I've got a couple of thoughts for future drabbles. One is "under the bed" and the other is "first time living on your own." My brain functions in drabble land when I get up in the morning.

Excellent. Have bookmarked.

I'm still trying to think of a good drabble based on my novel or ideas for future ones, but meanwhile here's a moment from my life:

June 1, 1989

Surrounded by ostentatious 18-year-olds’ grief, I’m all but dancing around the football field. Let the others mourn the end of high school. In three months I’ll be moving 900 miles away—the only one of my class to even go out of state. My world is bigger now, and filled with infinite possibility. Why did I struggle so long and hard to belong here, to be a good small-town Alabama girl? It’s finished. Philadelphia awaits. The world awaits.

Nova, if you say something about how happy it is to see caustic people dying, I may have to hunt you down and shoot you.

Huh? Why would you think I would say something like that? Despite all outward signs, I do have some semblance of taste. Your drabble was very good, though also with the pain.

erika, that drabble is gorgeous. I'm with P-C on loving your style. And with others on the bastard-hating.

Susan, your drabble is a moment from MY life as well. Well, mostly. Except that pretty much all of my good friends went far away from Mississippi - we had a pretty big high school.

Why would you think I would say something like that?

Because the last time I wrote about my brother dying, you posted a similar to that comment in the Great Write lj, unless it wasn't you, which means I owe you an apology, but I think it was you. Eta: lj user underpenned . I'm not sure now why I was sure that was you.

Let's just pretend I didn't have this little breakdown, shall we?

Susan, your drabble is a moment from MY life as well. Well, mostly. Except that pretty much all of my good friends went far away from Mississippi - we had a pretty big high school.

There were 120 people in my graduating class, and we were one of the largest classes in the school's history. I'm sure that's changed, though--my home county is just south of Birmingham, and I'm guessing it has double the population it had when I was born. Which is depressing, in a way--it was a stifling place for a girl like me to grow up, but it had a culture, a soul. Now its AnySuburb.

Now its AnySuburb.

That's too bad. I'm glad my hometown is far enough away from major cities that it will never really become a suburb, no matter how much a homogenizing American culture makes it feel like one. Though it's actually on its way to becoming an Urb of its own right, at least as much a one as Mississippi is capable of producing. Still, at least it will maintain its culture.

Not that I love its culture. But it shouldn't be destroyed.

Susan, liked it muchly. You made me feel it. Nova, what style? Sometimes, I'm shockingly style-free. Thank you, though. If you want to believe I'm a stylist, I shouldn't show you the woman behind the curtain, should I? But it's mostly smoke and mirrors. And cursing. And OD-ing on New Journalism.(/David Simon likes urban carrots) Deena, caustic people dying is, like, my favorite entertainment experience.

Maybe it's the style-freeness that gives it such an interesting style.

Any beta readers around?

This is the first chunk of the prologue for the new book, the one about what feeds on vampires, and why. Not a lot of it - just need to know if the style flows and the tension builds.

Deb, I'm around but can't beta right now (trying to be good myself)...but I saw your post and couldn't resist saying hello. Miss you already, bebe!

t /natter