The job search is proceeding at a frantic pace.

Apart from lecturing jobs, i've been applying for jobs on monster.ie and irishjobs.ie. The tefl.com website has yielded nothing to date. So i'm currently applying for customer service jobs using French in IT firms, through recruitment agencies. Though without holding out much hope, I have to admit.

However, I spent some time today writing to a number of French publishers, offering my services as a literary translator from French to English. A competitive market, indeed. But nothing ventured, etc.

There is apparently a renaissance of interest in all things vampire and zombie/ghoul-related, among teenage readers. Think Stephanie Myers and her Twilight series or the new American TV series True Blood, or Buffy from a few years back. So 'Le Monde des Livres' today reports that a French-Danish novelist, Victor Dixen, has published the first in a four-part series of French language novels, set in the USA, about a teenage boy with behavioural difficulties (what adolescent doesn't have behavioural difficulties?) who goes to a tough, prison-like summer camp and discovers he's a vampire. As you do.

And I thought: 'Hey, I could translate those books into English!' Of course, knowing my luck, the English translations are probably already well under way. But this French article gave me the idea of offering my services as a literary translator to a number of French publishing houses. So I have sent off CVs, detailed letters of motivation, and samples of my translations and my research. One can only remain optimistic. I have looked for an appointment with the DCU Careers Service also. Still also getting TEFL regrets and a regret today from Hertz Car Rental for a French customer representative, saying they had no vacancies, but the job was only advertised the other day on Monster.ie... What IS a guy supposed to do?

I suppose in recessionary times, to set up my own translation and/or English-teaching bureau, maybe in France, might be a positive step. And i'm still waiting to hear back from universities so I'm staying resolutely hopeful.