining us on Saturday (24th October) morning at 10am to talk to YOU about their beautiful collaboration Imaginary Fred, plus any other questions you might be bursting to ask.

So get the DC involved and come and join us on Saturday or, if you can't make it on the day, post your and DC's questions on the thread below and check back later to see if they've been answered!

See you there!

MNHQ

@Etainagain

Ds wants to know whether the last book in the Artemis Fowl series really is the last book and if there are going to be any books about Artemis younger brothers.

I think I am finished with Arty himself but I would like to do the Fowl Twins. I think there are a lot of stories left in those two boys.

Eoin-what is the capital of Russia?

@OliverJeffers

Eoin-what is the capital of Russia?

R

Morning Eoin and Oliver, so pleased I remembered about the webchat this morning. I'd like to know how you came to collaborate on this book. I love both your books but you're both so different! is it an Irish thing?

@RachelMumsnet

ooh a bit late there....Can we ask you both our standard questions at Mumsnet that we ask all authors:

What childhood book most inspired you?
I have always loved Stig of the Dump and Kidnapped- real classics.

What would be the first piece of advice you would give to anyone attempting to write/illustrate children's books?
Talk to children and try to get to grips with how they think- never write down.

What is the best book you have given anyone recently?
I gave Oliver The Sisters Brothers by Patrick deWitt- he tells me he loves it.

And the best you've received?

I believe (hint hint) that Oliver is going to surprise me with a copy of his fine art book.

@RachelMumsnet

ooh a bit late there....Can we ask you both our standard questions at Mumsnet that we ask all authors:

What childhood book most inspired you?

What would be the first piece of advice you would give to anyone attempting to write/illustrate children's books?

What is the best book you have given anyone recently?

And the best you've received?

The childhood book that most inspired me was the BFG by Roald Dahl.

The piece of advice I'd give to anyone attempting to write/illustrate for children is to make sure you're having fun and write about something that interests you.

The best book I've given anyone recently is Everything Is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer. Best book anyone's given me recently is The Sisters Brothers by Patrick Dewitt given to me by Eoin.

@SpitNolan

Morning Eoin and Oliver, so pleased I remembered about the webchat this morning. I'd like to know how you came to collaborate on this book. I love both your books but you're both so different! is it an Irish thing?

Hi SpitNolan- how are you? We met in NZ on a book tour and hit it off at the authors' dinner- and it went from there. Two years later we have a book.

@SpitNolan

Morning Eoin and Oliver, so pleased I remembered about the webchat this morning. I'd like to know how you came to collaborate on this book. I love both your books but you're both so different! is it an Irish thing?

Yes, it probably is an Irish thing. We met at a book festival in New Zealand with all the other Irish authors there went to the hotel bar afterwards and woke up with a book deal.

Hello Oliver and Eoin! Phew, we made it! We wanted to know, did you have imaginary friends when you were younger? And also in Imaginary Fred did just Eoin write the words or did Oliver write some too? We've just got it and we're in love with it and already read it at least 10 times!

Were you both fans of each other's work? I Haven't read the new book - can yo utell me a bit about it? What age is it aimed at?

@EoinColfer

[quote RachelMumsnet] ooh a bit late there....Can we ask you both our standard questions at Mumsnet that we ask all authors:

What childhood book most inspired you?
I have always loved Stig of the Dump and Kidnapped- real classics.

What would be the first piece of advice you would give to anyone attempting to write/illustrate children's books?
Talk to children and try to get to grips with how they think- never write down.

What is the best book you have given anyone recently?
I gave Oliver The Sisters Brothers by Patrick deWitt- he tells me he loves it.

And the best you've received?

I believe (hint hint) that Oliver is going to surprise me with a copy of his fine art book.[/quote]

oh alright then

@Morningbear

Hello Oliver and Eoin! Phew, we made it! We wanted to know, did you have imaginary friends when you were younger? And also in Imaginary Fred did just Eoin write the words or did Oliver write some too? We've just got it and we're in love with it and already read it at least 10 times!

Hi Morningbear- Eoin here- I had a succession of IF's all taken from popular literature. Captain Hook, Stig and Huck Finn were all my friends. Regarding the writing Oliver had a huge input- but he wouldn't let me draw any pics. Just as well really. Thanks for the kind words.

@Morningbear

Hello Oliver and Eoin! Phew, we made it! We wanted to know, did you have imaginary friends when you were younger? And also in Imaginary Fred did just Eoin write the words or did Oliver write some too? We've just got it and we're in love with it and already read it at least 10 times!

Just Eoin wrote the words, although I did make a few suggestions. Actually I did take care of the French words or more truthfully I asked my French friend to.

Eoin- can you pass the milk?

@SpitNolan

Were you both fans of each other's work? I Haven't read the new book - can yo utell me a bit about it? What age is it aimed at?

I was a big fan of Oliver's so I was delighted that we could do a colab. I think this book has no age limit up or down. It can be read to an infant or by a grandmother. It tells the story of Fred, an imaginary friend who longs to find a full time friend of his own.

@OliverJeffers

Eoin- can you pass the milk?

I'm not your slave.

@SpitNolan

Were you both fans of each other's work? I Haven't read the new book - can yo utell me a bit about it? What age is it aimed at?

Yes we were fans of each other's work. I'm afraid I can't tell you anything about the book, because then you wouldn't buy it and we need to keep Eoin in the style he's been accustomed to.

Oliver- do you prefer waxing or shaving?

Ooh, so pleased you're fans of Sister's Brothers - we had it as our Book of the Month when it came out and Patrick De Witt did a webchat I LOVED that book.

@OliverJeffers

[quote Morningbear] Hello Oliver and Eoin! Phew, we made it! We wanted to know, did you have imaginary friends when you were younger? And also in Imaginary Fred did just Eoin write the words or did Oliver write some too? We've just got it and we're in love with it and already read it at least 10 times!

Just Eoin wrote the words, although I did make a few suggestions. Actually I did take care of the French words or more truthfully I asked my French friend to.[/quote]

No, i didn't have imaginary friends when I was younger. I had three very real brothers so didn't need to add to the crowd.

@EoinColfer

Oliver- do you prefer waxing or shaving?

Neither, I'm all natural.

@RachelMumsnet

Ooh, so pleased you're fans of Sister's Brothers - we had it as our Book of the Month when it came out and Patrick De Witt did a webchat I LOVED that book.

I haven't finished it yet, don't tell me how it ends.

I asked for one thing- a danish. And Oliver bought me a sausage sandwich- what kind of friend is that?

@OliverJeffers

[quote RachelMumsnet] Ooh, so pleased you're fans of Sister's Brothers - we had it as our Book of the Month when it came out and Patrick De Witt did a webchat I LOVED that book.

I haven't finished it yet, don't tell me how it ends.[/quote]

His next one is just as good- Under Majordomo Minor- like The Princess Bride for grown ups (though the PB is for grown ups)

It's on my Christmas wishlist. It's V QUIET here this morning WHERE IS EVERYONE?? I think it's a half term thing ( I know my kids are having a lie in) What's happening at the Lowry?