Salinger, and other happenings...

I'm useless at this blogging stuff. Too much of a chore, or a distraction, especially when there is real writing to be done. But here I am, sitting in a little gap-time, so a few words...
First off, the earthquake in Haiti. Wouldn't you have to be made of stone not to be broken up by that situation? Hispaniola, once the diamond of the Caribbean, fought over by virtually every country that has ever amassed a naval fleet, now descimated. Imperialist plundering, civil political unrest, violent coups, the Docs, and now this. For country already so shockingly poor (and surrounded by so much wealth... a fact that to me seems equal parts shameful and heartbreaking), the devestation has been truly catastrophic. Words really fall short, but if it is possible to taking anything good from all of this then it has to be the way that, while governments have procrastinated, people have rallied, and have dug deep to give what they can. And even now, more than two weeks later, small miracles are still happening. Yesterday, a little girl was pulled from the rubble. She had survived by drinking bathwater...
J.D. Salinger died on Wednesday, aged 91. Catcher In The Rye made him, of course, sold in the tens of millions necessary to keep him in the reclusive style to which he wanted to be accustomed, but the one that did it for me was his brilliant collection of stories, 'For Esme - with Love and Squalor' (published as 'Nine Stories' I think, in the US). It was these stories that put him on the shelf in my mind with Hemingway, Updike, Flannery O'Connor and a few select others. I reread those stories all the time, and they really are beautifully crafted.
Salinger was a good one. In these times, when everything seems to be style over substance, his work resonates, and if Catcher put him in a position to follow his dreams then he certainly did so with vigor. Down the years, rumour had it that he continued to write every day, that he was piling up hordes of work, including at least two complete novels. If those rumours had any basis at all in truth, maybe some of it will begin to surface now...
Here in my own untidy garret, the graft continues. I've been writing, which is what I'm supposed to be doing. I have a nice piece of novel written, as well as some new short stories.
2010 started with a bit of a bang for me, actually: I got word from Ann Luttrell in the Triskel Arts Centre in Cork that their application to somebody or other has been successful and that I, along with a few other Irish writers, will be attending the 11th International Conference on the Short Story in English, to be held this coming June in the sunny climes of Toronto. Exciting news? Stunning would be more on the nose.
January brought with it some nice acceptance notices too (we'll ignore the usual and inevitable slew of rejections, shall we?). So, work forthcoming in Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine (a paying gig - how nice!), the Los Angeles Review and the Southeast Review. Also, I'm thrilled to have made it onto the shortlist for the 1st Annual Writing Spirit Award. The winner will be announced soon, so I'm keeping everything snugly crossed...
Finally, for now:
If anyone gets a look at this and is feeling like they need something to read during these dark wintery evenings, they might give a thought to picking up a copy of my latest book, In Too Deep. Shameless plug here, but I heard from the publishers recently that sales are limping along at a nearly legless pace and I suppose I must do what I can, when I can:
Here it is on Amazon.co.uk
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Too-Deep-other-short-stories/dp/1856356337

And here, for Amazon.com
http://www.amazon.com/Too-Deep-other-short-stories/dp/1856356337